And Jesus set His face toward Jerusalem...

“And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”

  

As I read of this in Matthew 11:1-6, I know in my heart that I do take offense at the Lord.

 

I am offended when I have to make an important decision and I cannot discern His will. 

 

Jesus said this when John the Baptist was in prison. John was suffering uncertainty, wondering if he had heard God correctly during the days of his baptizing ministry. John sent his disciples to Jesus to inquire if Jesus really was “the Expected One”, and Jesus, understanding John’s agony of heart, gave John the evidence he needed. “Go and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” Jesus was presenting His evidence—the fulfilment of God’s prophetic word (Isaiah 35:5-6, Isaiah 29:18-19) and God’s mighty heart to care for His people. Jesus' ministry was motivated by obedience and compassion.

 

I often hear people agonizing, wondering if they had heard God correctly, and had acted according to His will. Jesus was quick to answer John's heartache. He did not accuse John of lacking faith or of being double-minded. Yet, when people feel uncertainty, often accusations bombard their hearts and minds, and they begin to take offense...

 

I am offended when He is silent regarding the desires of my heart.

 

People love to quote verses from Psalm 37:4 "...and He will give you the desires of your heart." My studies of Job, the holy man of God whom the Lord put on display for all eternity as one completely loyal to God Almighty, have shown me that every desire that Job cried out before God was fulfilled, in God's time and plan. I see also that Moses desired to liberate the Israelites, and God led him to do just that. In God's perfect time and plan.

 

I am offended when evil prospers and the fragile are destroyed.

 

As I work here in West Africa, I see the ruthless hand of rejection and abuse everywhere. Yet, as I walk the streets of Europe and the United States, is it any different--just clothed in more civilized forms? While the sick and the lame are outcast and abused in Africa, are the shy, less cool children any better treated in the United States?

 

I want God to do something other than He is doing.

 

“And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”

 

Would I have been one of those who waved palm branches on Sunday, and shouted for His death on Friday?

 

Am I willing to trust His judgment and provision?

Do I truly believe that He is Lord of the universe, and Lord of my heart and life?

Will I love Him with all my heart, soul, mind and strength?

—or  do I reserve the right to disagree with Him, to give Him counsel that I am sure He needs, because things are not going as I feel they ought?

 

Trying to manipulate God to do my will is not righteous, nor is trying to manipulate or control others. In Revelation 1:13-18 we see the power, majesty and authority of the risen Christ, yet in Revelation 3:18-20 Jesus warns us of two things:

          “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.”

Jesus was not calling us to discover our inner passion and follow our dreams, as the church so often calls us to do today. He was calling us to be zealous for God’s passion and dreams, and to repent of pursuing our own passion and talents, saying to ourselves, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing…” And Jesus went on to say to those who are full—

          “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”

 

Where is Jesus in our lives right now?

Is He asking permission to enter?

Are we His counsellors, or is He ours?

 

His words to John the Baptist echo in my heart:

“And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”

 

Lord, help me to air out my opinionated heart and let You live there freely. Help me to seek Your counsel, and repent from the arrogance that would be offended at You. May I give You honor in all that I think, speak and do, and may You be the love and joy of my life…