Asking Questions

           I have 6 kids.  That means I get a load of questions throughout any given day.  "Can I have a snack?  Where's mom?  Can we watch a movie?  When's dinner?  Can I look at your phone?  Where are my shoes?  Can you tell them to stay out of my room?  Where did you say mom was?"  Questions are a major way we communicate in our home. 
            When it comes to our faith, is it okay to ask questions?  Are questions a healthy way we can communicate with God?  Well, I believe not only that it is okay to ask questions, but that it's a necessary part of our growth in Christ. 
            Recently, I preached on Jesus' Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.  In that sermon, I shared a few questions I had about the text.  I expected some of those questions to surprise people.  Perhaps I was raising issues people hadn't considered before.  I hope so.  I also noticed as I asked some of the questions that many heads were nodding in agreement.  Perhaps I also raised issues some had questioned before.  I may have been affirming their questions or concerns.  "Oh good.  Our pastor wonders about this stuff too!" 
            Perhaps my questions were unwelcomed by some.  I knew that going into it.  That's the risk of asking questions publicly.  You may appear ignorant or even worse, some kind of heretic.  But risk it, I will.  I will risk asking questions because discovery is an important aspect of our journey of faith and much of that comes from asking questions. 
            How often do we pray that people caught in cults would just ask a few questions?  Questions like "What's in the Kool-Aid?" or "Why are we in this bunker shooting at the police?" or "Could anyone explain to me again why we are planning to meet on Mars this Sunday?"  Asking those kinds questions could make all the difference in both your life and afterlife. 
            Don't we also pray that Muslims today would question the teachings ISIS are proclaiming as truth from their scriptures (Quran)?  "Is killing and world domination something Muhammad really taught and if so, is that something I want to participate in?"  Great question! 
            Faith in Christ doesn't come bundled with a download of all truth.  Truth comes in bits and pieces along the journey.  I have held to beliefs about God and His Word that I have since adjusted or dropped all together.  It's because I've been willing to engage God with questions along the way.  Does God predetermine who gets saved?  I'm glad I asked those questions because, as it turns out, He's a much better Guy than I thought He was.  As I've noted before, God is "gooder" than I think He is.  While I still don't have all the answers, I am learning to enjoy the journey with Him.