When We Don’t Have The Answers
Hey Girl! How are you doing? No, how are you really doing?
As we cross the five-month mark dealing with a world-wide pandemic, it seems to many as if life will never be the same again. Deep change seems to bring out the best and the worst in all of us.
How about you? Are you okay?
Some of you are fearful for the future. Loss of income, loss of employment, loss of lifestyle.
Others are secretly or not-so-secretly reveling in the freedom from sports, freedom from going places daily, freedom from makeup, freedom from going to church.
Still others are filled with questions: What to believe? Who to trust? Where to go from here? How do we deal with all the change?
Recently a video blog has been circulating. In it the blogger asks an important question to bring some perspective. He’s trying to get people of his generation to consider what really makes sense by asking: “Why?...”
The blogger repeatedly asks the question why so much I couldn’t stop considering his rhetoric. That got me thinking about the power of questions. I wanted to see what questions were in the Bible, and specifically the ones God himself asked. I found out quickly that God originated ‘the ask’ of probing questions that beg to be answered!
I realized something about his technique, though.
God asks questions not because he doesn’t know the answers.
He asks questions because he wants us to think and to feel. To understand. To wake up. To learn.
Take the first question posed in Genesis:
Where are you?
My guess is the humans did not answer, “Over here, Lord!”
The voice of God must have echoed in Adam and Eve’s ears for the rest of their lives as they considered where their disobedience had gotten them. Our first parents were forced out of hiding to face the consequences of breaking the relationship they had enjoyed under the umbrella of a holy God.
God’s question exposed their sin and loss of a perfect world. (Genesis 3:9)
Elijah was confronted by God with this one:
What are you doing here?
Elijah was hiding. He had run away from the wicked Queen Jezebel, and was terrified. However, this was directly on the tail of calling fire down from heaven and 450 prophets of Baal being consumed! God had strengthened him through a direct confrontation with the ungodly.
God’s question revealed Elijah’s plaguing doubt and immense underestimation of God’s protection.
(1 Kings 19:9)
Consider Jesus’ searing question in the crowd, befuddling the disciples:
Who touched me?
There were people pressing in on all sides - how could he ask that question? But Jesus knew who touched him – the miserable bleeding woman. Risking her life, she came forth to admit and tell her story to Jesus. She had put everything on the line. She trusted him to give back a semblance of life after years of being unclean. Jesus gave her a whole lot more than physical cleansing.
God’s question offered His words of total pardon for her sins and a new life in him. (Mark 8:45)
John records the most terrifying question in the Bible:
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
The only person who, while still living, endured the terror of complete separation from God was Jesus. His haunting cry and utter agony of body and soul cast a dark shadow on the world. The sun refused to shine for three hours while Jesus hung on the cross. The answer to Jesus’ question is clear: He was forsaken so that God’s children will never ever face the darkness of separation from God forever!
Thank you, Jesus, your question tells me you suffered hell in my place. (Matthew 27:46 )
There are so many more questions God raises to get us to hear and understand the truths found in the Bible.
I pray that we will all know the answers. I also pray that women all over the world will trust him with the answers to all the questions about the future.
More than that, I pray that all people everywhere will come to know Jesus intimately, and know the answers to these questions Jesus posed to those he encountered. But the real question is, do you?
Who do you say I am? Matthew 16:15
What is your personal confession about Jesus?
Do you believe? Matthew 22:21
Is your trust in Jesus or something else?
Do you want to get well? John 5:6
Are you happy to live in misery, or do you want to be a new creation?
Why are you so afraid? Matthew 8:26
What is holding you back from going all out for the Lord?
Why did you doubt? Matthew 14:31
What is it about God’s power that you think won’t save you?
Do you still not see or understand? Mark 8:17
How can you not see who really loves you?
Are you going to leave me, too? John 6:67
Why are you constantly on the verge of doubt?
What does Scripture say? Luke 10:23-28
Do you know the Word enough to see Jesus in the entire Bible?
Do you love me more than these? John 21:15-17
Do you love the Lord more than these things, these accolades, these earthly pleasures?
This pandemic will pass. As we stay connected to Jesus, so will our fear. I pray that going through deep change will make us better, stronger and more well-equipped to deal with hardships in the future.
When questions arise, can we be sure the Lord has the answers to our every need?
Yes! Trust God for the right answers!
He knows our needs before we ask.
He loves us, his kids, deepest and best.
He is Lord of our lives, and by his grace, of our lives forever!
To this end, help us, Lord Jesus. Amen.