I have always encouraged questions at home. Acquiring knowledge comes from questioning theories, rules, authority and even God's "living" word, the Bible.
This is my sweet, cherubic freshman, a lot younger than his current ripe old age of 15..... This is the same "slice-of-heaven" at the center of our recent family crisis (which I will share in a later post)...
Last night, he had questions.......questions about God. As a former Sunday School teacher I must confess that sometimes these moments made my stomach ache. I take the responsibility of "teaching" Sunday School so seriously. What if they asked a question that I couldn't answer in way that spoke to their hearts? What if my response did not satisfy their curiosity in a way that made them want to ask more questions?
So.......my confirmed freshman asks, "If the bible is God's "living" word, then why in the old testament were there such harsh rules and traditions? Why did God allow slavery, beatings and killings of babies?"........Its a legitimate question. One not many 15 year olds may ask themselves. One I wrestle with almost on a daily basis! My answer was from my heart, "God is wondrous and awesome. His wisdom surpasses all of our logic and understanding. We cannot possibly know all the answers. But what we can know and be sure of is that He loves us and has a plan for us. God has the power to stop all evil but there are times when He allows it, for His own good purpose. In that, we can trust completely." But I understood the perplexity of my freshman's heart, so completely. He was wrestling inside, trying so hard to make sense of this God he loves.
At times, it is absolutely heart-wrenching, the pain we must endure. The horrors that life can sometimes wrap us in. The kind of tragedies that we didn't ever dream of or sign-up for. Why God, why would you allow this to happen? It hurts and it is so hard to move forward in the wrath of this pain with that same trust. I know.
But today, I am so thankful for the questions. As a Mom, I am sometimes rattled a little, fearful that the questions mean the possibility of disbelief. I know that sometimes the answers aren't always the ones we are hoping to hear. Sometimes they are the very ones we loath and wretch over.
But my prayer for me is to always be thankful for questions especially about our heavenly Father. These questions mean growth. A true faith, one that is strong and true, must be built like a temple. It happens slowly, continually, over every breath we take in this life. It never ends. My questions, too, must never end. I need to keep growing, building, asking and listening......
My prayer for my freshman is for his continued bravery to ask the questions.......never be afraid to be curious enough to wrestle......be bold enough to ponder the "life" of the bible, God's word. Never become so complacent in your life that you don't have anymore questions...that's when your growing stops and your temple stands stagnant, breeding weakness and neglect. Becoming vulnerable to life's elements....
I pray we all continue to ask questions......wait and listen for the answers, whatever they may be......and trust that no matter what we encounter on our journey ahead.......
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16
We are "SO LOVED"......
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