The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"The Question"
If the Lord Jesus Christ granted a three minute Face to face sitdown with Him, allowing us to ask Him one question, what might be a good inquiry?
First, we would need to be careful to not seek an answer beyond our capacity to understand. This would constitute a disappointing waste of opportunity. We would rather be wise to take much time to form a question to which the Lord could provide an answer we could comprehend.
"The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law" (Deuteronomy 29:29).
Moses's declaration would help us greatly in forming our inquiry. We would not want to ask a question based on mere titillation. This would almost surely result in our seeking to know "secret things" reserved for the infinite understanding of God. We would rather do well to seek an answer that leads and enables us to "do all the words of this law." In New Testament terms, this would involve what it means to trust and obey God. "What can I ask that will result in my loving the Lord and people more, as led and enabled by the Holy Spirit, and in light of God's will?" This would best guide our seeking the optimum question to present to the heart of our Lord.
Thankfully, even though no Face to face opportunity presently accompanies our walk with the Lord, we can nevertheless ask Him questions in prayer, and as we read and ponder His Word. His answers will come by way of Scripture, by the Holy Spirit directing us to think well, by fellow believers, and by our Heavenly Father's providential working along the pathways of our lives. "Call unto Me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not" beckoned the Lord to Jeremiah long before the Bible and the indwelling Holy Spirit became available to God's people (Jeremiah 33:3). Such an invitation now offers far greater possibilities of understanding than the prophet could have imagined. Indeed, some "secret things" of the Old Testament have become open revelations in the New Testament dispensation, including the unveiling of "this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). Thus, bringing an inquisitive mind to our fellowship with the Lord will go far in our discovery of wonders upon which we will not gaze unless we ask. "Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me: for Thou art the God of my salvation; on Thee do I wait all the day" (Psalm 25:5).
What question would we ask, if given opportunity for that sit-down? We cannot know because if God made such an offer, we would almost surely be overwhelmed with a realization that might well stop us in our tracks. Namely, how we could possibly devise a worthy question? What could we ask that would lead us to know the love of God in a much greater way, and then love Him and people in holy response? We might bow our heads and simply say to our God, "Heavenly Father, I am sorry, but I do not know what to ask You. I do not believe myself capable of devising a question worthy of any answer You might provide." I suspect this response would greatly please our Father, and might well be the reason He offered the opportunity. "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble" (James 4:6).
The better we know Lord, the wiser will be the questions we ask Him. The purer will be our motivations, and the more likely we will receive answers. Just as importantly, growth in our knowledge and understanding will help us to avoid seeking insights beyond our comprehension, and which we do not need to know. We do well to seek the Holy Spirit's guidance not only to find answers, but to ask the right questions. And, to not ask those beyond the capacity of our minds to receive answers.
We will see our Lord Face to face one day (I Corinthians 13:12). As His glorified children in Christ, we will doubtless be far better equipped to ask Him proper and pertinent questions throughout an everlasting eternity. As those same children, however, we will also better realize that some questions must remain unasked because some wonders of our triune God and His ways will forever remain beyond our comprehension. As a dear friend often says, "God is God, and we are not." Such truth will in this life and the next motivate many inquiries of our Lord, and will also still many others.
"The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, and caused me to pass by them round about. And, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And He said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, Thou knowest."
(Ezekiel 37:1-3)
"How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!"
(Romans 11:33)
Weekly Memory Verse
He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.
(Isaiah 53:11)
6883
No comments:
Post a Comment