But if not

But if not….

If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, o king, let him deliver us. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up. Daniel 3:17-18

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Such was the conviction of Jim Elliot as he entered these words in his journal on October 28, 1949. These words would become true for him and his four fellow missionaries on January 8, 1956, as they were attacked and murdered. Elliot and the others fully understood the dangers, yet were willing to say “but if not.”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego could have saved themselves a lot of trouble if they had simply gone along with the crowd and bowed on the plain of Dura. They could have rationalized their decision for everyone except themselves. “But if not” became a powerful statement of faith that would echo across the centuries. Could God save them from the furnace of death? Without a doubt. Would God save them from the furnace of death? It didn’t matter.

Fast forward a few years as Daniel, the once-powerful leader within the king’s court now stands looking into the mouth of a lion. Daniel could have closed the windows to his room and prayed in secret but not Daniel. He had no doubts that God could save him from the lions “but if not”, then let it be known I will continue to pray and worship my God.

Jesus standing in the midst of Gethsemane facing the critical juncture in his ministry came to his “but if not” moment. Throwing himself on the ground and praying, he cried out, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, yet not what I want but what you want.” (Matthew 26:39)

Peter and John had their defining “but if not” moment as they stood before their accusers. You can go home, just don’t preach about Jesus anymore. This was their free ticket out of jail. “Whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge.” Peter and John had no doubts that God could get them out of jail “but if not”, “we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20)

Bishops Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer faced their terrifying “but if not” moment being chained to the stake to be burned for their beliefs. Bishop Ridley if you will only revoke and recant, you can go free. Is this the only way of freedom? Yes. “Well so long as there is breath in my body, I will never deny my Lord Christ and his known truth. God’s will be done in me.” As fire began to consume the wood that would quickly take their lives, Latimer, the man of prayer, boldly proclaimed, “Be of good cheer, Ridley, and play the man. We shall this day, by God’s grace, light up such a candle in England as I trust will never be put out.”

Scripture is filled with pages of “but if not” moments for those who follow God. Joseph could have escaped prison if he had only succumbed to the desires of Potiphar’s wife. David could have been king sooner if he had only killed Saul in the cave. Job could have had the easy life if he hadn’t been a righteous man. Stephen wouldn’t have been the first martyr of the church if he hadn’t boldly proclaimed the Gospel.

But if not” faith comes with a cost, yet it is a faith worth whatever cost. “But if not” faith has been the clarion cry for everyone who follows God. Jesus understood fully that his followers would face a “but if not” moment because “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.” (John 15:18-19 NLT)

Centuries have passed since three young men stood in defiance of a king’s order and made their declarations of “but if not” faith in God. This same zealous declaration has been heard in every generation by those who follow Jesus. Today, around the world, there are those who are facing a loss of job, imprisonment, and even death because they have chosen the “but if not” faith in Jesus Christ.

Every follower of Jesus will face the “but if not” moment. What will your “but if not” moment look like?

God could heal me of cancer but if not, I will continue to trust Him.

God could keep my company from going bankrupt but if not, I will continue to follow Him.

God will …. but if not, I will still worship and praise God.

God is great,

 

Now Faith

“Make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above; and put the door of the ark in its side; make it with lower, second, and third decks.” (Gen 6:14-16)

Standing in the shadow of the Ark replicate at the Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky, I was overwhelmed at the size and scope of this wooden structure. At 510 feet in length, 85 feet in width, and 51 feet in height it is simply immense. Regardless of the impressive size of the structure, far greater is the story of salvation which is the real story of the Ark.

Life on earth had not been the same since the rebellion in the garden. Granted, there had been some spiritual bright spots within the generations. Abel sought to genuinely worship God even though it cost him his life. (4:4) Enoch sought such a close intimacy with God that he “walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him.” (5:21-24) Methuselah lived to the ripe old age of 969 years. However, the spotlight has to shine on a man named Noah. “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God.” (6:9)

In spite of these few bright spots overall the lifestyle of people on earth didn’t look good. “The LORD saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. (6:5) Creation that had been declared “good” by God has deteriorate to the point that “the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth.”

Somewhere along the way parents forgot to pass along the stories to their children of how “God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good.” (1:31) People got so busy with life that they no longer “heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden” (3:8) No longer did anyone grieve over sin which had caused God to drive their ancestors from the garden of Eden.

“Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.” (6:11) No longer was God able to enjoy the beauty of his creation because of the wickedness of mankind. Those once cherished moments of relational intimacy that had marked creation now “grieved him to his heart.” He had reached the point where “the LORD said, “I will blot out from the earth the human beings I have created—people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” (6:7)

Can you imagine such grief? Yet one man “found favor in the sight of the LORD.” In the midst of wickedness, violence and evil, this one man, Noah, found favor as he walked with God blameless and righteous in the midst of society. One man chose to walk with God and stood in the gap. Through this one’s faith, generations would experience life.

Noah was given a God-size task, to build a boat in the middle of nowhere. Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives went to work. It wasn’t easy to cut the trees, saw the planks, build the rooms, gather the food, collect the water and listen to the laughter and ridicule of their neighbors. Yet “Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.” (6:22)

Noah could have joined in with his siblings and neighbors to simply fit in with the culture around him. Surely it would be easier to be part of the party than to be an outsider. Yet “By faith Noah, warned by God about events as yet unseen, respected the warning and built an ark to save his household; by this he condemned the world and became an heir to the righteousness that is in accordance with faith.” (Hebrews 11:7)

“Then the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark…” and there Noah sat with his family and all the animals for seven days. The door was closed and there they sat with all the mooing, grunting and chirping. Waiting is hard.  Noah could hear his brother’s voice ridiculing him. Maybe Mrs. Noah could hear the high pitch whisper of her sewing club talking about how foolish she was. Jesus used Noah as an illustration about being watchful when he said, “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage.” Otherwise life as normal “until the flood came and swept them all away.” (Matthew 24:36-39)

Noah obeyed, yet seven days can seem like an eternity. Did I hear correctly?  Doubting if all the years of living a righteous life was really worth it. Looking down at his calloused hands from all the manual labor. What does he have to show for his life?  Seven days! Then he hears the first drop of rain and he bows his head in worship.

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.” Hebrews 11:1-3

God is great,

Lynn