Rick Reflects: December 12, 2011

“Dad, how come . . .?”

“Because. . .”

Boy, did I find that frustrating as a kid!  I heard it a lot because I had a lot of questions growing up.  I remember promising myself that when I had kids I would not “because” them.  But of course I did.  I discovered as a parent that lots of times it was impossible to give answers to my children’s questions.  Often the answer was more complicated than they were capable of understanding.  Life is a lot more complicated for adults than it is for kids.  Sometimes I couldn’t answer because I didn’t want to cause them unnecessary pain.  Sometimes their questions were personal and I didn’t answer them because it was none of their business to know.  The information was someone else’s to share, or not.  Sometimes the best we can do is “because”.

A few weeks ago I was talking with someone who was pressing me for an answer about why things are the way they are in Haiti and I could only answer “because”.  To someone coming to Haiti for the first time it is a strange and exotic place and there are lots of questions and few answers.  But the opposite is also true.  This past summer a number of Haitians came to Rochester, NY for General Conference.  They too had lots of questions about why things were they way they were.  I could only say “because”. . .

1 Peter 1:15-16 (NIV) reads as follows:

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;* for it is written: “Be holy, because. . . I am holy.”

There is that “because” again.  I am not sure the “I am holy” really answers the “why” for me-understanding God’s holiness is beyond my comprehension.  Faith is about trusting God–not because we have all the answers but because of who God is.  There is a great deal in faith that I don’t understand.  How can it be that God would send his Son into the world as part of His redemptive plan?

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:2, New Living Translation).

The Bible says that God did that because He loves us.  But why does He love us?  I am not always so lovable and I have never deserved that He should come, and die, for me.  The only answer to the “why” of the incarnation is because. . .

Rick

Cookie and I are supported in our work in Haitiby people like you.  If you would like to be a part of our team and support us financially or prayerfully (both are needed) go to our website at www.servinghaiti.com where you will find links under the “Join Us” tab.

 

 

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