“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’” Matthew 3:16-17
I can’t even fathom being chosen as the one to alert people that the Messiah is coming followed by the humbling privilege of lowering Jesus into the waters of the Jordan baptizing Him. How unworthy John must have felt…how ridiculous it must have seemed…how humbling it must have been. And then, he witnessed what I can’t even imagine as Jesus broke through the surface of the water rising up. He saw the heavens open, heard the audible voice of God identifying Jesus as His beloved Son, and witnessed the Holy Spirit ‘ascending upon Him like a dove.’ You would think that experience alone would anchor Him for the rest of his life in faith, belief, and confidence in Jesus. And yet, later in Matthew we see one of the greatest doubts ever expressed by John who was chained in the dark and damp prison waiting on Jesus to rescue him. He sent a message through two of the disciples, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’ Matthew 11:3. With everything John witnessed that day in the Jordan it is astonishing that he could doubt the legitimacy of Jesus.
As I consider this scene of John’s doubt in prison, I wonder if we are much different from John. When the tough times come and resolution is nowhere in sight, do we question ‘Where are you Jesus?’ Do we begin to wonder if Jesus is even coming? We begin to look around searching for another way out because of the inaction of Jesus in our suffering. We too have watched past miracles that Jesus has performed in our lives… the precious birth of our babies…the sweet unions of marriage…the healing of medical issues…the saving of our wayward children…the daily forgiveness of our sins…the sustaining comfort in our grief. And still we doubt that Jesus can save…will save…will show up. Jesus responded to John’s doubts the same way He responds to our doubts. He asks us to look around and see the miracles being performed daily. ‘Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.’ Matthew 11:5. Jesus was saying that the same God who has performed these miracles is the same God that will save us in our despair. When we take our doubts to Him, we will always be comforted with remembrances of past mercies and faithfulness. He will point to the miracles of others to encourage us to keep watching for our miracles…to stay alert for His presence…to expect fulfillment in His promises. Jesus was patient with John’s doubts as He is with all our doubts. ‘Doubt loses its power in the light of God’s truth, so we don’t have to be afraid when we take our doubts to God. His Word can stand up to any doubts. Most great followers of God have wrestled with their doubts until God’s truth won.’ Stronger, Angela Thomas-Pharr, p. 56.
The One who was...and is...and is to come!
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