The Questions for the Answers

One of my favorite books growing up was The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. In it, we discover that mice (earth’s most intelligent creatures) created a computer called Deep Thought in which it set out to discover the answer to the question of the life, the universe and everything. After many, many years, Deep Thought finally had an answer. 42. This confused the mice and Deep Thought responded that perhaps they were asking the wrong question. I think we’re like that. We ask the wrong questions. I know I do. I wonder if, when Jesus says we need faith like children, he is referring to their innate ability to ask the questions no one else even thinks about. There’s something refreshing and frustrating about their continual asking questions. And they usually center around one question: Why? We as adults abhor that question. In fact, growing up, my parents often responded to my query of why, “because I said so”. Talk about frustrating! But we hate getting questions there aren’t really an answer to. So we tend to ask loaded questions. Things like “How are you?” to which the only acceptable responses are “good,” “okay,” and “fine”. Or his about your favorite sideline sportscasters? “Coach, it’s halftime and your down 38-10. What do you have to do different in the second half?” That question is inane as the answer, “we have to not give up so many points and score more ourself”. Brilliant, eh? What if we asked the tough questions as adults? Starting with why. Why did God out me here? What does he want me to accomplish? One of those Bible verses that gets way over used is I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). Have we ever really given thought to what that might mean? We use it for the mundane. I will get through my test at school. My job interview will go well. Yada, Yada Yada. BORING!! My friends, there is power in that verse! He’s calling us to do things we never thought possible. That verse coincides well with another misused one. God will give you the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4). Does that mean he’ll give us all what we want? Of course not. How presumptuous of us to treat God like an ATM machine! What he will do, however, is instill in us his desires, if we’ll only let him. And he’ll give us the strength to do it I had never had the desire growing up to do mission work. I wanted to be a rock star. Yet he had different plans for me. And I’m happier doing this than I’ve ever been. I don’t pretend to have all the answers. Heck, I’m still trying to figure out the questions. I’m just thankful he encourages them. Step out in faith. As Mark Twain once said, “…throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover”. See where God will lead you if you ask the right questions. I have a feeling that’s what I’m supposed to learn this time while I’m here. I will never get the answers to his plan for me if I’m not asking the right questions.