Questions

Matthew 11:2-3 - When John in prison heard about the deeds of Christ, he sent through his disciples a question: Are you the one who is coming or are we to look for/expect another?

I think we all have questions about our faith. It is natural to want the answers from some authority. John suspects that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ. Yet he is unsure. So he asks. There are no stupid questions, right? I would add there are only stupid motives. The Pharisees and the scribes ask questions to trip Jesus up but this is not what is happening here. John has heard of Jesus' sayings and doings. He suspects he knows the answer and he sends people to ask. From prison, that is probably the best he can do. His motives are innocent.

What about our motives for asking questions of Jesus or others? Do we need all our answers to be clear as black and white? Or are we comfortable with letting things happen as they will? Are we able to act on our understanding of God's working through the Spirit and trust that if we are wrong it will still be okay? Questions are necessary. If we ask questions, waiting until everything is perfect before we act, sometimes, it will be too late. Sometimes things will never be clear. Living with ambiguity and unanswered questions is part of the struggle the Scots Confession talks about. Israel means one who struggles/fights with God.
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