Questions are good, especially when the answers come from God!
By Dean Collins
One of the secrets to getting more out of your Bible reading is asking questions. As I read each morning, my brain is filled with questions. Sometimes I text friends who are real Bible scholars and ask them questions. I also ask God a lot of questions, and every day he answers some of them. Sometimes his response is found in the Bible, sometimes he guides me to others, and sometimes he speaks by prompting a new thought as I pray and study.
David’s questions
David asked God quite a few questions recorded in Psalms. One of them is found in Psalm 15 where David asked God who can dwell or live in God’s presence: “O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?”
And once again questions start popping into my head:
Is it who can dwell with God or where does God dwell with us?
Is David asking about where we worship or where we live?
Is the question more about our final dwelling with God in eternity or is David focused on how we live with others now?
Does this question impact whom we welcome into our homes or whom we invite to visit our church?
Paul’s prayer
My questions help me reflect on what God has already told me in scripture. As I considered Psalm 15, I couldn’t help but remember Ephesians 3: 12-21. There Paul tells us that because of Christ we can come confidently into God’s presence. The fact that Jesus took our sins to the cross means he made it possible for us to live a blameless life. Without Jesus, we have no way of approaching God blamelessly because our sins create a barrier between God and us.
Considering this amazing gift of forgiveness and grace caused Paul to fall to his knees in prayer to God, “that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. “ His prayer continues with thoughts to encourage and challenge us:
“Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him.”
“Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong”
“And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.”
“May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.”
“Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”
Guide for life
Now compare this reality with David’s question and the answers God gave him. The questions of who can dwell with God and how God dwells with us result in the same answers. According to Psalm 15, these character traits and behaviors are to be our guide and our lifestyle:
Lead a blameless life
Do what is right
Speak the truth with sincerity
Refuse to gossip
Refuse to do harm to neighbors
Refuse to speak evil of friends
Despise flagrant sinners
Honor faithful followers of the Lord
Keep promises even when it hurts
Lend money without interest
Don’t allow yourself to be bribed
Don’t lie about innocent people
Life and hope
Paul ends his prayer in Ephesians with a benediction that reminds us of the greatness of God and his transformational power. May this benediction from Paul bring new life and hope to how we conduct ourselves with others today as we live in his presence:
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.”
Your time with God’s Word
Psalm 15:1 ESV; Psalm 15:1-5 NLT; Ephesians 3:12, 14-21 NLT
Photo by Ana Municio on Unsplash
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