Day 80 - Questions

On the way to work, I walked past a whiteboard set up by some evangelical Christians. It read, 'If you could ask God just one question, what would you ask? Please write below.'

It was a little like the Joan Osborne song.

There was room for maybe one question on the board. (A question which would be wiped clean when the next one was written by a passer-by.)

A handful of people stopped and wrote various, probably very witty, things. I couldn't see exactly what they had written because I was observing from a distance. If I had approached, I would have been caught in the evangelism-schpiel. Besides, I'm an introvert and I felt it would be bad for my soul to write a question in public. Who would do such a thing, anyway?

Why write questions down, for anyone at all to freely read? Questions like:

 

·        Why did my brother have to die on Christmas day? It was not something I had been asking for, was it?

·        Why are so few believers living a full life when God promised it unconditionally (apart from the condition of belief)? Is it user error?

·        Why allow the devil and his demons such seemingly immense power?

·        Why is Government so cruel and inept? What motivates them to be like that?

·        What will happen to us in the future?

·        What is the cure for cancer?

·        When will things get better in the UK?

 

And many, many other questions... some stupid, some a tad more pertinent.

It was futile to write one down. What’s the point?

 

In the background, the work on HS2 continued. The evangelists got only a little interest compared to a pizza tent a little further on.

When it comes to the meaning of life vs pizza, pizza will often win. Maybe the wisest people paid for pizza. Maybe pizza is the meaning of life.

Like the sweet old joke:

“What are you thinking about darling?”

“Pizza.”

 

There are ways of dealing with grief, especially if you are a believer. There are more acceptable ways of reacting to a death than the way I have reacted. I don't think I'm grieving particularly well, but I am functioning.

The most acceptable, and I think the most courageous way for a believer to react, is to say, 'The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.'

It was even made into a worship song, a kind of sop to stop us accusing the Almighty of theft.

I have much admiration for those who are able to take a courageous attitude. I think they are very strong. For those of us who are weaker, there are other reactions...

 

I would presume that when someone you love dies, there are a number of common reactions concerning faith issues. I wonder which one God prefers? I wonder if he has a policy on it all? A kind of heavenly system which cranks into place, involving angels and various spiritual machinations? It’s a mystery to me.

My brother dying on Christmas day from a brain tumour was not at all what I was praying for. In this case, God's timing (and perhaps my brother’s) was not particularly appropriate. They say that God's timing is perfect.

I would say that it is particularly bad.

It occurs to me that God hasn't been very hot on answering prayers. I'm not saying he has never done so in my experience. He has… but the time between answered prayers has been lengthy and onerous.

Either way, I'm still on a spiritual strike.

 

Anyway, Easter is coming. Jesus, quite clearly, has not destroyed death in any meaningful way, except for himself. Why does he expect praise and thanks for things which he hasn't done yet? Neither has he destroyed evil. I believe he will, one day, but I find it pretty galling to be expected to act as if he has already done so.

In the end, I think it’s a power thing. Those with power can make you wait and they get a kick out of doing so. So that you know who is in control.

And that’s also why they reverse the questions back onto you too. 

Because they are power-crazed.