Scripture Reflection-Matthew 11:1-6
1After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee. 2When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples 3to ask him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"
Lord Jesus--There is pain behind these words coming from John in Herod's prison. He had put his hope in You and had trusted his mission was completed. Now in the dark dank prison cell with the walls surrounding him and the chains rattling on his feet, he wondered if he was wrong. Questions like: Did I really hear that voice from heaven saying...affirming Jesus as God's Son? Or was it thunder like everyone else thought it was...
These were hard times for John and painful questions to ask and to hear. I am sure that John must have wondered if he should have just kept quiet about Herod and his choices in wives. All these thoughts and more must have rattled around John's mind.
4Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 6Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."
Lord Jesus--I am glad for what wasn't forwarded back to John. You did not chide John for his questions and for his thoughts of failure as he sat there in the dark. You just pointed John toward the light...
You pointed John toward the Prophet Isaiah and words that would have been familiar to John.
1After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee. 2When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples 3to ask him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"
Lord Jesus--There is pain behind these words coming from John in Herod's prison. He had put his hope in You and had trusted his mission was completed. Now in the dark dank prison cell with the walls surrounding him and the chains rattling on his feet, he wondered if he was wrong. Questions like: Did I really hear that voice from heaven saying...affirming Jesus as God's Son? Or was it thunder like everyone else thought it was...
These were hard times for John and painful questions to ask and to hear. I am sure that John must have wondered if he should have just kept quiet about Herod and his choices in wives. All these thoughts and more must have rattled around John's mind.
4Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 6Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."
Lord Jesus--I am glad for what wasn't forwarded back to John. You did not chide John for his questions and for his thoughts of failure as he sat there in the dark. You just pointed John toward the light...
You pointed John toward the Prophet Isaiah and words that would have been familiar to John.
Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners
I wonder if John started to quote Isaiah 61 to himself as he sat in his prison cell after his friend left him alone to his thoughts. I wonder if Isaiah's words rang in his ears as he was taken away to the executioner's axe. They were words of light...a life line to a man alone in the dark.
Come to think of it that is what you do with me at times, you point me toward the light. Just at the right time a word or two of scripture comes through just when I need it. Sometimes I notice it...and then sometimes it just flies right over my ducked head.
Lord Jesus in this day, point me toward the light.
No comments:
Post a Comment