Matthew 11
Dear God,
Thank You for my life and all Your blessings. For godly friends and people who care about me.
The mighty warrior for God was in prison – ‘John the Baptist’, after having proclaimed Christ as the Messiah and being witness to how at the baptism of Jesus, God spoke from heaven, expressing that He was pleased with His Son; John was having a time of doubt as to whether Jesus was the Messiah after all. Jesus was not fulfilling the blue print, as taught by the priests, and others had helped in sowing doubt for John when he was in hard and unjust circumstances in a prison.
It shows we all can be subject to moments of doubt, despite what we really know; when we take our eyes off Jesus, and/or dwell on self and what we think should be happening, or what God should be doing. Thank You for teaching me this Lord, and bringing my thoughts back to You when I have any doubt about You or Your works and promises.
Jesus was so gracious with the friends of John and said nothing judgemental; He just got them to observe His work of healing and teaching, which no mere man could have done. To forget preconceived notions, would solidify a belief, that only someone sent by God from heaven, could do what Jesus did and was doing on that day. Matthew 11:6 “Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
Jesus recognized John as God’s man, and acknowledged that his life had been one of obedience, leading to abstemiousness in his lifestyle, and when God’s time for him had come; mixing with crowds of people, warning to them to repent from their sins and change. Sadly few had forsaken their sinful ways. Matthew 11:20 “Then Jesus began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.” How sad, that the people were not more heart affected by the supernatural work of Jesus, or by John’s repentance message, preparing hearts for the ministry off Jesus.
I ask myself, am I at the same risk? God is working supernaturally all the time and I can dream along, and let it go over my head, or His works can become ‘ho, hum, like ‘white noise.’ Please forgive me for when I have taken You and Your works for granted. Holy Spirit, teach me to be sensitive to Your promptings and in regard to the works of Jesus and His Father.
Next Jesus gives an appeal to His hearers and to all mankind, Matthew 11:27 “All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son and the one whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” V28,”Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Today these words bring me hope and peace, and I thank You Jesus that I can have ‘rest’ because of belief in You.
Amen