Why?

05/10/2013 14:53
The other day I was walking around the shopping centre feeling pretty worn out. It had been a busy day and my body protested. My mind wandered around little concerns, the way a tired toddler makes his presence felt with squawks and squeals. In that weary state a few inconsequential ‘why’s surfaced in my mind.
  1. Why do many otherwise conscientious people not respond to important emails?
  2. Why do people place the toilet cover over the seat in the shopping centre toilets? (I don’t like lifting them, just in case…..)
  3. Why are the hooks on doors placed far too high for shorties like me to reach?
 
I thought of other questions that people have asked over the ages.
  1. Why did God create me?
  2. Why does God allow so much suffering?
  3. Why is life so difficult?
 
Most questions about God I’ve heard are negative ones – as if God wasn’t living up to His side of the bargain. I believe God has big shoulders and is able to cope well with our questions – even our negative ones. But wouldn’t it be lovely to shower God with a few positive questions?
  1. Oh Father, why are you being so good to me?
  2. God, why did you lavish so much love on someone so undeserving such as I?
  3. Lord, why did you bless me today?
I think asking questions is a good habit, don’t you? Finding answers to some of our questions is even better. The why questions are desirable questions, but God hasn’t promised us answers for all of them this side of eternity. So in between times of figuring out the whys I try to focus on other types of questions – like ‘What now?’
Here are some questions that I’d like to answer in my blog today.
1. What now? As a follower of Jesus, what does God require of me?
I believe that my Father God desires that I think and act like Him. With compassion and mercy, with love and understanding towards the world and all who live in it. I believe He desires that I walk close to Him in humility – listening to Him, following the lead of the Holy Spirit, pleasing Him in all I do and am.

“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

 
2. How do I know His plans for me?
I believe that the Bible is the Word of God. In it I find history, instruction, comfort, hope, promises, words of life, truth. In its pages we meet God the Father, Jesus His Son and the Holy Spirit. Saturating myself with the Word is the best thing I can do to learn what God’s heart is like. Spending time with Jesus is one way of not just getting to know Him but also of receiving my marching orders for the day.

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105

 
3. When difficulties arise does it mean that God has abandoned me?
My own experience has been the reverse. In my times of grief and difficulty – God has been there. My Strong Tower. My Deliverer. My Strength and my Song. My Counsellor. My Best Friend. No He has not abandoned you. He is closer to you than you could ever imagine. He’s waiting with open arms to hold you, to keep you, to take you through. His love is as sure the sunrise; as deep as the ocean; as constant as the tide. You can count on it.

“The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18

 
My final question and answer today.
Can anything ever separate me from God’s love? And this is His answer for you.

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38

And finally.... a great question and answer rolled into one.
If God is for me, who can be against me? Romans 8:31

 

 

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