When In Doubt, Ask
- Category: Gospel Truth
- Date 08-06-2014
- 317 views
God is the author of all the faculties of your body and soul. Faith in God must not be blind faith! By giving you a brain, a heart, and all organs that mark you as a human being, God desired that you should put these gifts to wise use.
Jesus Christ instructs believers to ask from God; “Ask and you will receive…” (Matthew 7:7). To ask is to express your humility and eagerness to learn. It also shows your confidence in the person you ask, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us (1 John 5:14-15).
Questions always arise whenever complex situations emerge. If you ask God in prayer, you get proper answers and solutions. Manoah’s wife was barren and the couple deeply desired a child. Once, the Angel communicated to them that the barren woman would conceive and produce a boy. The couple sought clarification and guidance thus; “I pray you, Lord, that the man of God… may come again to us and teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born” (Judges 13:8). Manoah essentially demanded more information because he believed and trusted in God. In the end, the couple produced a powerful son, Samson.
In another case, when Yahweh appeared to Gideon and told him that he was chosen to save Israelites from the hands of Midianites, Gideon responded with a question. “…but how can I save Israel? My family is the lowliest in my tribe and I am the least in the family of my father” (Judges 6:25). God noticed Gideon’s fear and fortified him with illustrative signs. With a small army, Gideon ably conducted successful military campaigns.
The forefather of all believers, Abraham, had amazing faith. Yet he sought more information from God who pledged that Sarah would produce a son, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? And can Sarah who is ninety have a child?” (Genesis 17:17).
Even Abraham’s wife, Sarah, found it odd to learn that she would become pregnant and also asked, “Now that I am old and worn…. Am I really going to have a child…?” (Genesis 18:12-13).
When this promise delayed, Abraham again asked, “My Lord, Yahweh, where are your promises? (Genesis 15:2). He further sought assurance that he would get the promised inheritance, “My Lord, how am I to know that it shall be mine?”
When Abram referred to the Almighty, he got a favourable answer. A son, Isaac, was born to him when he was already “a hundred years old” (Genesis 21:1-7). To ask God means to seek His wisdom through prayers, knowing that He is the fountain of all wisdom and he does not disappoint. Any difficult condition you may encounter is the perfect opportunity to put to God all your unanswered questions in prayer.
The story of Zechariah and Elizabeth is also edifying. When the Angel announced to Zechariah, that Elizabeth, his wife would get pregnant and give birth to a boy, he responded with a question.
“How can I believe this?” Zechariah said, “I am an old man and my wife is elderly too” (Luke 1:18).
As a punishment for his disbelief, Zechariah became dumb until the Angel’s proclamation was fulfilled. Elizabeth became pregnant and bore a boy. Would God punish you for asking as he did to Zechariah? Yes, only if you ask with total lack of faith.
Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, is presented as an epithet of humility, faith and obedience to God. At the time of annunciation, however, she did not understand the message of Angel Gabriel at once and she took courage to pose a question. The Angel told Mary, “You shall conceive and bear a son” and Mary’s immediate response was, “How can this be since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:31-34). Angel Gabriel then offered a full account of how God had planned the Saviour’s birth (Luke 1:35-37).
During his ministry, Jesus Christ contended with questions many times. When he requested for drinking water at Jacob’s well in the Samaritan town, he was only interrogated. The Samaritan woman wondered, “How is it that you, a Jew, should ask me, a Samaritan and a woman, for a drink?” (John 4:9).
The woman asked because she saw Jesus as a Jew, and Jews hated Samaritans. Moreover, talking to a woman in public was a socially proscribed. The Samaritan woman was shocked that although Jesus was supposed to know the rules, he went ahead to ask for a drink. In the course of the argument, the woman realised that she interacted with the Messiah. Jesus did not judge her for asking questions.
There is a rich man who, on his first encounter with Jesus Christ, posed a question that culminated into a duteous exploration (Matthew 19: 16-22). The rich man asked: “What good work must I do to receive eternal life?” Jesus replied: “If you want to enter eternal life, keep the commandments.” The man went on, “Which commandments?” and Jesus mentioned the commandments. The man said, “I have kept all these commandments. What do I still lack?” Jesus told him, “… go, sell all that you possess and give the money to the poor.”
One may imagine that a man who kept all the commandments did not have anything to ask about his faith. Yet when he asked, he discovered that he was not perfect and there was a lot more he needed to do. The conversation between Jesus and the rich young man touched the disciples. The man was asked to give away his property to become worthy of eternal life. As a result, Peter sought an answer about their status, “You see we have given up everything to follow you. What then will be there for us?” Jesus said, “You … will receive much more … and eternal life in the world to come” (Luke 18:30).
God knows that you do not have the capacity to comprehend divine truths at a glance. It is important to seek answers from Him in all situations. When in doubt, ask.
Venansio Ahabwe is a lay Christian in the Archdiocese of Mbarara.
By Venansio Ahabwe
Source: Gospel Truth, Leadership Magazine