A good question

Every conversation includes questions. Usually easy and light, How are you? What time is it? Where did you go? Did you have a good time? Been busy? A good conversation has more substantive questions.

I’m a grateful for those times when people have asked me really good questions. What qualifies as a good question? It is one that asks something I have not asked or have a ready answer for. It is one that surprises, shocks, and makes me think, really think as a result. It’s like in baseball. You have two strikes and you just know the pitcher is going to throw a fastball for strike three. And you wait for it. Instead, he throws a curve and you just watch it cross the plate because you weren’t ready for it.

Last Friday I was asked one of those really good questions.

I have lunch once a month with my pastor for mutual encouragement. We’ve discussed my future and if there is the possibility of public ministry again, etc. This month I purposely didn’t bring it up at all. But he did. He asked me, “What do you want to do?”

I admit, I’ve been thinking in terms of:

What will people let me do?

What will the Church let me do?

What will God let me do?

In other words, What will I be allowed to do?

But this brother shook me up. “What do you want to do?” I kinda stumbled and stuttered in my response, and offered a general answer, because I wasn’t prepared for that one. It was a good question.

As a result, I will continue to pray, “What is Your will for me? What is my place and purpose?” But I am persuaded this question was from God, and is part of His working in me. Now, I have two other petitions:

† "Lord, what is the desire of my heart? Clear the rubble and the smoke, heal the wounds, and reveal to me what it is I want to do."

† Then, as that prayer is answered, “Lord, let me do that!”

Amen.