How...?
- Luke 1:18, 34
I have a lot of questions. I'm guessing you do too.
For children the most asked question is, Why? As in... Parent: "It's time to go to bed." Child: "Why?" Followed by whys? to every ensuing answer.
Why questions remain into our adulthood. They usually center around difficulties, tragedies. The problem with deep why questions is this, they are seldom answered. And too often pat answers are offered up that make little sense and provide even less comfort. (Religion's version of, "Because I'm the parent and I say so...")
Maybe we'll come back to Why? in another post. But it is another question that leapt from the pages of my Bible this morning.
HOW?
How? is a faith question. How? is a control question. And just like Why?, God is not obligated to answer. Though sometimes he does.
The first chapter of Luke is rich. In it the author explains his perspective and motive for the account to follow.* Luke is a man of medicine by trade and a disciple-historian by calling. Though he was not an original disciple (as in Jesus' twelve, not the rap group), he did walk among the disciples after Jesus' resurrection and ascension. He was a traveling companion to Paul in his journeys. His account(s) is chalked full of historical names, dates and references that make it easily refutable... if it weren't accurate and true.
Enough for the history lesson. Sorry... it's the preacher in me and like a gopher, pops its head out from time to time. Back to the question: HOW?
How? shows up twice in Luke's first chapter. Both Hows? spring up around birth announcements. These announcements were not mailed or sent via Facebook. They were hand-delivered by an angel named Gabriel.
One day a old priest named Zechariah was doing his duty in the temple. Zechariah was a faithful man. His wife Elizabeth, a faith-filled woman. And in their old age, they had no children. An angel, Gabriel, suddenly shows up. Luke writes, "...and Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him." The angel says, "Don't be afraid." (Angels always say that... they must be some frighteningly glorious beings.)
Gabriel goes on to tell Zechariah that, "...your prayer has been heard..." I'd like to think that if a 10-foot light being showed up and said that to me it would be enough. No more whys?. No more hows?.
"Your prayer has been heard."
I'm good.
Not so with Zechariah.
Well, this post just became a two-parter; it could even be three. We have another how? to go. And then we can dive into what jumped out at me as I read the account. I realize I haven't gotten to THE point. I really haven't gotten to ANY point yet. Since this is a bit of a devotion I will make A point to leave you.
YOUR PRAYER HAS BEEN HEARD.
God, I'm knocking.
For now...
D
*Actually Luke and Acts are two parts of the same narrative by Luke. In reading them together we get a feel for the consistency of faith and Spirit-driven desire that carried a ragged group of followers to become The Church; and The Church to become a force that changed the known world.
HOW?
How? is a faith question. How? is a control question. And just like Why?, God is not obligated to answer. Though sometimes he does.
The first chapter of Luke is rich. In it the author explains his perspective and motive for the account to follow.* Luke is a man of medicine by trade and a disciple-historian by calling. Though he was not an original disciple (as in Jesus' twelve, not the rap group), he did walk among the disciples after Jesus' resurrection and ascension. He was a traveling companion to Paul in his journeys. His account(s) is chalked full of historical names, dates and references that make it easily refutable... if it weren't accurate and true.
Enough for the history lesson. Sorry... it's the preacher in me and like a gopher, pops its head out from time to time. Back to the question: HOW?
How? shows up twice in Luke's first chapter. Both Hows? spring up around birth announcements. These announcements were not mailed or sent via Facebook. They were hand-delivered by an angel named Gabriel.
One day a old priest named Zechariah was doing his duty in the temple. Zechariah was a faithful man. His wife Elizabeth, a faith-filled woman. And in their old age, they had no children. An angel, Gabriel, suddenly shows up. Luke writes, "...and Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him." The angel says, "Don't be afraid." (Angels always say that... they must be some frighteningly glorious beings.)
Gabriel goes on to tell Zechariah that, "...your prayer has been heard..." I'd like to think that if a 10-foot light being showed up and said that to me it would be enough. No more whys?. No more hows?.
"Your prayer has been heard."
I'm good.
Not so with Zechariah.
Well, this post just became a two-parter; it could even be three. We have another how? to go. And then we can dive into what jumped out at me as I read the account. I realize I haven't gotten to THE point. I really haven't gotten to ANY point yet. Since this is a bit of a devotion I will make A point to leave you.
YOUR PRAYER HAS BEEN HEARD.
There may be no angelic announcement. Better - there is a Jesus-promise:
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives,
and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened...
how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
-- Matthew 7:7-11
God, I'm knocking.
For now...
D
*Actually Luke and Acts are two parts of the same narrative by Luke. In reading them together we get a feel for the consistency of faith and Spirit-driven desire that carried a ragged group of followers to become The Church; and The Church to become a force that changed the known world.
