When God Seems Distant

[Ncdataman]

When God Seems Distant

"John the Baptist, who was now in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, 'Are you really the Messiah we've been waiting for, or should we keep looking for someone else?' "
— Matthew 11:2–3



Have you ever had something happen in your life that caused you to say, "Where is God?" No less than the greatest prophet who ever lived, John the Baptist, faced this struggle.

John had put it all on the line for Jesus Christ. He had baptized Him in the Jordan River. He pointed his own disciples to Jesus, whom he believed was the Messiah. John had clearly pledged his complete loyalty to Jesus.

Yet a strange series of events took place after that. One moment, he was out preaching to the multitudes and baptizing people. The next moment, he was in prison.

The great John the Baptist began to entertain some doubt. So he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question, "Are you really the Messiah we've been waiting for, or should we keep looking for someone else?"

Jesus' disciples and John commonly believed that Jesus would establish His kingdom then and there. But they failed to recognize that before Christ would establish His kingdom, He would first come to suffer and die for the sins of humanity. John misunderstood the prophecies of Scripture, and therefore felt that Jesus was not doing what He was supposed to do.

Sometimes we, too, misunderstand God and His Word when He doesn't do what we think He should do or when He doesn't work as quickly as we would like Him to. But even when we cannot understand God's ways, His methods, or His timing, He still asks us to trust Him. And He is trustworthy.


reprinted from Harvest

 

[stephen]

Jesus said John B was the greatest of all the prophets.

Can we grasp that?

Greater than the fiery Elijah, greater than the powerful Elisha, Greater than the eloquent Isaiah, that the weeping Jeremiah, the visionary Ezekiel. Greater than the man who saw the whole of history...Daniel. The greatest of the prophets.....he was the best

Look at what he did, what was done with him.

With his own hands he baptised Jesus in the river Jordan. He saw heaven opened, he saw the Spirit of God descend in the form of a dove. He heard the voice of God say "This is my beloved Son", and John had the awesome opportunity of introducing the Messiah to Israel, and to the world. "Behold the Lamb of God" he said "which taketh away the sin of the world"

What a preacher he must have been. He did not have a beautiful building on Main Street. No, he was out in the fields, in the country, alongside a river bank. The bible says he emptied the cities as they poured out to hear him preach. Even his bitter enemies the Pharisee's could not stay away. They stood on the edge of the crowd......peeping.

"You snakes, you generation of vipers" wow Yet they could not stay away from the power of his preaching. Folks were baptised by the 1000's All Jerusalem heard his name and knew the power of his ministry.

So great was John's ministry that many years later, Paul at distant city of Ephesus came across 12 men who were still faithful to the preaching of John.

In the bright noonday of his ministry John said speaking of Jesus "He must increase and I must decrease" At that moment John caught a glimpse of God's plan.......You know what? Easy to say when all Jerusalem turns out to hear you preach. Easy to say when cities are emptying, and folks are pouring down to the river. Easy to say when your name is on every one lips.

But O John, when you are locked away in a dungeon, and the vast crowd of disciples, now only two can be found. And no deliverance comes, through long weeks and months of suffering

Discouragement can come even to the greatest of the prophets. He called those two disciples to him and said "I want you to go to Jesus" "I want you to ask him, Are you really who I thought you were.....Are you really the Messiah? or should we look for another"? You know what John was really saying.....Have I wasted my life?......Have I made a big mistake?......Have I invested my strength my energy my life force in the wrong cause?

John was doubting Jesus was the real Messiah.....So deep was his discouragement that this man who baptised him, began to wonder.

Discouragement can come to the very best

It does not mean we are backslidden. Does not mean we have fallen away from God.........No No No

Recall the great men who followed God in the bible

Discouragement reminds us that we are human....as we follow the Master