"A Simple Answer"

"And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them." Matthew 11:3-5

John the Baptist was in prison, and he sent his disciples to Jesus to ask Him if He was the one to come (the Messiah) or should they look for another. The verses above are Jesus' reply to John's question. Have you ever noticed that Jesus rarely answered enquiring questions with a simple "yes" or "no"? All He had to do was tell John, "Yes, I am."

 

Why does He do that? God does what He wants to do, when He wants to do it, and how He wants to do it including the way He answers our questions. When He does though, it is always in the best way-- whether we think so or not. In John's case, he already knew the answer. The Father had already spoken to him from heaven at the Jordan River. Jesus' answer was one that would reinforce and reaffirm what John already knew. 

 

There have been times when I have asked the Lord something, wanting a simple "yes" or "no" but that is not how He answered me either. Like John, it is easy for us to question what we already know when things get tough, when they aren't going according to plan, or when they aren't happening the way we thought they would or in the time frame in which we thought they would. By giving us His answer in such a way, it is meant to reaffirm, reinforce, encourage, help fortify our faith and give clarity to the situation. I can remember as a child traveling in the car and asking my parents, "Are we there yet?". When they answered, "no", I felt like we would never get there. But when they answered with an explanation, it gave me a reference point to look for and would let me know that the journey was almost over. When the Lord answers us in this fashion, it too gives us a reference point and helps bring us back in focus-- focus on what He has already said instead of the situation-- and reinforces our faith. 

 

Don't get discouraged or angry if the Lord doesn't give you a simple "yes" or "no" answer. He is answering you in a way that is for your best and it will give you an anchor of faith to hold on to in the midst of your situation.

 

Have a great day. God doesn't always answer us with a simple "yes" or "no", but His answer is far better for us. 

 

For further reading:

Matthew 3:16,17

Hebrews 10:23