WHAT IF GOD?

WHAT IF GOD?

Rom 9:21-24

21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

          We are not robots without feelings, emotions and willpower! Although God has predesigned purposes, yet we bear responsibility for our choices. In this illustration, Pharaoh had opportunity to learn about God and to trust Him but he chose to rebel instead. In fact, the more God plagued Egypt the stronger was his rebellion and although he was responsible for his rebellion, yet he played perfectly into God’s plan for Israel. So it is with Israel’s enemies today.

          But my thoughts, both last night as I retired and this morning when I arose, were upon the phrase “what if God.” Speculating upon the thoughts and plans of God lends itself to many things this morning. I will suggest a few “what ifs” and perhaps you will have a few yourself.

Ø What if God does not believe in atheism? God knows that atheism is little more than a thinly clothed rebellion. God will recognize it for what it is and treat it accordingly. Imagine the surprise when the atheist, at the end of life, learns just how wrong he has been!

Ø What if God agrees to be as far away from you and your personal plans as you say you want Him to be? You say you don’t want God to interfere in your enjoyable plans but what if God agrees to remove Himself from you. What if help and support are absent when you cry out in some crisis “Oh! My God!”

Ø What if God, in response to your rebellion, decided to punish you now as you deserve? He is invisible but what if He showed Himself to you in wrath? His involvement in our lives are mostly unseen but what if His actions or inactions were clearly understood by us? What if we could see and feel the wrath of God upon us for our sin?

Ø What if God were only as faithful to us as we are to him. What if our careless attendance to worship caused Him to only answer some of our prayers – or none of them? What if God’s goodness really did depend upon our own?

Jer 5:23-25

this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.

24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord  our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.

25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.

Ø What if God, because of the sacrifice of Jesus His Son, set aside his anger and wrath so that He could give us what we do not deserve? What if God loves us so much that He is unwilling that any should perish? What if God wants to give us one more chance to respond to Him? What if the final choice is really up to us?

Eph 2:4-7

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Dear God, thank you for your Son whose sacrifice made it possible for you to treat me with great kindness. AMEN