John 16:23-30
So here's a bit of a comical story. A wronged woman is sitting on a beach. She' is trying to forget and move forward from having been cheated on by a lousy spouse who left her for a much younger woman. Sitting on the beach she comes across a bottle, rubs it and of course a Genie pops out. Of course in her anger, the woman's first wish is to 'dispense' with the soon to be ex husband. The genie informs her that he is not permitted to do that. Secondly, as a product of his own time any wish he would grant to her, her 'master' (the soon to be ex-husband) would get twice as much. The woman asks for a million dollars, the louse gets 2 million. The woman asks for a 2 carat diamond ring, he gets a 4 carat diamond ring. The genie says "you have one wish remaining". The woman carefully ponders her options and says to him "I'd like you to scare me half to death. Oh the things we ask for!
We are told we can ask for anything and it will be granted. When I think of all the things we ask for, simply as questions or for actual things or miracles, we do ask for a great deal. We ask and ask and ask. We want it all. We start as children being naturally inquisitive with why, why, why and are we there yet? Are we there yet? As adults we sometimes simply want to understand. Why is there such evil in the world? Why does God allow it? We want to get into other peoples heads and hearts and know the why of everything. We ask for miracles that are sometimes as unreasonable as a child asking for real hippopotamus for Christmas or a real Abrams M-1 tank. We ask and ask and ask.
In my own life I have done an enormous amount of asking. I suppose you could start when I was younger, much younger. I was as happy as a lark inside. My neighbors could see me skipping down the street, singing and whistling and they knew I was a happy child. Heck, I knew God loved me and even though my parents were divorced, I knew I was loved and special. What I found difficult to navigate was why I felt so different than other kids, Why did I fit in in marginal ways and still feel so outside? Most of that was me being gay even if I had no idea what that was or even what it meant at the time. I asked God over and over and over for help over the years. It wasn't till countless years later that I received my answer, my help, my guidance and my courage. Ok, perhaps I had the courage but I surely did not have a grasp of who I was. Once I did it was glorious but I waited decades. Shifting decades, recently I asked for help as I had health issues. This last year is not something I will soon forget. It's not just omnipresent because I have been meditating on this past year either. Burst appendix, an aortic aneurysm make for challenging and thought provoking internal discussions. Certainly there were many questions and a rich discussion between me and God during the ordeal. This last week our beloved cat was very sick. The cause was unknown and the symptoms baffling. Off to the vet he went and we had a whole host of questions for the vet. Of course I had questions and requests for God as well. I want to understand. I was granted what I asked for in that 'the cat' is fine now, recovered. Do I understand it all ? No.
The news carried a story the other day of a virtual baby that reached into its' Moms pocket book while in a shopping cart , pulled out her gun and wound up killing her while they shopped in WalMart. I have so many questions and I want to understand. Can anyone tell me? God, can you help me understand?
There was a story recently of a girl who was trapped inside the body of young man. She tried to deal with it and society and her family was far less than helpful, far less than compassionate and in fact the torture meted out by people led here to commit suicide. I so want to understand. Why? WHY? Some might not understand the girl in the body of a boy thing and ask why. I don't fully understand it myself but I do not dismiss it and I don't understand why people of faith especially cannot find the love and compassion to simply love and try to be compassionate. Again, why?
It seems to me that our lives are filled with questions of why to God. Not only do we have this desire, if not demand, to understand, there is a whole host of issues and 'things' that we want and are not shy to ask for. In one respect, perhaps that's a good thing, we know we are loved and worthy so we feel free to ask. What we cannot seem to grasp sometimes or appreciate is that we are not entitled to anything really. Further, we are not capable of understanding everything even when we are told. How many people of faith are there, in any of myriad religions who profess love and yet cannot seem to comprehend what that means in practical terms even when laid out on paper, from the pulpit or in the media? As for 'things', they are the least important items on any agenda. Happiness and love are key and integrally bound together along with compassion and forgiveness.
So where do we go and what do we do with with all our questions? It's a new year and hopefully a new perspective or a new commitment to do good and be more God centered. One key for me will be to simply ask for less and say thank you for more. I will not worry about the destination as much I will try to embrace the journey. Being present and loving is my new years resolution. Asking fewer questions is also on that list of resolutions for sure.
We are told we can ask for anything and it will be granted. When I think of all the things we ask for, simply as questions or for actual things or miracles, we do ask for a great deal. We ask and ask and ask. We want it all. We start as children being naturally inquisitive with why, why, why and are we there yet? Are we there yet? As adults we sometimes simply want to understand. Why is there such evil in the world? Why does God allow it? We want to get into other peoples heads and hearts and know the why of everything. We ask for miracles that are sometimes as unreasonable as a child asking for real hippopotamus for Christmas or a real Abrams M-1 tank. We ask and ask and ask.
In my own life I have done an enormous amount of asking. I suppose you could start when I was younger, much younger. I was as happy as a lark inside. My neighbors could see me skipping down the street, singing and whistling and they knew I was a happy child. Heck, I knew God loved me and even though my parents were divorced, I knew I was loved and special. What I found difficult to navigate was why I felt so different than other kids, Why did I fit in in marginal ways and still feel so outside? Most of that was me being gay even if I had no idea what that was or even what it meant at the time. I asked God over and over and over for help over the years. It wasn't till countless years later that I received my answer, my help, my guidance and my courage. Ok, perhaps I had the courage but I surely did not have a grasp of who I was. Once I did it was glorious but I waited decades. Shifting decades, recently I asked for help as I had health issues. This last year is not something I will soon forget. It's not just omnipresent because I have been meditating on this past year either. Burst appendix, an aortic aneurysm make for challenging and thought provoking internal discussions. Certainly there were many questions and a rich discussion between me and God during the ordeal. This last week our beloved cat was very sick. The cause was unknown and the symptoms baffling. Off to the vet he went and we had a whole host of questions for the vet. Of course I had questions and requests for God as well. I want to understand. I was granted what I asked for in that 'the cat' is fine now, recovered. Do I understand it all ? No.
The news carried a story the other day of a virtual baby that reached into its' Moms pocket book while in a shopping cart , pulled out her gun and wound up killing her while they shopped in WalMart. I have so many questions and I want to understand. Can anyone tell me? God, can you help me understand?
There was a story recently of a girl who was trapped inside the body of young man. She tried to deal with it and society and her family was far less than helpful, far less than compassionate and in fact the torture meted out by people led here to commit suicide. I so want to understand. Why? WHY? Some might not understand the girl in the body of a boy thing and ask why. I don't fully understand it myself but I do not dismiss it and I don't understand why people of faith especially cannot find the love and compassion to simply love and try to be compassionate. Again, why?
It seems to me that our lives are filled with questions of why to God. Not only do we have this desire, if not demand, to understand, there is a whole host of issues and 'things' that we want and are not shy to ask for. In one respect, perhaps that's a good thing, we know we are loved and worthy so we feel free to ask. What we cannot seem to grasp sometimes or appreciate is that we are not entitled to anything really. Further, we are not capable of understanding everything even when we are told. How many people of faith are there, in any of myriad religions who profess love and yet cannot seem to comprehend what that means in practical terms even when laid out on paper, from the pulpit or in the media? As for 'things', they are the least important items on any agenda. Happiness and love are key and integrally bound together along with compassion and forgiveness.
So where do we go and what do we do with with all our questions? It's a new year and hopefully a new perspective or a new commitment to do good and be more God centered. One key for me will be to simply ask for less and say thank you for more. I will not worry about the destination as much I will try to embrace the journey. Being present and loving is my new years resolution. Asking fewer questions is also on that list of resolutions for sure.
On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
‘I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but will tell you plainly of the Father. On that day you will ask in my name. I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and am going to the Father.’
His disciples said, ‘Yes, now you are speaking plainly, not in any figure of speech! Now we know that you know all things, and do not need to have anyone question you; by this we believe that you came from God.’
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