Are You the One?

“Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” Luke 7:19

If you have been following Jesus any length of time you most probably have either thought this subconsciously, or felt it in your heart.  Paraphrased:  ‘If you are God and you love me why didn’t you act?  Should I look to other means to accomplish what I want accomplished?  Are you really who you say you are and work everything to my good?  Can I really trust You?’  These are tough questions for us to ask God, who is able and capable but sometimes does not move mountains that stand in our way.  God has been hearing these sentiments for centuries as John the Baptist asked in Luke.  John was imprisoned for his message, and had become discouraged and even filled with doubt. 

There have been times in my life when I really felt I’ve been led by God to believe one way about a resolution in which I had been praying.  Then the day comes, my anticipation and expectation is high, my faith soars, my heart races and then…the sun goes down…the outcome never happened…heaven is silent…I am left with broken pieces laying around me.  I used to be devastated and feel abandoned but the more I know Jesus, the more I believe that what He impresses on my heart is cumulative and progressive.  He does not mislead us or break promises, but rather gives us premature insight so that when the picture is revealed, all our leadings will make sense.  I have tried to be more like the men who King Nebuchadnezzar promised to throw into the fire.  Their message to the king?  ‘But even if he does not [rescue from the fire], we want you to know…that we will not serve…or worship the image you have set up.’ Daniel 3:18.   Even if God doesn’t…I will still worship Him.

Images are being cast daily in all our lives, and it is so easy to worship other images when we feel disappointed.  We worship alcohol, we worship drugs, we worship material purchases, we worship bitterness and unforgiveness.  ‘John experienced the most excruciating dilemma any devoted child of God faces…pain from the searing of the heart when God has not lived up to your expectations…it seems the deeper we love God, the deeper the potential for devastation when He doesn’t intervene as we know He can.’ Believing God, p. 69.  When our God meets our prayers with no or not yet, we must trust Him outside of our circumstances and give God room to move.  He invites us to ask Him for certain things, but we must continue to trust Him if He doesn’t act. 

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11.