REASONING WITH GOD 

ISAIAH 1:16-20 

          I would like to use as a Title for Today’s message “REASONING WITH GOD.”  When reasoning is used as a verb as in verse 18, Webster says that it means ‘….’.  Thus the Thesaurus gives synonyms for the verb usage of reasons terms like rationalize, analyze, work out, argue and debate.  Here in this passage God invites Israel to come so that they could discuss the problems that they were having in their relationship.  God is saying to them, “Come let’s discuss or differences.  Let’s debate and even argue about the problems we are having”.  He says this of course with the goal in mind of working out the problems they were having in their relationship.  This invitation to reason with God also opens the door for Israel to question God.

          Many of us have been told that it is wrong to question God.  But God tells Israel, “Come let’s debate, let’s argue. Let’s analyze this thing” and arguing, debating and analyzing normally require questioning.  To question God in and of itself is not wrong, but it must be done with the right attitude and with proper reverence for God.  It is oftentimes after some great tragedy or a difficult struggle in our lives that we start to question God.  It is at those times that we begin to hear ourselves and other say to God, “Why did you do this or that, or why did you allow this, why didn’t you fix this.”  We hear questions like “If God is so good and loving, then why is there so much suffering?  If God is all-powerful and loving, then why doesn’t he stop hurricanes and other catastrophes that kill innocent people?   These are all good questions but they are generally asked in a manner that assigns blame to God.  In the method in which they are asked, they accuse God of being less than all loving and perfectly just.

JOB 10:1-3, 18

          The problem with how Job handled his adversity is not that he questioned God, but rather that he accused God.  Here in his question he accuses God of condemning and despising the acts of the righteous man while at the same time blessing the deeds of the wicked.  He says to God, “If you were going to torment me with such afflictions in life, then why allow me to ever be born?”  Angry accusations directed at God will rarely if ever get you questions answered by God.

JOB 38:1-4

          When God did respond to Job notice that he did not answer any of Job’s questions; God recognized that Job’s questions were not at the heart of the issue. If his question where that important to Job then Job would have been seeking the answers to them long before this situation arose.  God knew that the real issue was that Job was no longer enjoying life and was struggling with the need to justify himself in front of his friends.  Job probably would have been better off if his friends had not come to discourage him.  He would have sat moaning and groaning in agony alone but would not have felt the need to save face and blame God.  So rather than answer Job, God used Job’s ignorance of the earth’s natural order to help Job understand his ignorance of God. If Job did not understand the workings of God’s physical creation, how could he possibly understand God’s mind and character? Since we do not understand all that there is to know about God and since we do not fully understand Him, to maintain our relationship with Him we must in faith choose to submit to his authority and rest in his care.

JOB 40:1-9

            Are we so arrogant as to think that we are right and God is wrong.  Do we think that we can correct the almighty God and that we should give him instructions about how to run things.  Just because we don’t understand why things happens does not make God wrong, nor does it make him less God.  Will we declare mankind righteous and God evil because we do not understand why things happen the way they do.  Or will we like Job learn to be quiet and trust God.  What is it that the serenity prayer says? “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.” 

Throughout the book of Job his friends asked him to admit his sin and ask for forgiveness. Eventually Job did repent. However Job did not ask for forgiveness for committing secret sins, but for questioning God’s sovereignty and justice. He repented of his attitude and acknowledged God’s great power and perfect justice. We sin when we angrily ask, “If God is in control, how could he let this or that happen?” We must remember that because we are locked into time, unable to see beyond today and even to understand our yesterdays, we cannot know the reasons for everything that happens. The question we must answer for ourselves is will I trust God with my unanswered questions?

          Sometimes we think or say, “Well if I could just see God or really have a conversation with Him I would not be so frustrated and maybe I could get an answer from him.

MATTHEW 17:22-23

This is not the first time that Jesus had spoken about his death.  The week before he had brought up the subject and Peter rebuked him.  This time Jesus speaks of both his death and his resurrection. Unfortunately, the disciples heard only the first part of Jesus’ words and became discouraged. They couldn’t understand why Jesus wanted to go back to Jerusalem where he would walk right into trouble.  The disciples didn’t fully comprehend the purpose of Jesus’ death and resurrection until Pentecost. The disciples didn’t understand why Jesus kept talking about his death because they expected him to set up a political kingdom. His death, they thought, would kill dash their hopes. They didn’t know that Jesus’ death and resurrection would make his kingdom possible.  Despite their questions and doubts, however, they believed. We should do no less.

          The truth of the matter is that sometimes we ask God questions that are beyond our capability to understand.  Even the brightest of mankind are lacking the mental ability to understand the unlimited wisdom and knowledge of God. Sometimes if God even desired to explain to us it would require that we understand mysteries that are beyond our ability to understand and things that are too wonderful to imagine. Sometimes when we ask God questions and then receive no answer it may not be because God is saying no or is denying us an answer but just maybe we may have asked for knowledge beyond our ability to understand or accept. (Tanesha – electricity)

ISAIAH 55:8-9

          We sometimes get upset when we don’t get answers to our tough questions.  Rather than get upset we must choose to trust God recognizing that understanding why things happen the way that they do maybe far beyond our ability to comprehend, not because we are stupid, but rather because God ways and thoughts are on a much higher plane.  I cannot teach 3-yearold physics so that she can understand magnetic fields and electromagnetic wave theory and thus understand the transmission of electric power.  She was just not ready mentally to grasp all of that.  Likewise trust God that you are not able to think on the level required to understand all that happens in this life. 

          Another thing, in the natural, if you are interested in understanding why someone behaves in a particular fashion you must spend some quality time getting to know that person.  You establish a relationship; one in which you ask questions, personal questions that define who that person is and what makes them tick.  If we are going to understand God we must take the time to build an intimate relationship with Him.  Paul said in Philippians 3:9-10 that he did not just want to be found in Christ, but rather that he wanted to “know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”  You have to invest quality time to know God intimately.

LUKE 7:18-23

          Sometimes we can think that we have it all figured out and then something changes and we are thrown into a loop.  John had earlier declared Jesus to be the Christ and here soon after that declaration he is asking are you the Christ.  John was confused because the reports he received about Jesus were unexpected and incomplete. Notice that Jesus did not rebuke him but rather Jesus responded in a way that John would help John to understand. Jesus explained that he had accomplished what the Messiah was supposed to accomplish.  The prophets had said that the Messiah would do these very acts (See Isaiah 35:5-6; Isaiah 61:1). Jesus pointed this out to John recognizing that tying his works to these prophesies would give John the physical proofs he needed to help him to recognize who Jesus was and is. 

There is nothing wrong with going back and reaffirming an answer that you think you previously understood.  God can handle our doubts, and he welcomes our questions. Mostly it is not that we doubt God’s abilities or even who he is.  Deep down what we doubt is our understanding of God.           

God wants us to know Him and to help us out with that He sent Jesus, someone who knows him perfectly to interact with us.  Many did not seek to know God better through him but focused most of their time attempting to discredit Jesus.

JOHN 8:46-47

          Sometimes Jesus intentionally challenged his listeners to test him. He welcomed those who wanted to question his claims and character as long as they were willing to follow through on what they discovered.  The two most frequent reasons that people miss gaining more understanding of God are: 1) they never accept his challenge to test him or reason with him; or 2) they test him but are not willing to believe what they discover.

          If you have questions or doubts about God or Jesus, about who they are or what they expects of you admit them to yourself and to God, and start looking for answers now. Do not wait until you are press by some tragedy of life because then you will tend to become an accuser rather than a seeker of knowledge.  When you face your doubts honestly God will help you to resolve those that can be resolved here in this life.  However, for those questions that are not answered in this life we must trust that God knows what he is doing even when I in my limited knowledge cannot understand it.  This is the essence of true faith.

I CORINTHIANS 13:9-12 

Sometimes we have tough questions whether they are our own questions or are presented to us by others.  Questions like “How can a loving God allow people to starve?” “If God knows what I’m going to do, do I have any free choice?” “Why do the innocent suffer with the guilty or why do bad things happen to good people?” Those questions that we can answer we attempt to do so to the best of our ability.  Those we cannot answer we must simply have faith in God.  Also keep in mind that questions like these many times mask the real issue—hurt over some personal tragedy, or difficulty in making a decision relating to God or his will for us.  

          We may not have or receive the answers we are looking for in this life but will you trust God and continue to reason with Him.  In this passage Paul offers us a glimpse into the future to give us hope that one day we will be complete, we will see God face to face. This truth should strengthen our faith.  We don’t have all the answers now, but one day we will. Someday we will see Christ in person and be able to see with God’s perspective.