Heard on the Golf Course

Heard on the golf course recently: “Believers have some questions and struggles that unbelievers don’t have.” Yes, that’s true. People who believe in Jesus think about questions such as, If God is good, how could this have happened? Where was Jesus the Healer, when my child was sick? People who don’t believe in God at all, don’t ask these questions. In fact, asking a question to God is a statement of faith. If you didn’t believe that He is you wouldn’t be thinking about Him or communicating with Him! I have to qualify my statement above. A friend recently said that before he came to Christ, he was shaking his fist at God, the God he didn’t believe in, because of a serious loss. I know grief is a cross roads for those who have never believed, as it is for people of faith too. I believe God was already at work in this man’s heart to make Himself known. So this man in his grief began to see a glimpse of God’s presence and character.

Grieving believers usually have questions. Other biblical heroes have asked questions too: • John the Baptist asked Jesus – Are You the One who was coming? (Luke 7:18ff) • Job asked - What did I ever do to deserve this (these losses)? (Job 7:17-21 is but one example) • Jesus asked – Please can I get out of this plan!? Can I do something else instead? (Luke 22:39-44) • David penned psalms with moans such as: (How long? Psalm 13; and Why have you forsaken [abandoned] me? Psalm 22) • Moses asked - Why did you make me lead these people!? They complain and make demands all the time! (After the scenes from Exodus 15:24 and 16:2-11, Moses reacts in 17:2b-4)

All these questions revolve around God’s character, power, intent and involvement in our lives. • His character is Love and Light. • His power is revealed in Creation. He made it all and sustains it even now. • His intent for us is that we become more like His Son. That starts with forgiveness and adoption, and He even paid the highest price for that adoption. • He is still every day and every moment involved with us because His Spirit is with us.

As I read the Scriptures, I conclude we are invited to ask all our questions. Nothing is off limits or too challenging or too dumb to ask. Nothing can offend Him. He will respond eventually, though He doesn’t promise to answer the question directly. But He often does come closer to the one asking, and reveals something deeper about Himself to us.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power… to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,.. Ephesians 3:16-18