Sandcastle Kings By Rich Wilkerson, Jr. Sample

In God We Trust

John the Baptist is in prison and getting impatient and frustrated. John was a religious guy, about as religious as they come. He did all the right things. He obeyed God’s plan for his life—to live in the desert and preach repentance and the coming of the Messiah. He sacrificed comfort and luxury. As far as we know, he never married.

But he finds himself in prison because he did what was right. He knows that Jesus is the Messiah, but the longer he stares at the walls of his cell the more he doubts whether that is really true. Unable to wait any longer he sends two of his students to ask Jesus, straight up, “Are you the Messiah or not?”

But Jesus does not respond right away. This is such a Jesus move. Instead of giving John an instant message, Jesus continued to preach the gospel, heal people, cure their diseases, restore their sight, and cast out demons. Afterward, Jesus told John’s messengers:

Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: 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. (Luke 7:22)

Weird answer, right? John wonders whether Jesus is the promised Messiah, but Jesus says: “Tell John about all the miracles I’m performing.” What sounds dismissive at first is a profoundly helpful instruction in how to respond when doubt creeps in and shakes our faith.

First, Jesus directs John to Scripture. He wasn’t simply letting John know about a bunch of miracles. Jesus was quoting one of the best-known prophecies concerning the Messiah, from Isaiah. Second, Jesus instructs us to look beyond our personal circumstances.

The key question for all of us, just as it was for John the Baptist, is simple: “Do we trust God?” When the going gets tough, it is not about simply believing in God. The question is not “Do you believe that God exists?” or “Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God?” The question is, “Do you trust God?” Belief is important, but in the darkest days it is trust that gives us hope.