How deeply rooted must unbelief be in our hearts when we are surprised to find our prayer answered!
"Lord, I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:24
On one of my last days in Israel we traveled to the Dead Sea. It's a place of wonder and if you ever get the chance to go, you will be amazed. After visiting the Dead Sea, our tour guide took us to a mountain fortress built by Herod the Great. It was called Masada. It's the place of great tragedy in Israel's history. After the Jews threw off Roman rule, in 70 A.D., the Romans came back and destroyed the Temple and laid siege to the Jewish survivors at Masada. As I sat on top of the mountain, looking over the Dead Sea, our guide was talking about another mountain fortress just over the waters. It was called Machaerus. It, Masada and Herodium were three mountain fortresses built by Herod the Great. We know Machaerus was the place where John the Baptist was imprisoned and later beheaded.
During his imprisonment, John the Baptist had questions about his ministry and the ministry of Jesus. He wondered if what he prayed and preached about was truly coming to pass. So he sent some of his disciples to make the trek from Machaerus to see Jesus. When they arrived, they asked Jesus if He truly was the Messiah.
Jesus could have answered in many different ways.
He could have said, "Do you see the miracles I'm doing? What do you think?"
He could have told them, "Follow me and see for yourself."
He could have waved his hands and stilled a storm or lifted his arms and brought down fire from heaven to punctuate His ministry.
But instead, he told them only something John the Baptist would have known.
He told them that God answers prayers.
Now, I can't tell you for sure what John the Baptist prayed for. But I suspect he prayed for the same things that the prophet Isaiah prayed for. After all, John the Baptist quoted Isaiah quite often in his sermons. So I think he probably prayed for the same things.
And when Jesus gave his answer, I think that he was telling John the Baptist that God is answering his prayers.
Jesus said, "Those who were blind are able to see. Those who were crippled are walking. People with skin diseases are cleansed. Those who were deaf now hear. Those who were dead are raised up. The poor have good news proclaimed to them. Happy are those who don't stumble and fall because of me."
Isaiah said in chapter 61, "The Lord God's spirit is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim release for captives, and liberation for prisoners."
I'm not sure, but I think John the Baptist probably prayed for these things, the blind will see and the deaf will hear the word of God. That the lame will leap and the lost will come home.
In the midst of his troubles and trials, John the Baptist probably wondered if God heard his feeble prayers.
And Jesus' answer is, "God hears! And God answers the faithful!"
John the Baptist knew what his fate was. He knew it as soon as he decided to preach about the despot that ruled his country with an iron fist. But in his doubt, God did something amazing.
God said, "Well done good and faithful servant."
Let us pray,
God of all mercy and love. Sometimes we don't know if our prayers are being answered. Sometimes we're not sure if You hear us in our troubles. Let us feel today the warmth of the Holy Spirit and let our souls hear the words we long to hear. "Well done good and faithful servant." In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
The blessings of Our Lord Jesus Christ be upon you.
Religion on 11/23/2016