When God Answers THE Big Question

Yesterday, we focused on Rebekah’s question, “Why is this happening to me?”

I was a bit hard on her for asking about herself, rather than asking, “Is my baby okay?”

The question she asked was an honest one.

She asked THE Big Question that so often causes people to turn away from God or discount Him in the first place.

“Why?”

• Why the fertilizer plant explosion?
• Why the Boston Marathon bombings?
• Why all the senseless horrors that pale our worst nightmares?

Notice how God responds to Rebekah:

The Lord said to her,
Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples from within you will be separated;
one people will be stronger than the other,
and the older will serve the younger.
Genesis 25:23

He answers!

In detail!

Not only does she learn, sans ultrasound, that she’s having twin boys, but she even learns their destinies!

If only…

How many times have I thought, If God would just tell me why…

• …I would trust Him.
• …I would obey Him.
• …I would serve Him.

Unquestioningly.

Right?

If He would just settle things, once and for all.

Answer this one question.

How hard could it be for Him?

And what a bargain! One answer, a lifetime of devotion.

If God would just tell us why, everything would turn out fine!

Oh really?

As I re-read Genesis 25 yesterday, it struck me: God answered The Big Question for Rebekah.

In detail.

We have, right here in front of us, a Biblical case study to test our hypothesis!

God answers, “Why?” Now, does everything turn out fine?

The boys grew up,
and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country,
while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents.
Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau,
but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Genesis 25:27-28

Oh, this does not sound good.

Two days ago, Rebekah was saying, “I will go.” Isaac was experiencing love-at-first-sight. Husband and wife were starting out on a new journey together.

Now, there’s a gap.

A Gap

A gap between Isaac and Rebekah.

Somehow, they’ve taken sides, each picked a favorite twin.

The family is split in half.

But that gap started long before the boys were born.

There’s a key gap between verse 23 and 24.

A deafening silence.

• Did Rebekah tell Isaac what God told her?
• Did God tell Isaac?
• Did Rebekah Jacob (but not Isaac)?

We don’t know; the Bible doesn’t say.

But if nothing else, we see our “Knowing ‘Why?’ will make everything turn out fine!” hypothesis shattered by radical split in the family, as the parents polarize with the kids.

Some scholars use this story to illustrate the dangers of allowing children to become the focal point of a marriage.

But I have this nagging suspicion that the trouble started before Isaac picked Esau and Rebekah picked Jacob. If Rebekah did, in fact, keep God’s words to herself rather than share them with the man whose life was founded on knowing “God will provide,” then Rebekah picked Rebekah over Isaac-and-Rebekah.

The boys didn’t cause the gap. They were born into a pre-existing chasm.

THE Best Answer

Maybe when God doesn’t answer my “Why?” it’s because He knows that everything will not turn out fine.

That, like Rebekah, I will ignore or even misuse His answer.

Maybe when God doesn’t answer my “Why?” with the details I so desperately crave, it’s because He knows THE Best Answer:

I need to learn to trust Him with the answers. (Click to Tweet this.)

Try This Today:

As you’re building your “God Will Provide” family time line, intentionally add times that required great trust in God.

Your Turn!

How easy or hard do you find it to move from “Why?” to trusting God with the answers?