Matthew 11:1-6
1After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee. 2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

Reflection:
John the Baptist, while in prison, hears the many reports of Jesus performing miracles and healings. John the Baptist then sends his followers to Jesus to ask if Jesus is indeed the Messiah or if not, then who will it be. Jesus responds by telling John’s followers to just go back and tell John the Baptist what they have seen and heard.  Jesus also states to them that even though Jesus may have not met their messianic expectations they just need to trust God’s plan.

Almost 20 years ago I bought a certain brand of vehicle known for their dependability and service (I’ll leave it unnamed so you do not think this is a commercial). My husband and I had done the research as we had owned a number of different vehicle brands by then; we were always looking for a better vehicle that combined dependability, performance and value. So, expectations were high as we tried yet another brand.  Over the first few months I was impressed with the vehicle’s comfort and performance; when the time came for scheduled service, I was so impressed I kept thinking this could not be real, but it was. Fast forward about 10 years and I thought I should try a different brand I had not tried before when it came time for a new vehicle. Well, it did not take long to know I had made a mistake, but I had to live with it. Even though I had all the previous proof and results, I still went astray in my decision.

Sometimes we are the same with God; he shows up and he shows us the proof, he shows us the way but maybe we just do not recognize that it is indeed God or maybe we are expecting something else. For whatever reason, we just cannot find it in our hearts to recognize and follow God’s plan.

Closing Prayer:
Dear Lord, we are so thankful that you show up for us every day in so many ways. Sometimes we do not recognize you or we just do not believe it is you; please help us to open our heart so we can recognize you in all the many blessings you bestow upon on us every day. We pray all of this in your holy name. Amen.