Matthew 11:2-8

“When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’” vss. 2-3

Since John had begun his ministry some time before Jesus, he was already a celebrity when Jesus came into Galilee to preach and teach. Some thought he might be the Messiah. But when John was arrested by Herod and imprisoned at the desert fortress of Machereus, attention shifted to Jesus. Matthew indicates that even John began to think that he might be the one! But John needed proof, and sent disciples to ask Jesus directly. We have the sense that as his death appeared imminent he wanted to know if God’s promise was being kept. He’s not the only one to have wondered these things as their ending drew near. There are many even now who wonder the same thing. Was Jesus the One? Or is there some other way? We love to have assurance about such things! Jesus told the disciples who came asking that question to go and tell John what they’d seen and heard. And there’s no better advice, even for us. Was Jesus the One? Well, just look at what he said and did! He was the embodiment of divine sacrificial love, and in him we have what is known as “blessed assurance.” In Jesus we know the full extent of God’s mercy and forgiveness, and as near our endings we can be confident that he is the One!

Thought for the Day: What part does wondering play in my life?