Where Are You?

For someone who is supposed to know everything, God sure asks a lot of questions. Ever wonder why? Think about it. The answer is pretty easy if you had a relatively normal childhood, getting into trouble now and again. It all started "in the beginning, in the Book of Genesis.

Adam and Eve had just sinned by listening to Satan and eating the forbidden fruit. They were afraid of the consequences. They were afraid of God.

"8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” - Genesis 3:8-9

God knew exactly where Adam and Eve were. He was asking them to examine themselves. To find themselves because they had clearly become lost.

God knows everything. King David knew that when he wrote this:

"1 You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. 5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain." - Psalm 139:1-6

I was reading in the Book of John this past week. Jesus had been betrayed and the religious guards were coming to take Him away. As they approached, Jesus asked them a question.

"Whom are you seeking?"

Jesus knew exactly who they were seeking. So why ask the question? Why bother?

Jesus asked them that question because they were afraid of Him and were unsure about taking Him captive. The next line after Jesus's question reveals this.

"5 They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. 6 Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground." - John 18:5-6

Why would they be afraid? They had the majority of the weapons. Why were they afraid? They had probably heard of all the miracles Jesus had done. Would we be afraid of someone who had power over demons and raised people from the dead? Most likely.

Jesus knew these things had to happen to Him. By asking this question He was basically saying "Let's get on with it."

What if Jesus asked us a question? What if, the next time we committed a sin, we heard a loud voice asking, "Where are you?" How would we answer? Would we be afraid? Probably. But we shouldn't be. Our sins have all been forgiven.

Let ME ask a question now. "If we have placed our faith firmly in Christ, what do we have to be afraid of?" The answer to that question is in the question itself. Where are we?

"In Christ."

Where Are You? - Frank Sinatra

Questions of Evil

The question has to be asked. "Where was God in Las Vegas last weekend?" Or "If God is such a loving God, why did He allow this to happen?" Logical questions I guess. The answer is simple. Two little words.

Before I tell you what those two little words are,
let me tell you something that's been bugging me.
 There are different ways that people respond to tragic events such as the one that just happened in Las Vegas. For example, in the world of Facebook and Twitter people express their sadness or opinions about the situation in words. We read those words and know how someone feels. But what good does that do?

My least favorite phrase that gets uttered during times of loss is, “Our thoughts are with you.” Really? Our “thoughts”, if not turned into prayers, are meaningless. Here ends my commentary on “thoughts”. Let’s get back to the question about why evil exists in the world.

I promised you the answer in just two simple words. Here they are.

FREE WILL.

God created us with free will. In others words, we choose to do things. We CHOOSE to get up in the morning and go to work. On the way there we CHOOSE to obey traffic signs and NOT to obey speed limit signs. Adolf Hitler chose to order the killing of millions of Jews. The shooter in Las Vegas CHOSE to fire his weapon into a crowd. WHY? Only God knows why we make some of the decisions we do. however, it is WE who choose to do the evil.

²⁸ Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. ²⁹ They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, ³⁰ slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; ³¹ they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. ³² Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." - Romans 1:28-32

And where is God during all of this? He is right there amongst the hurting and the dead. He is welcoming some of His sons and daughters home. He is providing comfort to those who lost loved ones. He is there with His children. He positioned people at the event - a group of fire fighters who helped set up emergency triage, a band member who helped lead others to safety. He was there.

“But pity the man who falls and has no one to pick him up” - Ecclesiastes 4:10

 

God cries with those who mourn. Jesus cried over one man's death (Lazarus). But God has the power to raise the dead. So our prayers for the families of the fallen go up to the only One who can truly save - our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May He have mercy on us for the choices we make, and forgive us when we do what is not right in HIS eyes.

Evil and Suffering - RZIM
Who Is Responsible For Evil? - Ravi Zacharias

Why?

When my sister and I were growing up - sixth grade I think for me - we had a neighbor kid who always came around asking us questions. Then, when we'd answer, she'd always come back with another one-word question. "Why?"

To give you an example, here's an imaginary conversation that quite easily could have taken place at our house.

"Hi, Mrs. Hall. Can Mary come out to play?"

"No, Mary's doing her homework right now."

"Why?"

"Because Mary's teacher gave her some work to do after school."

"Why?"

"Because, Mary's teacher wants her to learn."

"Why?"

"Because she is a teacher and that's what teachers do."

"Why?"

At this point, I imagine my mother turning around and yelling into the house, "Mary, get out here and play!" To which my sister probably responded, "WHY!?!"

"Why?" is one of the best learning questions we can ask. It can also be one of the most annoying. It can be annoying if we don't have an answer that satisfies the questioner.

Jesus asked a lot of questions. Here's a question then, with that in mind. After Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) we can read about Jesus' interactions with individuals. Jesus asked lots of questions.

Matthew 8:7 - "Shall I come and heal him?"
Matthew 8:26 - "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?"
Matthew 9:4 - "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?"
Matthew 9:5 - "Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven.' or to say 'Get up and walk?'
Matthew 9:15 - "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them?"

The questions continue throughout the remainder of the book but you get the idea.

Here's a question for you. Why did Jesus ask so many questions if, being fully God and fully man, He already knew the answers? Good question! I think Jesus asked His questions not so HE could learn but that WE might learn. Does that make sense?

So, I have a few questions of my own this morning. Questions that Jesus could easily ask of us? The big question is . . . how will we respond?

"Whom are you seeking?" - John 18:7

And our little neighbor girl might ask, "Why?" Why do we seek Him?

"Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” - Mark 4:40

Why AM I so afraid of doing or saying something in His name? Is it really my lack of faith?

"Do you love me?" - John 21:16

Jesus even gave us hints to help us answer THIS question.

¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands." - John 14:21

Jesus actually answered all of our questions on the cross. And all of His previous questions were leading to that fact. Once we arrive, simply by placing our faith in Him, we are adopted into Hid family, given a share in his inheritance, have ALL of our sins forgiven, and are granted eternal life. Not bad, eh?

When we respond to God's Holy Spirit with the correct answer, He no longer is annoying like our little neighborhood girl was. He becomes a blessing. We all will answer the questions Jesus asks. Will we answer rightly in the eyes of God?

"I'm looking someone to change my life. I'm looking for a miracle in my life." - Justin Hayward, The Moody Blues

Question - The Moody Blues
Kids Questions and Letters to God