“When I Get to Heaven, I’m Going to Ask…”

GodQuestions

“When I get to heaven, I’m going to ask…” (responses below submitted by my friends on Facebook)

  • “Why were my parents not alive?”
  • “Why couldn’t we stop bad people from doing bad things to children or others in this world?”
  • “How did prayer work?  Did our prayers actually work?”
  • “Why did I get into that wreck on my way to finish my degree?  What was the purpose?”
  • “Why did I get MS?”
  • “Was that a UFO I saw that night in the cornfield?”
  • “How did you get through watching your son being crucified? I could barely get through the day when my son was in the hospital and we didn’t know if he would make it or not.”
  • “What’s up with the platypus?”
  • “Why do innocent children have to suffer from such horrible diseases and abuse in our world?”
  • “Why did you make that tree?”
  • “What is on the outside edges of space?…and if space keeps keeps getting bigger what is it encroaching on?…where did all those socks really go?”
  • “How did you get through watching your son being crucified? I could barely get through the day when my son was in the hospital and we didn’t know if he would make it or not.”
  • “When and where were dinosaurs in the timeframe of the Bible?”

I always hear people talk about the questions they want to ask God when they get to heaven.  I used to have a bunch too.  I had a running list of questions I wanted answered.  I imagined a time when I would approach God in heaven, and say, “Now that I’ve got your undivided attention, I need you to explain a couple of things.”

Job was like us.  He had some stuff that happened in his life that he didn’t understand.  He tried to figure it out.  His friends tried to figure it out.  After a while, he just demanded that God Himself come and answer him.

And he did.

He answered Job in the form of a whirlwind and tells Job to act like a man and listen to his questions, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?  Tell me, if you have understanding, Who set its measurements?  Since you know…” (Job 38:3-5).  The next few pages reveal all the things that God knows that we have no clue about.

At the end of God’s message, Job’s only proper response was to say: “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You?  I lay my hand on my mouth” (Job 40:4); “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours is thwarted…I have declared that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know” (Job 42:2-3).

If we understood everything about God, this world, and life, He wouldn’t be God anymore.  If we could figure Him out, He’s not impressive.  I believe when I get to heaven, I’m going to encounter Jesus, fall on my face, and find a heavenly wastebasket to place my list of questions.  I think when we encounter him, we will understand more than we understand now, and I think we will be able to comprehend how He made good out of all things for those who loved Him and were called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28).

Application

In this week’s worship team training post, I want to remind again that our number one core value is humility – leading with perspective.  We must lead in a way that admits we don’t have it all figured out.  We cannot lose our awe concerning God.  If we have brought Him down to our level, He is not worthy of worship.  If we could figure Him out, we would no longer seek Him so fervently.  As we lead our church in worship and as we live lives of worship, we must remember that He is God and we are not.

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