When God Asks

Genesis 3:9 But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?"
Genesis 3:11 He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?"
Genesis 18:13-14 The Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, and say, "Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?" Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?
Exodus 4:2 The Lord said to him, "What is that in your hand?" He said, "A staff."
Genesis 18:13-14 The Lord said to Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and instructions?
1 Kings 19:9 At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there. Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
Acts 9:4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

As I get better at hearing the voice of the Lord, I keep hearing His questions. You know, those convicting "Jim, what are you doing?" questions. The ones not unlike the ones the Lord has asked us since the beginning of time. Adam is in the garden trying to hide from God and God asks, "Where are you?" Elijah is in his cave hiding from his responsibilities and God asks him "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

Reading the 1 Kings verse, I noticed that God was not outside the cave with his hands on his hips yelling angrily into the darkness, "What are you doing in there, Elijah. Come out of there this very minute!" No, it was more like He was sitting right next to Elijah in the dark, leaning against the dank wall, with His chin in His hands almost jokingly shaking His head, "What in heaven's name are you doing in HERE, Elijah? It's dark. It's cold. You're wet, shivering and miserable. Come out into the warmth and the light. Have something to eat."

God is all-knowing. He already knows the answer to these questions. He knew where Adam was. He knew why Sarah laughed. He knew why Elijah was in the cave. He knew why Saul was persecuting Him. On the surface, these God-questions are accusatory and judgmental. But underneath there is a warmth and a love, kindly inviting me to see what God sees and turn toward Him, not away from Him. To turn toward His forgiveness rather than test His patience.

This is the season of Lent. It is a time of repentance. A time of turning away from my sin. It is a time of listening for what God asks of me. It is a time of learning to see myself as God sees me. It is a time of listening for and responding to the questions God asks of me.

Oh, Lord. I know I test your patience way too often. Help open my eyes to see what you see in me, open my ears to what you want me to hear, and open my heart that I may feel your love and pour it out on others. Amen.

[KJ]
There is a time during each day, when I find myself facing that overwhelming darkness of doubt. It looks different every time; the smell seems overpowering; the sound of deafening silence answers the questions of my heart. Within the echoing between these heartbeats, I seek the presence of God. "Abba, Abba, Gracious and magnificent Lord, Creator of the universe, Forgiver of all sins, can you hear me?" and the tightness of my chest begs the question: will there be an answer? Within that tightness of doubt, the embrace of faith warms the chilliness of loneliness. Is not the doubt the doorway back to faith? Is not that question to God provide the chance for God to answer: "let's find out together".

Are we not in relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit? When we step into relationship with God, are we not discovering all the time? I hope so. If God knows all about me, about everything, what else is there for Him to discover within this magnificent, glorious, ever changing Creation?

Within the moment before each breath, a possibility exists of nothingness. Imagine being surprised by joy with every breath. Is not that what God seeks for all of us?

I believe God knows all. And even as I discover more within my relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, I believe that we, each of us, all of us, this entire creation within the hands of God, can be surprised by Joy.

Let's find out together...Amen.

[SJ]
My personal contention has always been that the Bible is not a book of answers but a book of questions. Likewise, God is not the answer, but the Great Question. How do we listen to and for those questions? When we receive an answer, are we willing to ask more questions? I think that God does not question in judgment or in condemnation, but in caring and understanding.

I do wonder though whether God knew and knows the answers, sometimes. Is that a requirement for God to be God? There is nothing, for instance, in Genesis 3:11 and beyond that suggests God does know where Adam and Eve are in the Garden. Since He made it, I suppose it is no great issue for Him to know where to look, though. The "omnis" (omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence) are an ongoing theological debate and I sometimes wonder how much our desire for those omnis keep us from asking deeper questions of a God who truly cares enough to die for us on a cross to save all of us.

Part of the true power of Christ is the ultimate question He asks at the end of the Gospel of Mark, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?" The answer to that question is what keeps us wrestling with angels while the Spirit burns in our hearts. In the wrestling, the call for silence during Lent is wisdom.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Peace,
SJ

 
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