[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=doubt&iid=7313315″ src=”c/5/a/f/The_Incredulity_of_edfe.jpg?adImageId=10329777&imageId=7313315″ width=”234″ height=”243″ /]More often than I care to admit, the question “What am I doing?” pops into my mind.  Sometimes this thought is connected to a present frustration.  Perhaps someone I have diligently prayed for falls away, or some sickness overtakes one I have personally touched, or love is absent where it should abound.  Sometimes I am just ordering my daily business and I wonder if everything I do and believe is nonsense.  Not to put too fine a point on it, I still have doubts.

Christianity has historically picked on Thomas as the “great doubter.”  I submit that John (the Baptist) committed far worse a “crime of disbelief.”  When John knew his life was soon to be cut short, he sent a message to his cousin, “Are you for real?”

Instead of answering,

Did you not leap in your mother’s womb when I came near? (Luke 1.41)

Were you not declared a prophet from your infancy? Wasn’t the proclamation of your lips to be the declaration “salvation is come”? (Luke 1.67ff) 

Didn’t you preach the Word given to you, “Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand”? (Matthew 3.1ff)

Didn’t you take on the religious elite, calling them to the same repentance as the tax collector? (Luke 3.7ff)

Didn’t you publicly declare that one would come after you who would be mightier, whose baptism would be the Holy Spirit and fire and whose judgment would be true and final? (Luke 3.16ff)

Didn’t you personally see the Spirit descend and didn’t you hear the voice of God when you baptized me saying, “This is my beloved son in whom I am well-pleased”? (Mark 1.9ff)

Wasn’t it you who said of me, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”! (John 1.29ff)

Jesus loved the doubter. 

My friends at Main Street will find out just how much this upcoming weekend.