The Question that Remains
13/04/08 15:54
During Jesus’
ministering years He was asked many questions by many
different people. They questioned His birthplace, His
authority and where He was going. They asked Him who
His Father was and who did He think He was. They
asked for healing, food and deliverance from their
oppressors. If we investigate closely, we shall soon
discover that the questions of those folks back then
are the same questions that we throw up to Him today.
We ask the Lord to heal us, deliver us and provide us
with our daily needs. We ask God to help us
understand those things that confuse us and why we
have to bear such trials. We ask to see God in the
midst of our valleys and to show us His plan in our
suffering. There are even those who continue to ask
Him, “Are You at this time going to restore
Israel?” If you have ever asked God a question
and didn’t get an answer, take heart, you are
in company of many who, like you, wondered why God
never seemed to respond. Now, I am a great advocate
of prayer and believe that this is the way that God
has chosen to do many things here on earth. Prayer is
powerful and should never be neglected just because
it may seem as though God has had His attention drawn
elsewhere. God, who has formed the ear of man, knows
how to hear the prayer of the righteous. As a matter
of fact, James reminds us that “the fervent
effectual prayer of the righteous, availeth
much.”
Going back to the Gospels and searching out those questions that were asked of Jesus, I would say that ninety percent of them were not answered in the way that the inquisitor thought they should be. For example; when the Jews demanded to know by what authority Jesus was doing certain things is answer was simply a question to them. “John’s baptism, was it from men or from heaven? The Jews discussed it among themselves and concluded that if they would answer; from men, they would fear the revolt of the people, for they knew the people thought that John was indeed sent from God. But, if they said from Heaven, then the questioned would remain; why then, didn’t they believe him?
While talking with a great many people over the years, believers and nonbelievers alike, I have found a predominant theme when it comes to their doubts about faith. They argue that they have prayed about such and such and still there is no answer, no relief, and no direction. As for the Christian, this is doubly hard, for they know that God is listening. Why isn’t He answering? I have two possible reasons why people are not hearing from God. The first one is the obvious one; maybe they prayed to the wrong god! There is only One Way to communicate with the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. If one tries any other way, well they may as well be talking to a wall. The second reason may be a little more obscure, but that would be just because we may not be as spiritually sensitive as we might think that we are. I wonder how many times people have asked God in prayer for this or that and walked away from that prayer thinking that the silence was God not answering, when all along the silence was more preferable (to us) than the question that came from God. Is it true that we hear only what we want to hear? Maybe if we approached prayer with the heart to hear from God, no matter what He asks, then we may hear more from God? We are constantly asking God… I wonder if He does the same?
Pastor Jim
Going back to the Gospels and searching out those questions that were asked of Jesus, I would say that ninety percent of them were not answered in the way that the inquisitor thought they should be. For example; when the Jews demanded to know by what authority Jesus was doing certain things is answer was simply a question to them. “John’s baptism, was it from men or from heaven? The Jews discussed it among themselves and concluded that if they would answer; from men, they would fear the revolt of the people, for they knew the people thought that John was indeed sent from God. But, if they said from Heaven, then the questioned would remain; why then, didn’t they believe him?
While talking with a great many people over the years, believers and nonbelievers alike, I have found a predominant theme when it comes to their doubts about faith. They argue that they have prayed about such and such and still there is no answer, no relief, and no direction. As for the Christian, this is doubly hard, for they know that God is listening. Why isn’t He answering? I have two possible reasons why people are not hearing from God. The first one is the obvious one; maybe they prayed to the wrong god! There is only One Way to communicate with the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. If one tries any other way, well they may as well be talking to a wall. The second reason may be a little more obscure, but that would be just because we may not be as spiritually sensitive as we might think that we are. I wonder how many times people have asked God in prayer for this or that and walked away from that prayer thinking that the silence was God not answering, when all along the silence was more preferable (to us) than the question that came from God. Is it true that we hear only what we want to hear? Maybe if we approached prayer with the heart to hear from God, no matter what He asks, then we may hear more from God? We are constantly asking God… I wonder if He does the same?
Pastor Jim
|