Faith that Surpasses Questions

Certainly, we all have questions at time, especially those of us who are on a spiritual journey. Many times God’s Spirit directs us in ways and down paths that we don’t understand. It is only natural for us to have questions. We are all still learning to lean upon God and not our own understanding. There are times when we stop and ask God if he is sure concerning what he is asking or telling us to do. It is really difficult when we can’t see His plan and we are not thinking as He thinks. Sometimes our own selves, and/or the enemy, beat us up because of the fact that we had a time of questioning or wondering. Now it is certain that we would fair much better to never question or hesitate God’s command or call. We should endeavor to always be ready and willing to be obedient no matter what. But that does not mean that He has withdrawn his calling and blessing from our lives when we have failed to do so. Two great miracles that we find in the Bible were still performed even though the ones that were to receive the miracles had at first questioned because of their reasoning. Sometimes our reasoning gets us into trouble when it involves matters of faith. Here is one of those miracles.

Miraculous Provision for the Widow Woman and Her Son.

1Ki. 17:10-14 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.

And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.

And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.

When this woman was told by Elijah to bring him bread, she hesitated to do so because of her current situation. She may have questioned why God would ask that of her if she and her son needed it. She could have even questioned whether this man was actually sent from God and why did he have to be served first. It is evident her faith took over and she was obedient. Let’s look at the other miracle.

The Healing of Leprous Naaman

2Ki. 5:9-14 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.

And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.

But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.

Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.

And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?

Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

When Elisha instructed Naaman through a messenger how he was to receive his healing, he hesitated because it didn’t make any logical sense to him. He questioned because the method that God chose was not the method that he would have chosen. He questioned because of what Elisha did (by not coming out himself but sending a messenger) and what he himself was asked to do (wash in the Jordan River 7 times). But just as the widow woman had done, Naaman overcame his questions with faith and obedience. These miracles are very similar in the fact that both recipients had to do something that didn’t make any sense to them. The both had second thoughts. They both overcame with faith and obedience and received the promise. These were both made mention of by our LORD.

Lk. 4:24-27 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.

But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

Was this just a coincidence? I think not. Jesus was telling them many widows and lepers in Israel did not receive what these gentiles had. Could it be that God had seen that they didn’t have enough faith to get over the tough questions that would have arisen in their hearts? We know that Jesus was telling them these things to warn them lest the same thing happen to them. Is that not exactly what did happen? They had questions that they never got over and consequently hindered them from believing in Jesus and receiving the promise of the Messiah that God had fulfilled.

Lk. 4:22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?

Jn. 6:42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?

Mt. 13:55 & Mk. 6:3 also tell of his rejection.

Jn. 7:43-53 So there was a division among the people because of him.

And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.

Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?

The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.

Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?

Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?

But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.

Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)

Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?

They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.

And every man went unto his own house.

They couldn’t get over the questions concerning where Jesus came from and the fact that some of them knew him, his family, and his occupation. Many people go on through life without receiving the things that God has provided for them because they can’t get over the questions that arise in their heart. Questions like “where is God when I need him” and “why would He let this happen to me”. Questions will no doubt come to us. The real question is whether we will let our faith overcome and be obedient to what God has spoken.

Pastor Johhny Fortune