turnipg13

                What if...? Possibly one of the most potent phrases in the language of mankind. Well, OK, what if...? What if God doesn't answer your prayer? What if the money doesn't come in on time? What if the person you are praying for doesn't get healed?

                There are many things in life that we may not understand. We must remember that there are possibly 5 billion prayers offered to the Lord on a weekly basis (give or take a few trillion). Somehow, He takes all of these and works all of them into a single will: His. The bible is full of promises that say that God will answer our prayers. Why some seem endlessly delayed or why they seem not answered at all is way beyond any of us to comprehend in full. There is, however; one fact that we must hold onto throughout our lifetimes:

                "God is love." I John 4:16

                "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have eternal life." John 3:16

                No matter what happens in our lives or in the lives of those around us, we have to choose to believe that God loves us, and that "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose". Romans 8:28

                This is the true battle of faith. When things are not going as we had hoped or as we had anticipated, will we still choose to trust in God? Will we still choose to keep Him as our God? Will we still follow Him?

                In John chapter 6, Jesus taught some things that many did not understand. Verse 66 says, "From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.

                Jesus then asked the Twelve, "You do not want to leave too, do you?"

                Peter responded in verse 68, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."

                There will always be things that we do not understand. But one thing we must believe is that God is just and also loves us. The fact that we do not understand will never change the fact that God is love.

                We must get to the point that no matter what, we will diligently seek the Lord. In the words of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego:
              
                "O Nebuchadnezzar...If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve IS ABLE to save us from it...

                "But EVEN IF HE DOES NOT, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

                Let us hold steadfastly onto these words!!!

                Even if God doesn't do what we want Him to, then

                May all the world know:
              
                WE WILL STILL SERVE HIM AND WE WILL STILL SEEK HIM, NO MATTER WHAT MAY COME!!!