April 24th, 26: 1 Samuel 28-29, Psalm 109, Matthew 11; Daily Bible in a Year

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. It's April 24th, the 115th day of our journey through Scripture. Join Hunter, your Bible reading coach and fellow traveler, as we dive into 1 Samuel 28-29, Psalm 109, and Matthew 11. Today, we'll explore Saul's desperate search for guidance, David's position among the Philistines, the cries and prayers of a troubled psalmist, and Jesus' words to a doubting John the Baptist. Through reflection, prayer, and encouragement, we'll be reminded that even when our circumstances seem overwhelming, God sees us and is at work in our lives. Settle in for Scripture, soul work, and renewal as we seek God's presence together.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

See beyond the walls. What do you do when it seems that God is inattentive to your circumstances? Are you tempted to lose faith, to shut down, to walk away, to try and go it alone? John the Baptist feels you. Here he is, in prison, and his circumstances aren't looking good. In fact, it won't be long before he's executed. It's doubtful that he had this in mind when he answered God's call and went into the desert to preach. John had a clear sense of purpose: he was to prepare the way for the Lord, for the Messiah to arrive. Yet in this chapter of his story, nothing seems clear anymore. He is awaiting his death.

So he sends his disciples to Jesus with a pressing question: Are you the one we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else? John’s vision of his place in God’s story is getting cloudy, and he wants clarity. To John, it seems like God is being inattentive to his struggles, like God’s not coming through. The temptation for doubt is real and heavy. You can’t blame John. He sends his friends to Jesus, longing for confirmation, for something that will shore up his hope.

Notice how Jesus responds. He doesn’t tell them, "I’m the guy—tell John I’ll break him out by noon." Instead, Jesus says to report what they hear and see: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me. John’s circumstances have shrunk his vision down to the size of his cell, but Jesus wants him to see something bigger—something beyond the prison walls.

It’s as if Jesus is saying to John, "Hang in there, John. See beyond the walls. There’s something more happening here."

Maybe this is the message for you today. Don’t let your faith hinge on whether God has answered your current prayers or performed according to your recent expectations. When your world closes in and your vision shrinks, remember this message: God is at work—the blind see, the lame walk, the hurting are healed. He is not inattentive or neglectful of you. He is working all things out according to his purposes for you. Even when you cannot see past your prison walls, God has his eye on you, just as Jesus had his eye on John.

Jesus knew all about John. Jesus had not forgotten his friend. And the same is true for you.

Let us allow Jesus to renew our vision—to see the God who is at work, the God who sees me.

That's a prayer that I have for my own soul. That's a prayer that I have for my family, for my wife and my daughters and my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so.