He Doeth Well!

 Hello!

I hope that you have been doing well; like Willie did. If you have no idea who Willie is, you could read about him here {here} because this will sort of build up on that.

We all have expectations, from everyone and everything. Some are reasonable, others are just but fantasies which we know and we know may never happen but deep down in our hearts we still have that flickering sense of “what if it actually happens!”. We especially have high hopes on family; and whenever one of us make it in life, it almost always feels like we have also made it, right? Then we want to hope that they can always help pull us up when we are in trouble or when we need a little boost in whatever way. It is always heartbreaking when they fall short of these expectations, particularly when you know or think you know that it was not because they couldn’t but just because they do not want to help.

John

John was one of those guys who I can confidently say was peculiar. He had an extremely unusual way of life, and those that encountered him must have concluded that he was either possessed or mad.  However, he was very sane. As a matter of fact, he was more aware of who he was than most people who knew him and probably more than you and I are right now. He was one of those kids whose birth was a trending topic because it was followed by uncommon eventualities, whose news spread like wildfire. People were even asking each other what John would become when he grew up because for sure he was no ordinary baby. And he sure did grow up, and became someone no one had probably imagined he would become.

He does well, he becomes a good and faithful servant, just like Willie; or maybe I should say Willie had learned from him. For John we actually know for sure that His master was happy with what he had done with His life. However, in his doing well he ends up in big trouble with the authorities for telling them truths they did not want to hear. He is jailed, and the first lady of the land desperately wants him dead. However, her husband is afraid because he is popular among the people. I don’t think he is afraid at first because he also has a powerful relative, who is also a friend. They were almost agemates, had probably grown up playing together until they both went out to do what they had been born for.

His friend heard about his imprisonment, but he never really went to visit he goes on with his life as usual. His usual is actually not the typical usual.  His usual was doing great things, helping everybody else get well, get freed, have food, peace and so much more. John hears about what this friend is doing out there and begins to worry. He sends some of his followers to go ask what’s up, why was his friend not looking out for him. See his friend was Jesus, The Messiah, one whose birth is talked about from Genesis to Malachi, and John knew all this but he begins to doubt. In Matthew 11:2-3 (ESV) Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples ³ and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” See, John was even born purposely to prepare the way for Christ to come, and he had done that dutifully, and faithfully.

When Jesus is asked this question, His response is quite disheartening if you ask me. Matthew 11:4-6 (ESV) And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: ⁵ the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.” To me this sounds more like ”John, I am busy helping everyone else out here”. John must have been really heartbroken. He had expectations from Jesus, he was his relative, friend, God. He had been faithful to obey. Why was he left to suffer like that? A short while later, Herod the Tetrarch is having a party where his daughter impresses him so much that he promises to give her whatever she asks for. His wife grabs this opportunity and influences her daughter to ask for John’s head on a silver platter. And just like that poor John is beheaded. Such a sad end to the story, right?

But no….        

I first saw this perspective of the story when I listened to a preacher who is also called John, and I have carried this exhortation with me since then. See something John did not get to know before he died is what Jesus thought about him. Right after the disciples he had sent left, Jesus says remarkable things about John. Matthew 11:11 (ESV) “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Jesus says these words of him after his (John’s) disciples are gone and he did not get to hear those words.

God knew that John had been faithful, and that his time on earth had come to an end having done all that he was meant to. His reward was awaiting him in heaven, but he felt a sense of being abandoned by the one who was supposed to fix his problems. However, like for many of us God knew best and He always does best for us. Sometimes He does answer our prayers and meet our needs, other times He may not fix our problems as we expect, not while we are here on earth. 

Here is something I read months ago that was written by J. C. Rylie back in 1857; referring to Mark 7:31-37;

v.37 They said of our Lord, "He has done all things well!"

“It is more than probable that those who said these words were little sensible of their full meaning, when applied to Christ. Like Caiaphas, they "spoke not of themselves." (John 11:51.) But the truth to which they gave utterance is full of deep and unspeakable comfort, and ought to be daily remembered by all true Christians.

 Let us remember it as we look back over the days past of our lives, from the hour of our conversion. "Our Lord has done all things well." In the first bringing us out of darkness into marvelous light — in humbling us and teaching us our weakness, guilt, and folly — in stripping us of our idols, and choosing all our portions in placing us where we are, and giving us what we have — how well everything has been done! How great the mercy that we have not had our own way!

Let us remember it as we look forward to the days yet to come. We know not what they may be, bright or dark, many or few. But we know that we are in the hands of Him who "doeth all things well." He will not err in any of His dealings with us. He will take away and give — He will afflict and bereave — He will move and He will settle, with perfect wisdom, at the right time, in the right way. The great Shepherd of the sheep makes no mistakes. He leads every lamb of His flock by the right way to the city of habitation.

We shall never see the full beauty of these words until the resurrection morning. We shall then look back over our lives, and know the meaning of everything that happened from first to last. We shall remember all the way by which we were led, and confess that all was "well done." The why and the wherefore, the causes and the reasons of everything which now perplexes, will be clear and plain as the sun at noon-day. We shall wonder at our own past blindness, and marvel that we could ever have doubted our Lord's love. "Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face. Now we know in part, but then shall we know even as we are known." (1 Cor. 13:12.)

Do have a great week ahead, and remember that we are in the hand of Him that doeth all things well!

Adios 😊