Why?

Psalm 80

Have you ever been around a youngster who only had one question? You know the question…”Why?” If kids didn’t ask that questions, parents would have never invented the phrase, “Because I said so!” While that question can be annoying for a tired, frazzled parent, the why question serves many purposes. If it weren’t for scientists asking that question, so many of our incredible scientific discoveries would have never happened. Why also serves as a philosophical question. “Why?” helps us understand the world around us.

“Why?” is also a way to express deep emotions. When terrible things happen, asking why helps us express our confusion, our disappointment, and our desperation. In Psalm 80, the people of Israel are facing the terrible experience of being ruled by foreign rulers and having their way of life destroyed. They want to know why this is happening and why God isn’t doing anything to help them. In yesterday’s reading from Isaiah, we get a sense of this from God’s point of view. These tribulations happened because the people refused to live life according to God’s will for them. It is their rebellion that has caused these terrible hardships.

We don’t know if the psalmist and the people who are worshipping using this psalm ever figure out that their turning away from God contributed to their suffering. We also don’t ever get the answer as to why God chose to handle their unfaithfulness in this way. As in our own lives, sometimes we never get the answer to the why.

In 2004, country legend Loretta Lynn released her 42 nd studio album called “Van Lear Rose.” It ended up winning the Grammy that year for the Best Contemporary Country Album. On it is a track called, “God Makes No Mistakes.” In it she asks a lot of why questions. Shortly after it was released, my dad was diagnosed with cancer. He was only 66 years old. In the song, there is the line, “Why is that old drunk still living/when a daddy like mine is dying?” There is no answer to that musical question just like there was no answer as to why my daddy had cancer.

But we still ask, “Why?” because it is a way that we lament all that is happening that hurts so much. At least asking why keeps us in conversation with God. If you know the story of Job, he asked the question of why he was suffering. God never answers the question, but what God does is something that should give us all a sense of comfort. As Job sits in the ash heap (which in the bible represents mourning), God shows up at the ash heap. God doesn’t give Job any answers, but God shows up to be present with Job in his suffering. God still shows up in our ash heaps, even if we never know why or how we got there. God is with us in our deepest pain.

Prayer
All-knowing and all-powerful God, you show up for us in the places of our deepest pain. You may never reveal to us the why of our suffering, but you do not let us suffer alone. You give us your presence and your mercy. And for that, we say thank you. Amen.

Rev. Dana Ezell