Noting a question the text asks you
We often read the Bible as a book of answers. It is one, but it is also a book of questions. God asks many, and so does Jesus. This quest invites you to read while letting yourself be questioned: what question does this text ask me?
What it looks like in your day
After reading a passage, instead of looking for what it teaches you, turn the reading around: "What question is this text addressing to me?" This question can be explicit (a real question asked in the text) or implicit (a question you hear in yourself as you read). Here is a method:
- First look for the questions written in the text. Many passages contain them: "Where art thou?", "What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?", "Lovest thou me?"
- Look for implicit questions. In a parable, for example: "Which character do I resemble in this story?"
- Note the question as it is, in a notebook or a phone note.
- Answer honestly, in a low voice or in writing, speaking to God.
An example: you read the healing of the blind Bartimaeus. Jesus asks him: "What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?" You note: "What do I really want Jesus to do for me?" Then you answer frankly. Perhaps your first answer will be superficial. Come back to it.
If you are in a hurry, keep just one question and answer in one sentence. If you are a beginner, the Gospels are full of Jesus's questions. If you are shy, the written answer stays private.
What the Bible says
The very first question God asks humanity is this one:
“And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?”
Adam and Eve are hiding, and God doesn't ask because he doesn't know: he asks to invite them out of hiding. God's questions are often an outstretched hand.
Jesus also asks decisive questions. One day, he asks his disciples:
“And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.”
This question is not reserved for Peter: it is addressed to each of us. What do we answer? After the resurrection, he asks Peter three times whether he loves him (John 21:15): a question that touches the heart of the bond, far more than skills.
The questions of the text are therefore occasions for encounter, not exams. God is not trying to trap you, he wants to get you talking.
Pitfalls to avoid
Answering too fast. The first answer is often a schoolchild's answer: "Yes, of course, Lord!" Let the question sink in. Write what you really think, even if it isn't pretty.
Avoiding the questions that sting. Some questions are disturbing: "What do you do with your anger?" "Why are you afraid?" These are often the ones with the most value. Don't move on to the next too quickly.
Judging yourself harshly. A question is not an accusation. If you discover a lack, present it to God without flogging yourself.
Looking for a definitive answer. Some questions stay open for months. You can keep carrying them. The Bible doesn't impose an answer in five minutes.
Picking and choosing. If you keep only the pleasant questions, you deprive the text of its strength. It is also made to challenge you.
Today, spot a question in your reading and answer it in writing, in three sentences.