Human Frailty

by Alan and Clarice Smith 27 June 2022

He answered John’s messengers, “Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind can see, the lame can walk, those who suffer from dreaded skin-diseases are made clean, the deaf can hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is preached to the poor. Luke 7:22

As we know after John the Baptist had baptised Jesus, he also had the privilege of witnessing the Holy Spirit come down upon him as a dove and hear a voice from heaven saying “You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you. Luke 3:22.

In spite of this only a short time later, John was confused enough about Jesus that he sent two of his own disciples to ask him “Are you the one John said was going to come, or should we expect someone else?” Luke 7:19

Although John displayed doubt, Jesus went on to proclaim John the greatest of all prophets. Do you think that God’s gospel includes this story to reassure us when our faith wavers? After all it is human nature to be plagued by uncertainties from time to time.

God gave us inquisitive minds and expects us to ask difficult but honest questions when we encounter matters that affect our faith. I think Jesus would be well aware of our human frailty and the need for our faith to be bolstered from time to time, and as we read in John 14:16-18 he asked God to send the Holy Spirit to live inside us for ever and be our Comforter.