My favorite line in Leviticus is when God tells Moses “I am the Lord.”1 God repeats this statement 32 times in chapters 18-26. Why repeat this very basic concept so many times? Apparently because the Israelites needed to be reminded of who was in charge. A lot! We are no different than those stubborn “stiff-necked”2 Israelites. Many times, we question God’s ways. Our favorite questions are Why? and Why not? I think God’s favorite answer is “I am the Lord.”
It is the proper response, isn’t it? When children ask us adults Why? and Why not? we often tell them, “Because I said so,” which is exactly what “I am the Lord” means. Usually, at that point, we adults are weary of repeating ourselves to those questioning children. We adults know that explaining ourselves is mostly a waste of energy because children do not perceive the purpose of our plans—the point of it all. Children often think they know more than adults, but they don’t. And we are God’s children!
Job questioned God’s purpose regarding the suffering and unwarranted tragedies in his life. God’s response? “I will question you!”3 Which is the proper response, for who are we to question God? God’s question for Job was this: “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?”4 It’s a powerful question, and Job had no answer. The message was clear: he was not God. We really have no right to question God. But we do. We have an inordinate need to understand everything that does not go the way we think it should go, for we think if we just understood, we would be fine with everything. But we wouldn’t. Explanations don’t change a thing.
Explanations are generally irrelevant. It does not really matter Why? or Why not? because God is God and we are not. It is our hardest lesson—that we are not God. That’s why it is the first commandment: “I am the Lord your God.”5 If we could just learn this one, we would cease to question God and begin to live with peace in our hearts, delighted that God is in charge!
There are two things we need to remember when we hear ourselves questioning God with Why? and Why not? The first one is this: “Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his.”6 The KJV says it this way: “It is he who hath made us and not we ourselves.” In other words, we are not God!
The second thing to remember is this: “For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”7 Since God is good and will love us forever, it’s quite reassuring to know that God is God. So, should we cease asking our questions? No. Absolutely not! Jesus told us to ask God for anything. Paul reminds us: “The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”8 What we need to remember, however, is that asking God questions is very different from questioning God.
Leviticus is a tough read, but the message is clear. God told Moses, “I am the Lord.” When we ask God Why? and Why not? we need to hear God’s response as Because I said so! When we learn to be okay with that, then “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”9
1Leviticus 18:5 2Exodus 32:9 3Job 38:3 4Job 38:4 5Exodus 20:2 6Psalm 100:3 7Psalm 100:5 8Philippians 4:6 9Philippians 4:7
Deborah McDermet 
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