PRAYER PROMPT ••• Three-year-olds love to ask “Why?”
It’s their favorite word.
It’s one thing to be asked, “Why is the sky blue?” and “Why can’t I smell purple?” and another to question our reasons and authority.
(I should probably add teenagers to this generalization; they love to question parental authority.)
Admit it: if you’ve ever been the victim of a toddler’s (or teenager’s) assault of the “Why’s,” at some point, you employee the ignore-the-question-and-hope-they-will-stop strategy.
But we’re not that different from three-year-old’s and teenagers.
Questioning God and asking Him “Why?” is something we’ve all done.
Thankfully, God is more patient than we are.
He doesn’t mind when we ask Him questions.
He often gives us answers.
But just as parents don’t like their authority questioned, neither does our Heavenly Father.
Romans 9:20b says, “Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, ‘Why have you made me like this?’”
Just as we expect our children to trust us and obey when we give an answer, there’s a time at which we have to stop grilling God with questions about His reasons and step forward in faith in Him.
Even when we don’t understand.
We don’t think as God does, so there are some things we won’t understand.
Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the Lord. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.’”
As mentioned earlier, God can handle our questions.
James 1:5-6 says, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.”
Eventually, faith must be embraced.
It’s the root of our walk with Jesus.
Today, as you pray, thank God that He’s willing to answer questions.
But ask Him to help you put aside the ones that question His authority and accept His word in faith.
