Date: 1/5/2010
<br>Author: Devin
<br>Title: Why?
<br><br>January 6, 2010<br><br><br>Why is the word “Why” treated with contempt by so many when the word “Why” is phrased in the form of a question regarding matters of Biblical belief and interpretation?  Why is the word “Why” received by some as a personal threat, a call to arms, and a line drawn in the sand when discussing matters of spiritual importance?  Why is the word “Why” tagged with liberal connotations by some folks in some religious circles?  We are taught from a very early age that “you won't know unless you ask”.  Thus, it begins with little hands being raised in grade school and continues through adulthood with online Google or “askjeeves” searches.  Regardless of the method, it is the nature of mankind to ask questions about things they don't understand.  Any line of questioning aimed at deeper learning is important and should be encouraged, but certainly none are more important than questions asked with the hope of a clearer understanding of God's Word and His Will for our lives.<br><br><br>In this new year, I want to encourage us all to ask “Why?”  “Why” do we believe what we believe?  “Why” do we do what we do?  “Why” do we worship the way we worship?  “Why” do we preach what we preach and “Why” do we teach what we teach?  “Why .....Why .....Why?”  It's an awfully small word with a really, really big meaning. <br><br><br>The Bible is full of occasions where folks ask some pretty important questions.  “Where is your faith?” ..... “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” ..... “See, here is water, what hinders me to be baptized?” ..... “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” ..... “Brothers, what shall we do?”  And of course, there are many more questions found in Holy Scripture that were asked by people who wanted, yet, needed an answer.  We find in Acts 17:11, “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true”.  Peter said that we should “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have”. (1 Peter 3:15)  It just seems to me that God wants us to ask “Why” regarding any and everything that deals with the spiritual element of our lives.  When we ask “Why”, does it mean that we are insinuating that the way we have done things has been wrong?  Absolutely not.  It simply means that we want to understand “Why” we do them that way in the first place.  Now is the time we need to be asking “Why”, because according to Peter, someone later will probably ask us the same exact thing.  Let's be ready.                          <br><br> Go the extra mile - Devin<br>