Some questions only true disciples get to ask

I was talking to a friend the other day who indicated he had some doubts in his faith. He told me, "I almost feel like an atheist, asking if God is real." As I heard him talk, I realized that he was wording his question wrong. The issue was not that he felt like an atheist. Rather the issue was that he was questioning the church's relevance in the world today. My friend knows God's word. He loves God and has followed him even to do mission work. Still, he is asking himself about how relevant his faith is to the world. What about the Christians who get caught up in sin and can't get out? What about the homeless dying in the streets? What about the churches that don't get along? What about the power of TV and how it seems to influence others in ways that a single person speaking for Christ never could? Yes... my friend had a good question. But it was a spiritual question. The question of a true believer, not a spiritual weakling.

In John 1 the apostles first meet Jesus and say that he is amazing. "You're the king of Israel, the one John spoke of, the one Moses wrote about." By Mark 4 in the boat, they are asking Jesus, "Don't you care if we drown?" John the baptist starts off his ministry telling the disciples that Jesus is the lamb of God. Later in prison, he sends word to ask Christ "are you the one to come, or should we expect someone else?" Moses self sacrificially denied himself Egyptian treasure, caring about the other slaves, and boldly defending them even to the point of murder. Years later, he stands before God and asks the Lord if he will send someone else, since Moses "can't speak." I guess my point is that there are some level of questions that only a mature disciple has the right to ask. Only a Peter in the boat with Jesus gets to ask Jesus if he cares. Only a John in prison gets to question God's identity. Only a Moses before the burning bush can question God's decision making. If we heard these questions, we might just say to Peter, John, or Moses, "You are unspiritual."

Nope, these are the questions of the faithful. Only disciples get to ask those kind of questions.

What questions have you asked God? Maybe you aren't an atheist at all. Maybe you are a true believer on a journey with God.