when God questions me

SCRIPTURE: Job 38
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. [Job 38:3-4]
Finally, after extended controversy between Job and his friends, we now get to God’s response.
But we are in for disappointment if we expect Him to answer to us.
Notice how God answers Job’s questions with a question – with a host of questions.
These are rhetorical questions, the answer is obvious.

When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?” “I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?” They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn’t believe John. But if we say it was merely human, we’ll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet.” So they finally replied, “We don’t know.” And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things. [Matthew 21:23-27]
Jesus does the same thing, He answers their questions with a question.
His question exposes their hearts, their selfish motives and their self-centered focus.

No doubt we have questions that bother us, questions that we wish God would answer for us.
For some of us, our questions are loaded with emotion and even anger.
Its not that we think God has to answer to us, we are driven by the pain or grief for clarity or understanding.
But this assumes that we could understand it, that we can handle the whole truth.

God’s questions are designed to humble us, to show us the difference between us and Him.
God’s questions expose our hearts, our frailties, our limitations, and our need for mercy and help.
The mystery of God and of God’s ways are way beyond us; we may wish it were not so, but it is.
The most elaborate or systematically defined theology cannot trace out the lines of God’s being or purpose.
Its not that our questions are not valid or real, its just that we are not in a place to fully comprehend their answers.

One more thing, I do expect that when we stand before God, and dump our questions on Him, that He will do the same thing then – that He will simply ask us a few questions that will reveal our hearts, our motives, our limitations.
He will not do this to shame us, but to show us where we stand before Him.
I wonder what questions He will ask me?

ME: “God, why didn’t you do more to help the poor?”
GOD: “Why didn’t you?”

PRAYER:
Lord, I do have questions for You, but I know You will have questions for me. Please be gracious with me…