The Questions and the Questioner
For anyone who has been around a two or three year old very long, I know you know the many questions they ask:. “What’s that? Why? When? Where? How?” At first it was endearing, but before long – we get worn out with all those questions. Can we even imagine how tired God must get from our questions? “Why, God, why?” “When will it happen?” “How can I do this?” “Where will we go?” “Where are You?” “Why did You allow that?” And as a loving Father – even beyond what we could ever be to our own children, He responds with answers that aren’t exactly those we want to hear – because His answers involve time, His timing! Father knows best for us.
God has questions of us, as well, not because He doesn’t know the answers. He knows all things. The questions God asked throughout Scripture were to get us to think, to repent, return and to be more devoted to Him. God’s very first question was to Adam in Genesis 3:9: “Where are you?” Oh, God knew where he was — but God always gives His kids the opportunity to think — and ask ourselves the questions: “What is going on in your heart? Who are you listening to? What are you believing about Me that is not true?”
Jesus, God in the flesh, asked questions to help us:
~ He asked: “Do you believe?” Many people came to Jesus asking for a miracle, a healing, a free lunch. Like those people we come to Him with our shopping lists, Jesus said: “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Matthew 21:22) Oh, Lord, we do believe. Please help us overcome our unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
~ Jesus asked “Do you want to get well?” What an odd question to ask of a crippled man. Of couse he wanted to get well, but that man gave excuses why he couldn’t get there. When we complain to God about our circumstances or give Him excuses as to why we are still in the same place, spiritually or emotionally, perhaps the question He still aims at our hearts is “Do you want to go to a new place where God can be your all-in-all?” I want my response to be be: “Lord Jesus, I want You. Open my eyes to see You for Who You are. Open my ears to hear Your voice. Heal my legs so I can follow You. Heal my heart so I can love You more.”
~ Jesus asked: “Why are you so afraid?” Oh we know that “ask” time and again to His disciples. In Matthew 8:26, Jesus asked them why they were so afraid about the wind and waves. After all, He was right there in the boat with them. If the Son of God was with them, surely they would know they would get safely to the other side of the lake. AND, you and I have Jesus with us in every circumstance we encounter. He promised to never leave us. (Hebrews 13:5) So, what are we so afraid of? I want my answer to be “Forgive me, Lord, for fearing that anything is stronger than You or outside of Your control.”
~ Jesus asked: “Why did you doubt?” It’s easy to believe in God when we’re asking for our daily bread and for Him to bless our jobs and keep our families safe, but what about when God asks us to do what seems impossible? Jesus told Peter to come to Him when He was walking on the water. Peter did step out of the boat but “when he saw the wind, he was afraid and began to sink and cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately, Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:29-31) Are we still doubting Jesus after what we’ve seen Him accomplish in the Scriptures and in our lives? If Jesus can walk on the water, turn water into wine, and give us living water, surely He can keep us from the waters that threaten to rock our boat.
When we have questions – He always has answers. And, just like our little ones who ask and ask and ask – we have the answers for them and in time – the right time – they’ll know the answers. May we come to KNOW our beloved Father God, Who is not only the answer-giver, He’s the answer-maker and in due time, we’ll know His where, when, and how, our answers will come. In the meantime, we become children, like He asked us to and we trust Him because He’s a good, good Father. He is perfect in all of His ways – and perfect in His love and timing for us.