A God Who “tolerates” questions!

Maybe even invites “questions!”

As in Isaiah 1:18 … “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD.”

Is this the God of the Bible?

He allowed His Own Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to ask, from the Cross: “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46

And even our Psalmist today, Asaph, in Psalm 77:7 asks: “Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?” In fact, he is still asking such questions in the next two verses, as well.

Of course, I might mention that Asaph is suffering as he vents here.

And Job, the archetypal sufferer of the Old Testament, certainly asked such questions. Lots of them!

But back to Asaph.

“Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?”

The verb “cast off” is “zanach,” and it is powerful! It means “to reject, to spurn!” Once in the King James Version, “to remove far off.” Implying that the psalmist believes he must “stink” in the Nostrils of God!

“For ever” means “out of sight,” perpetually. No end is in view!

Then “to be favourable” translates “ratzsah,” meaning “to take delight in” a person or thing. “To accept and to enjoy” him or her.

“No more” utilizes an adverb, “id,” meaning “a going round and round.” Continually!

Yes, this little writer is that low!

He believes God may be “through” with him!

BUT NOTICE THIS … SOON, BEFORE THE END OF PSALM 77 … ASAPH HAS “REASONED” HIS WAY BACK TO GOD! IN FACT, HE NEVER FORSOOK HIS GOD!

Here’s a “clip,” a “quote” from him … in just a few verses: “Who is so great a God as our God?”

Wow!

Are you discouraged today?

Is your hope wavering?

Faith weakening?

Hold on!

Endure!

Keep looking Heavenward!

Do not forsake the God of your life!

YOU WILL AGAIN ENTER INTO JOY!

Jesus never fails.

I’ve used this verse before, but it’s a paradigm of the Christian life. “His (the Lord’s) anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Psalm 30:5

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell