What If?

I think it is common knowledge that age is not an indicator of the number of years a person still has left to live. In other words, even though a person may be young, healthy and energetic, this is no guarantee of longevity. The Bible says, “In His (God’s) hand is the life and breath of all mankind.” (Job 12:10). The Cambridge dictionary defines that little word, “ALL”, as “every one (of), or the complete amount or number (of), or the whole (of).” The life and breath of every living thing is in God’s hand, and yet many people seem to be oblivious of this fact. Many others simply choose not to believe it or decide to ignore the God Who created Heaven and Earth – the One Who has given them life and breath! We shake our fists at Him when life doesn’t go our way, we doubt His existence, and accuse Him of things that isn’t even His fault, but then cry out to Him for help when disaster strikes (maybe because our human spirits has a deep knowing that it has a Creator and a divine purpose!)

There is a song by the Gospel singer, Nichole Nordeman, called “What if?” This song considers the possibility that Jesus was just another famous prophet who once walked the earth, preaching love & peace. But the song goes on to ask, “What if you’re WRONG?” Some of the lyrics of the song are as follows:

“What if you’re right? And He was just another nice guy. What if you’re right?What if it’s true? They say the cross will only make a fool of you. And what if it’s true?
What if He takes His place in history, with all the prophets and the kings who taught us love, and came in peace, but then the story ends. What then?

But what if you’re wrong? What if there’s more?
What if there’s hope you never dreamed of hoping for?
What if you jump, and just close your eyes?
What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise?
What if He’s more than enough? What if it’s love?

What if you dig way down deeper than your simple-minded friends? What if you dig?…What if you pick apart the logic and begin to poke the holes? What if the crown of thorns is no more than folklore that must be told and retold…?” BUT WHAT IF YOU’RE WRONG?…

What if He is indeed Who He claims to be – the Son of God, and the One in whose hands we will all fall when that breath of life leaves us? What if I have heard about a Creator Who knit me together in my mother’s womb, Who gave me life, and Who has a really amazing plan for my life (Psalm 139; Jeremiah 29:11)? What if I knew that He came to pay the penalty for the sin of the world, sin which resulted in brokenness and robbery and perversion of all that He intended for blessing (John 3:16-17; John 10:10)? And what if I could choose LIFE – His way of living and doing by accepting His Son, Jesus, as my Saviour? What if He’s more than enough (Psalm 23:1)? What if HE IS LOVE (1 John 4:16)? What if I KNEW all these things, but still chose to reject Him (John 3:36)?

I suspect that many, many people – those who have heard of Jesus, and have been confronted with this choice to accept or reject Him at some point in their lives, those who decided that it wasn’t for them, or that it’s a fairy tale, or that “all roads lead to God,” – are going to be caught by surprise the day that the God of Heaven and Earth takes back the life and breath He has given them, when they discover that there was more after all! It’s not too late to choose …WHAT IF you chose Jesus?

“I (Jesus) am the WAY the TRUTH and the LIFE. No-one comes to the Father (GOD) except through Me.” – John 14:6 (NIVUK)

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is o other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” – Acts 4:12 (NIV)