God asks a question
When we turn to the pages of the Bible, we see humans repeatedly questioning God, but then, rather surprisingly, God proffers lots of questions to humans too. I’m not sure if God has a list, but He frequently intervenes with a piercing question. Throughout history, God asks great questions, but as He does that, we might wonder - why? His questioning creates a question from us. Surely God knows everything that is knowable, He is the ultimate source of all knowledge and wisdom - so why would He bother to ask for insight from humans?
Let’s affirm today that God is not short on information and insight. He knows us better than we know ourselves. We humans ask questions because we want and need to know. God asks questions because He knows. He completely knows us.
When times are hard, we can wonder - does God really know what I’m going through? Is He really informed about my situation, and does He care? Let’s be assured today - He is utterly and completely aware.
So when God asks questions, surely part of His reason for doing so is to activate a search in us. Too often we are hungry for quick easy answers, and we can even be guilty of filling in blanks that God has not completed. Any Christian who have navigated grief or serious illness will perhaps be familiar with the ‘helpful’ believers who offer cliches and slogans, genuinely trying to be helpful, but sadly creating more hurt, because what they say is either unbiblical or not thought through properly. And the sermon should spark an ongoing search, not end it when the ‘amen’ is said when the preacher finishes their talk. Jesus told parables, not to dumb down truth, but to spark imagination and searching in those who heard Him. The struggle may take time and effort, and involve some angst along the way, but ultimately will pay good dividends.