John the Baptist was imprisoned and he had a burning question that he had to have answered. John sent two of his disciples to Jesus with this question, “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3). John’s life work was preaching the coming of the Messiah…the Christ…the Lord’s Anointed. But now, he asks, “Is there another? Or are you the One?” John’s soul thirsted to be refreshed. He waited to hear word.
“Go and shew John again those things….” Those two Baptist disciples hurried back with these words from Jesus. “The blind receive their 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.”
I am not sure which of these had the most impact upon John when the news was given him. But I cannot help but believe that, while all these testimonies emphasized the fact of Jesus being the one that should come, this last phrase really rang true to the imprisoned servant of Christ. “The poor have the gospel preached to them.” The gospel. The glad tidings. The good news.
In Proverbs 25:25 we read, “As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” I believe a thirsty, parched John the Baptist sent his disciples on an inquiry, and they returned with that cold water of truth, the good news, the glad tidings from Jesus. The great I AM.
Are. You. Thirsty? Have I got some good news for you!
