Expect the unexpected!

Luke 7:19-23

John, summoning two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or must we wait for someone else?’ When the men reached Jesus they said, ‘John the Baptist has sent us to you, to ask, “Are you the one who is to come or have we to wait for someone else?”’ It was just then that he cured many people of diseases and afflictions and of evil spirits, and gave the gift of sight to many who were blind. Then he gave the messengers their answer, ‘Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind see again, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, the Good News is proclaimed to the poor and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me.’
Food for thought
Our greatest weakness in our prayer life is not that we fail to pray, but that when God fails to answer in the way we thought He should and in the time frame we expected, we either doubt His love for us or question that He even exists at all. This is John’s situation. He had served the Lord well; he had told the people that after him there’s one coming that is mightier; and then John got into trouble and was imprisoned. This is the least of places  John expected himself to be in; and yet he is there.
Chances are that some of us are in similar situation like of John; we realize we haven’t prepared for the unexpected circumstances that we find ourselves in. We can find the ground beneath us pulled and the air within us knocked out. We didn’t expect to lose a job. We didn’t expect our home to be foreclosed upon. We didn’t expect our business to go under. We didn’t expect our spouse to leave. We didn’t expect our child to end up in jail. We didn’t expect to be betrayed by a dear friend. We didn’t expect death to take our loved one so early. But, in life, we can expect the unexpected. This is what today’s gospel reading is all about. EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED!
Expect to hear the unexpected reply from the Lord. Did you notice that when John’s emissaries asked Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come or have we to wait for someone else?”’ Jesus gave them an unexpected answer. The gospel says that “It was just then that he cured many people of diseases and afflictions and of evil spirits, and gave the gift of sight to many who were blind. Then he gave the messengers their answer, ‘Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard’” Not exactly the answer we were hoping for. Not exactly the one John was hoping for either. It wasn’t long after Jesus’ reply that John was beheaded. There was no explanation, no rescue, no miracle. Yes, we too, when we pray should expect the unexpected!
We’re not alone. John the Baptist had prepared the way for Christ. Though John had obeyed God fully, He found himself in prison, consumed by fear and bitter over his circumstances. Sometimes we feel the same. And we, just like John, wonder, “Is God who He really says He is? Or is my faith in vain?” We get offended by God.
Our problem is a simple one. We forget. God may not have parted a Red Sea, He may not have healed us, He may not have calmed our raging storm, but He’s performed other miracles that we so easily forget. And we must learn to remember. We must remember that He is God and nothing is impossible for Him (Luke 1: 37).

In the tempest of your storms in life, remember that God is with you. THAT IS the miracle. Remember that He will NEVER leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13: 5). Don’t forget Who He is and who you’re not. God may have chosen to take you through the valley, or through the pain or the problem, but He’s still with you. Remember this. He is your guide and guard.