Kathy Collard Miller's passion is to help Christians trust God more and help others know how much He loves them. In this Relationship with God UPGRADE, she invites us to explore God's intriguing questions.
Kathy asks: "Do you sometimes wonder if you’ll ever figure out God? Just look at His questions for help."
This past week, I (Dawn) read with sadness about a Christian leader who says he no longer believes in God. He says there are too many questions about God that are unanswered. But Kathy has an interesting perspective: What about God's questions?
Kathy continues . . .
Some time ago I began to notice how many questions God asked in the Bible—in fact, more than 300 of them! The more I noticed, the more I saw how His questions revealed who He is.
He is working in our lives—motivated by love, care, and goodness.
During this horrible time, we’d love to know the “why”s of what God is doing or allowing. Some clues might be in the questions He asked.
(1) God asked Adam and Eve, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9).
They felt ashamed, yet God pursued them, calling out to them. He didn’t shame them or even get angry at them. He calmly inquired with the purpose of helping them see their distrust of Him and their need of a Savior (Genesis 3:15).
The First Couple thought He wanted to destroy them, but He actually wanted to restore fellowship with them.
God spotlighted His forgiving and kind nature.
(2) God asked Joshua, “Have I not commanded you?” (Joshua 1:9).
My husband, Larry, talks about how, if it were up to him, he would have chosen Caleb to be the new leader of the Israelites, because Caleb had natural leadership skills.
But God chose Joshua and had to emphasize, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.” God wasn’t looking for a leader who might depend upon his own strengths.
He assigned Joshua as leader because Joshua knew he needed to look to God—who would then demonstrate His own power.
God asks His question to draw attention to Joshua and the Israelites’s need of God’s characteristic of strength to carry them through.
(3) Jesus asked the Samaritan Woman (in a telling kind of way), “Give me a drink” (John 4:7).
Most commentators believe this statement can be regarded as a question, because Jesus gave her a choice.
Jesus reached out to a person most despised by the Jews. Jesus broke the mold of the typical prejudiced Jew and showed compassion for a woman who is the least of the least.
Little by little, He breaks through the walls of her many defenses until she is so thrilled to know the Messiah, she leaves her water pot behind and runs to tell her fellow villagers—who hate her—she has found the Messiah.
Jesus spotlighted His compassion and mercy.
(4) Jesus asked, “What do you think, Simon?” (Matthew 17:25).
Peter (Simon) had just talked with the tax collector, and Peter lied. The disciples hadn’t paid the tax, but Peter said they had.
He was distressed. Jesus addressed his swirling, fearful heart, and helped Peter work through His tumultuous thoughts.
Jesus, a wise counselor, knew the inner workings of Peter’s heart and mind—and ours also.
In each of these examples—which are only a few of the many in the Bible—God and Jesus reveal their unified nature which includes a multitude of amazing attributes.
- Every single one is in sync with the others in an intricate tapestry of holiness.
- Every question and every interaction with men, women, and children, points to the wonder and awe of God's love, knowledge, power, creativity, faithfulness, and so many other characteristics.
- And each one assures us He is working in our lives—motivated by love, care, and goodness.
What is your favorite quality of God and why is it important to you?
Kathy Collard Miller loves to help women trust God more through her 58 books and her speaking in more than 30 states and nine foreign countries. Her website/blog is www.KathyCollardMiller.com. Kathy’s newest book, co-
written with her husband, Larry, is God’s Intriguing Questions: 40 Old Testament Devotions Revealing God’s Nature. Book two in the series is God’s Intriguing Questions: 60 New Testament Devotions Revealing Jesus’s Nature. Check out Kathy’s Amazon author page.
Graphic adapted, courtesy of Brightside Creative at Lightstock.