“Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, ‘Are You the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’ And Jesus answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by Me.’” (Matthew 11:2 ESV)
Poor John. Stuck in prison and unable to see for himself what this Jesus, the One he baptized, has turned into. Is He really the Messiah? John thought so, the day the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended”
But now John has nothing to do but think. And he worries: Did I make a mistake? Wasn’t the Messiah supposed to set the prisoners—like me—free? Who is this man, anyway?
Jesus has mercy on him. He doesn’t say a flat “Yes”—any liar could do the same. No, He invites John’s disciples to take the evidence of their own ears and eyes back to their teacher. These are the miracles of the Messiah. The Good News is being preached, even if John is sitting in darkness. God’s plan is going forward.
From this time on, John’s disciples will be able to comfort him any time he falls into doubt. They are witnesses—and ones he can trust.
And we, too, can comfort our fellow Christians during times of fear and doubt. We can sit with them and listen. We can remind them of all the times God has been there for them—starting with Jesus’ own suffering, death, and resurrection.
Prayer: Lord Holy Spirit, use me to strengthen my fellow Christians. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
* When have you doubted?
* Who or what helped you the most in those times?
* How could you comfort and strengthen a doubting friend?
Lenten Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Originally published in The Lutheran Hour on March 1, 2023
Used by permission from International Lutheran Laymen’s League, all rights reserved
