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Thursday, December 20, 2007 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, John has been waiting for his Savior. He’s been preparing the way, scolding Pharisees, eating locust, calling for repentance. John is knee-deep in the Jordan River baptizing seekers when Jesus appears. John knows at first blush that this is the one. But that was seven chapters ago – a lot has changed. Today, when we find John he is in prison, where his mind has become clouded by doubt. John has always been clear about the Messiah and what he’ll do when he arrives. But now word seeps in through the bars of John’s cell, there’s talk that Jesus isn’t behaving as planned. He’s stilling storms, healing demoniacs, paralytics and bleeding women, restoring sight and raising the dead. John even hears that not only are Jesus and his disciples eating and drinking abundantly (while John wastes away in jail and his disciples fast), they are eating and drinking abundantly with outcasts and riff-raff. John can’t believe his ears. This isn’t what he envisioned. The Messiah is supposed to catalogue wrongdoing and wield harsh judgment. John expects winnowing forks and burning chaff; John expects an axe lying at the root of bad trees; John expects a fiery end; Are you the one who is coming Doubt is kindled when God’s understanding of what we need is different from our own. Life, and Advent, would be much easier if there were more synchronicity. This Advent, may God surprise us with that which we did not know we needed. Grace upon grace upon grace. |
