Bring Everyone Along: Questions

by Lisa Allgood, Executive Presbyter

“But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’ ”                                                             – Genesis 3:9

At a recent Council meeting, we asked each Council member what word they wanted us to hear/apply this year as we seek, together, to do the will of the Lord on behalf of the Presbytery.

One word was “questions”. A great word.

There are several questions in the book of Genesis, Chapter 3.  The first question in the Bible is the one the serpent asks of Adam and Eve: “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” A question that leads to temptation, of course – the temptation that Adam and Eve actually didn’t need to listen to God, that they could “do their own thing” and make themselves into little gods.  After all, the serpent told them that the tree they were told not to eat from would let them “be like God”.

The second question is the interesting one – when God comes into the garden that evening and asks the now-hiding Adam and Eve “where are you?”  This is God, so of course He knows where they are.  The question then becomes not one of location but of assessment.  And He knows this too, but asks it of Adam and Eve so that they know it – where are you? Are you still on the path I have intended for you?

I think God is asking this of all of us, His children, these days – “where are you?”  Are you on the path I’ve intended for you?  Are you leading your children – your family – your friends – your community – on the path I’ve intended for you?  Is your church on the path I’ve intended for the church?

And if not, what path of temptation to do everything on our own, without His guidance, without His hand, have we strayed on to?  What do we stand for? What does our church stand for? Have we strayed because of the temptations of our society, our job, our success, our standing in a community? Our pride?

As a church, are we tempted to do more and more mission because making disciples and bringing people to church is harder?  Don’t get me wrong – mission is great.  But ministry is why we’re a church.

People of God – where are you?