Are you the one who is to come?

Today is the third Sunday of Advent. The Gospel lesson comes from Matthew 11:2-11. This is a timely story to tell for all of us doing relief and rehabilitation in Leyte for the Typhoon Yolanda affected areas.

The story is about the disciples of John who went to ask Jesus if he is the messiah or is it somebody else. They know he is doing great things, helping the people, healing the sick, feeding the hungry and water to the thirsty. Yet, they are not sure if he is the messiah. John was pretty sure that his cousin, Jesus, was the anointed one by the Holy Spirit because he baptized Jesus himself. But, John is now in prison and he has doubts.

John has doubts. Whenever things go wrong, we doubt God. We are Christians, and likeJohn we believe in God. But, when things go wrong we doubt and ask, why would God let it happen to us if he loves us? Why would God let the corrupt suffer if he is just? Why would God allowed destruction if he is powerful?

We are like John, we have also doubts. Especially whenever we are in prison, like John. The bad things that happen to us could be considered our prison. Our prison could be financial burden, failed relationships, unrealized goals and targets and being sick or a love one with poor health. We focus on our situation and we fail to recognize who God is.

Why did John doubt if Jesus was really the messiah? Because John was expecting Jesus as the messiah to be able to help him. John had expectations of Jesus and they were not met. Expectations were big, and when they are not met, they fall big.

We believe in God and expect God to do certain things as our God. When our expectations of what our God should be able to do are not accomplished, we doubt if God and ask why did he allow it to happen?

The strategic targets for our organizations, the cluster targets and other deliverable are not according to our expectations. We are frustrated because we know we are doing this as part of God's ministry to the little children and their families. We doubt God because God is not helping us accomplish our plans.

We forget that God works according to God's own plan and not on our plan. God is expected to do the things God plans to do and not on our expectations and plans. We are blinded by our prison that we could not see the whole picture just as God does.

Whenever we are in doubt because our expectations of God's rewards for our hardwork, God's blessings on our faithfulness, and all the other expectations were not met, let us remember that God remains a God. And God is working according to God's masterplan which is better than ours.