Beyond Questions

Beyond Questions

Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. Psalm 73:25

ASAPH HAD QUESTIONS, and he voiced some of them with a hint of accusation, wondering why God would allow ungodly people to thrive while the righteous struggled. Faithful people seemed to be living under a curse while the unfaithful seemed blessed. That didn’t fit his understanding of the goodness, truth, and love of God. It didn’t even fit God’s description of himself in Israel’s Scripture. So Asaph expressed his laments, complaints, and bitter heart in a psalm.

But Asaph gained perspective when he went into God’s sanctuary (verse 17). He realized that his glimpse of the world and limited time on earth were not the full picture, that the destiny of the righteous and the ungodly looked very different from what he was seeing with his eyes. He understood that he was torn up inside (verse 21) because of a distorted view of God and lack of spiritual vision. His encounter with God in the sanctuary reoriented his thinking, allowed him to let his questions go, and turned his attention to the privilege of knowing God. He replaced his questions with trust.

God is not afraid of our questions, and he doesn’t mind when we ask them. But he does make it clear that our questions, complaints, and laments about the way things are in this world are usually not good fuel for our faith. In fact, they can interfere. When we’re busy trying to solve all the mysteries, we are often neglecting our trust in God and casting doubt on his purposes. We are letting our desire for understanding supersede our need for worship. We are majoring on minor things.

Ask God all the questions you want, but don’t get sidetracked with them or make them your priority. Get inside his sanctuary, and let an eternal perspective shape your worship, faith, and prayers. Keep your focus on him, your calling, and your mission. You can try to understand the world, but it’s even more important to get on your knees to change it. A heart filled with God’s wisdom, power, and love will pray powerfully toward that end.

I ought to spend the best hours of the day in communion with God. It is my noblest and most fruitful employment.