As a young person growing up in the churches of Christ in the ’90s, I loved the song “Go Tell John” — mainly because it spoke of the power of Christ. My faith was freshly minted and idealistic, and I was convinced I would be willing to die for my Lord and savior.

“Go tell John
That the lame have learned to walk
That the poor can hear the word of God and the deaf can hear me talk
Go tell John
That the blind can finally see, oh and
Blessed is the man who doesn’t fall away because of me.”

A few weeks ago I was in a nostalgic mood and created a Spotify list with all my favorite Free Indeed songs (IYKYK). Today “Go Tell John” played for the first time on my (3-hour) playlist. And I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing, seemingly out of nowhere.

“As he sat there in that prison cell, he knew just how it came about
And he knew his life was over and he was never comin’ out
But there was just one thing he had to know, he had to make a final plea
So he sent his friends to ask the Lord if he was who He claimed to be.”

I’m now a 40-something-year-old who has seen darkness and deep despair. I’ve never been in an actual prison cell, but I’ve been imprisoned by the suffering of both mind and body. And I know that sometimes, we just need the assurance that Jesus is worth it, that He’s worth all the trouble we will face in this world.

“Go tell John
That the dead are raised again
Go tell John
That the lepers now are cleansed
Go tell John
That the path he chose was right
Go tell John
That I truly am the light.”

It’s precisely because John’s situation punches the gut so hard that Jesus’s answer is all the more important — and powerful. Doubts, questions, despair, Jesus doesn’t judge. He is gentle with us, promising not to break a bruised reed or snuff out a smoldering wick.

“And blessed is the man who doesn’t fall away because of me.”

Jesus tells us that He is the Messiah, that He IS worth it — if we can only hold onto Him. So hold on, friends. No matter the darkness of your prison cell.

[“Go Tell John” written by Keith Lancaster and John Sublett. Original account found in Matthew 11.]