FROM PASTOR TIM JOHNSON:
I sure hope that many of you have decided to read through the prophet Jeremiah as I preach through this wonderful book. This coming week I’ll be preaching from Jeremiah 14-17, so dive in and see what you find.
This past Sunday I wanted to ask whether it was legitimate to question God. We looked at Jeremiah 12:1-4 and two other areas. Jeremiah questions why God allows the wicked to prosper.
Throughout the Bible we see biblical authors asking God the same thing, in essence, “What are you up to? This does not make sense to me”? We looked at Psalm 37, referenced Habakkuk and know that Job tried to deal with that question as well.
While it is important to see that God wants us to look to Him and His promises instead of fixing our eyes on those who seem to be unfairly blessed in this world, the fundamental question is whether or not it is legitimate to question God.
In short, it seems normal for those who love God, who study His word and who care about what God is doing in the world to question Him when circumstances don’t SEEM to conform to God’s character and plan.
Attitude matters. Look at how Jeremiah begins his complain in Jeremiah 12:1, “Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you.” Jeremiah acknowledges that God is righteous thereby implying that all of His ways are without fault.
When we question God’s character in the midst of our questioning, then we’ve crossed the line. God says in Isaiah 45:9 “Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots.” Here, to strive with God is to question God’s character, authority and purpose.
Jeremiah was right to humble himself first, acknowledging who God is first; namely, righteous. Nothing God does is without a righteous purpose and part of His plan to save the world.
So, in short, it seems fine to question when it is done in a posture of deep humility before God. However, to strive with God in such a way as to make God inferior to our human (earthen pot) vantage point crosses the line.
The greatest evil on earth was the murder of God’s perfect, holy and righteous son, Jesus. And yet God allowed it. Why? Because He is righteous.
Joining you being at times confused…but never striving, with our righteous God,
Pastor Tim