Perhaps you heard the horror story about inquisitive little boys with too many questions getting rapped on the knuckles by their religious instructor or curious church members being scolded by their pastor for daring to second guess God.
Consequently, you figure it’s best not to ask anything about the Almighty.
After all, didn’t Lot’s wife turn into a pillar of salt for going against God’s instructions?
So it’s best just to keep quiet and let pastors and deep spiritual thinkers seek the answers, if they dare, to questions you probably shouldn’t be considering in the first place if you’re a good Bible-believing, church-going Christian.
Just go to church, pay, pray, and obey and everything will be okay.
Admittedly, the lessons the Bible teaches us from the experiences of Lot’s wife and a host of others do conclude it is possible to approach the Almighty with disagreement about his policies or procedures and not make him very happy.
But rather than looking in the Bible and finding in some hidden chapter “The Top Ten Questions Never to Ask God,” we look in the Bible and see that it has less to do with what one asks God and more to do with how one asks God.
After all, didn’t Gideon ask God to confirm his promise by performing that trick of making dew appear on the fleece but not the ground? And didn’t Abraham, six times, ask God to reconsider his destruction plans for Sodom and Gomorrah?
They both lived to tell about it!
Look closely at those accounts and you’ll hear these people address God with words like “fine sir” and “may the Lord not be angry with me but let me speak.”
God, The Supreme Commander of the Universe, has no problem with those who wish to inquire of his ways, seek an explanation, or offer a suggestion. As a matter of fact, he invites us to ask, seek, and knock.
Go ahead and ask God, and you know what, go ahead and rock the boat a little bit, God is glad you’re interested. But try to shove him overboard and take over as captain and you’ll have problems swimming in the sea of his wrathful countermeasures, like Jonah did.
Only faith can question God because faith looks for help in God more than anything, admits its own human weakness and limitations, and is willing to take whatever answer God gives and accept it unconditionally – no matter how little it makes sense or how much it hurts.
“I will stand at my watch,” a curiously confused Habakkuk informs us, “I will look to see what he will say to me” (Habakkuk 2:1).
God’s answer to Habakkuk’s concern about senseless evil and terror in the world was not likely the exact answer Habakkuk was looking for, but he trusted it anyway. God said, “Habakkuk, thanks for asking, and I’ve got it all under control. The wicked are under my thumb, and don’t worry, they’ll pay the price. So be patient and let me handle it. And if you suffer, remember that I’ve got that under my control too, and it’s part of my bigger plan for you, which is even better the plan you have for yourself. Trust me.”
When it comes to God, as long as you trust his answer … you can ask anything you want.
PRAYER: I have so many questions, God, that I don’t remember which ones I want to ask. When you answer me, or remain silent, give me faith and wisdom to listen. When others come to me for guidance, speak your truth through me to lead them closer to you. Amen.
EVANGELISM ACTION: Ask more questions when in a conversation with a person who is questioning or curious or even disagreeing with the faith. Questions help you better understand a person, and open up dialogue. Better yet, share with the person questions you yourself have had about the faith.
