David has some of the most pointed and direct questions in the Bible.
“Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.”
Psalm 77:7-9
“How long, Lord? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire? Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah. Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?”
Psalm 89:46-49
I’m glad those questions are in the Bible. It is comforting to see such relatable humanity in a character like David. It is human to question things. It is how God created us. David isn’t the only one with questions in the Bible.
Job had some hard questions. Legitimate questions. Questions about pain, justice, equity, and integrity. The Disciples of Jesus had questions. Questions about roles in the Kingdom, when Jesus was returning, and why they failed to cast out demons. Nicodemus had questions. Questions about who Jesus really was. Paul had questions. Questions about why God wouldn’t take away the thorn in his flesh. And Zane has questions. And maybe you have questions.
“God can handle your questions.
-Joel Booker
Sometimes I look at the calendar and I see holidays that I don’t understand. Or holidays that I understand and don’t observe. I’m not sure if it is on your calendar, but October is Pastor Appreciation month. I learned about this as an adult. I don’t recall observing this when I was a kid. I probably missed a lot as a kid though. I observe Pastor Appreciation but I don’t limit it to the month of October.
A pastor, we read in the English dictionary, is a minister in charge of a Christian church or congregation. I like Webster’s definition better, a spiritual overseer. The Bible likens pastors to shepherds and the people of God as sheep. In my childlike mind I understood that my pastor was the man who preached to me. He was The Preacher. There are many today that feel like preaching is irrelevant, and to use a Bible word foolish, but God still thinks that preaching is pretty important.
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom know not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. I Corinthians 1:21
“At some point, whether you want to admit it now or not, you are going to need a preacher, if only to put you in the ground.”
-Perry Wells
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, King in Jerusalem. Ecclesiastes 1:1
Solomon was a preacher. A wise preacher. Solomon gives us three of the five books of the Bible that are considered wisdom literature: Song of Solomon, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. In these books he gives us sound doctrine in how to conduct our relationships with our spouse, our fellow man, and pleasure. Solomon, to quote my father, was “Something else.”
Anyone can give you an answer, not everyone can give you wisdom.
And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions…And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not. I Kings 10:1-3
The Queen of Sheba came to test Solomon with questions. Hard questions. Let’s just see how brilliant this guy is. I’ve asked some questions like that before too. Sometimes you have to ask a few of those test questions just to make sure you’re not smarter that the person you are asking. Maybe the Queen also began that way. I can see her sashaying up to Solomon with a list of riddles and sharp hypothetical questions that she already knew the answer to, trying to catch him in a trap, and one after one Solomon answers her questions without any loss of composure. Maybe her attitude then shifted from snarky to the sincere and she began to ask questions about things that she really didn’t have a handle on but was too embarrassed to ask. After all, when you’re the Queen, you’re supposed to have all the answers.
I still have a lot of questions that I don’t feel comfortable asking just anyone. I believe that Pastors are a gift from God for the perfecting of the saints. I have come to appreciate my pastor so much more than simply his irreplaceable role as the The Preacher. At this season in my life my pastor has been someone who I can ask hard questions. Which leads me to this question: If you can’t ask your pastor hard questions is he really your pastor?
Mostly From Memory 