Introduction
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WHEN WAS THE last time you asked God a serious question that didn’t have something to do with getting a prayer answered? When was the last time you asked Him a tough question that didn’t demand He explain why something bad had happened? I wish an Internet search engine somewhere could list every question mortal man has ever posed to God, along with the number of times God has been asked that question since time began. Such a list would reveal the true nature of most believers’ prayers and, by extension, their priorities and spiritual maturity. We forever ask God questions like “Why did You let that happen?”, “Why haven’t I gotten my raise?”, and “How come each of my 2,784 outstanding prayers haven’t been answered?” While honestly asking God where we went wrong has its place, too often our questions are misplaced. We ask the wrong questions and predictably conclude that we’ve received the wrong answers. This dynamic is clear when we look at the kinds of questions people asked Jesus. Notice that it was a rare occasion when Jesus gave a straight answer. I used to get so frustrated when reading the Gospels. I kept asking, “Lord, I’m trying to read Your Word here and get some answers myself. Why couldn’t You have just given these guys a straight answer?” The reason is that most of the time the one posing the question wanted to trick Jesus, undermine His authority, or justify the sin in his or her life. Rarely did someone pose a genuine, sincere question; so very rarely did someone get a genuine, sincere answer. Are we so different? The title of this book can be deceptive at first glance. If your idea of a tough question for God is “When will the world end?” keep looking. I’m as curious as the next guy, but ultimately I’m not interested in how we explain the dinosaurs to atheists, where the Ark of the Covenant is, or whether the Shroud of Turin is the real McCoy. My idea of a tough question is one that will draw me closer to God if I’ll simply dare to know the answer and apply it to my life. God will answer our questions if we earnestly seek Him. He hasn’t planned any surprises for judgment day because He’s already published the full list of entrance requirements in His Word. Yet, even if we already know the answers, God is patient with us and will speak to our hearts and reaffirm the truth of His words, His promises, and the certain consequences of a life lived without Him. Does it sound high and mighty to suppose that I could provide one hundred tough questions for God along with their answers? The reality is that I won’t provide the answers—God will. This book doesn’t pretend to answer for God but instead submits the questions for you to ask Him. I don’t presume to have all the answers, and if I did, He wouldn’t be much of a God in the first place. A God our finite minds could totally understand wouldn’t be very impressive! The beauty of these questions is that they will inexorably draw us toward a deeper relationship with our Creator by inspiring us to venture into new territory. They will enable a very real stretching process that will take us from where we are to where we could be... if only we knew how to get there. And that’s precisely what God wants to show us, if we dare to follow. THIS IS NOT a self-help book. If you could perfect yourself, you would have already done so. While a proper study of this book will certainly lead to some serious self-examination, please don’t treat this primarily as a mental exercise. As you read through each question, remember that it isn’t a question I ask you. It isn’t even a question you ask yourself. It’s a question you ask God. God is the One who gives you the answer, not some inner intuition and certainly not me. God wants to speak to you, and He wants to give you a greater measure of wisdom and understanding so you can become all He intended for you to be. So as you read through each question, make a conscious effort to slow down. This is not a John Grisham novel intended to be read in one sitting. Trying to take everything God has for you in one sitting would be akin to drinking from a fire hose. In fact, the less you read each day, the more you will be able to prayerfully focus on the one or two things God would like to show you today. So read a question or two or three, and then feel free to put the book down for the rest of the day and consider those questions. Let the focus of your prayer time be sincerely to ask God those few questions and then to wait for an answer. God still speaks to us, and He often does so in those quiet moments when not only our world is silent but also our spirits are quiet. I’m not talking about anything weird here; I merely observe that sometimes we’re too busy to do much more than pop a TV dinner in the microwave and wolf it down during a commercial break before moving on to our next task. Sometimes that kind of mentality is necessary, but there’s also an appropriate time to pray as if time stands still. There is a time to meditate on certain fundamental truths. There is a time to ask God, “Show me new wisdom today” and to possess the patience and sincerity of purpose necessary to wait on God for an answer. In return for that sincerity, I can promise one thing—God will not remain silent. The God who gave Noah detailed blueprints for the ark wants to give us blueprints for the next exciting chapter of our lives. The God who gave King David uncommon military wisdom during times of war will generously share with us what we need to know to overcome the battles we face today. The same God who blessed Solomon with unrivaled wisdom still seeks open, willing hearts into which He can pour vast treasure troves of priceless knowledge and understanding. As you read these pages, consider keeping a notebook handy for recording your thoughts, observations, and even other questions you may want to ask God. And may the God and Author of wisdom grant you the full measure of grace you need for the months and years ahead. in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather, to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly shouting, ‘Wow! What a ride! Thank You, Lord!’” —Beth Moore “Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.” —Proverbs 19:27 |
