Questions God Welcomes

Dear First Pres SLO Family,

Grace and peace to you in the name of the one who came to hold all things together, even when they seem like they’re breaking apart. 

“To every thing there is a season…”

Now if you’re like me, you probably think of The Byrds before you think of the third chapter of Ecclesiastes. (My guess is that God is fine with that, by the way—it’s a pretty great song.)

But there’s a good reason to remember where those words come from. Ecclesiastes is a book for the real world—for the modern world—even if it was written thousands of years ago. There are three main themes in this book:

·      Frustration with the lack of fairness in the world.

·      Disappointment with God.

·      Awareness of our mortality.

Those sound awfully relevant for today, right? We look around and see so much pain and injustice, we wonder where God is in all of it, and we know that we have a brief span of years to do something about it.

Honestly, that’s not meant to be as depressing as it sounds!

Ecclesiastes reminds us that even in an unfair world, God loves us and cares for us and wants us to enjoy this life. Ecclesiastes also teaches us that we have every right to interrogate God—that God welcomes our questions and even our frustrations with him. In the end, Ecclesiastes isn’t a book of answers, as much as it’s a book of questions—the kinds of questions that we don’t always give ourselves permission to ask. 

Maybe that’s why a reminder of the way seasons work is helpful for us. Sometimes we live with a strong faith that gives us confidence to live as mature disciples. Other times, well, we have so many questions and complaints that we wonder if this faith business is worth the trouble.

“To every thing there is a season…”

The lesson for us—the thing to remember in and out of season—is this:

“Worship God, and keep his commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone.”

As the challenges of this life toss us around, and as we freely question God about all of it, our calling is to worship God and live gracious and honorable lives. That’s what this season calls for, and that’s something all of us can do. 

Blessings to you in this back-to-school season!

Pastor John