Even If

I am sure many of you have had many "Even If" crossroads in your life. I know I have.  Some may wonder what is an "Even If" moment?  Well, for me it's like a crossroad in life when you have asked God to deliver you from something and you have to decide how you will respond if God chooses not to answer in the way you want.

God, I need a job, but even if...
God, my kids need new shoes, but even if...
God, we are about to lose our house, help us save it, but even if...
God, take this illness from my husband, but even if...
God, protect my children and grandchildren and keep them safe, but even if...

Even if what?  Even if you don't I will still praise You..

Daniel chapter 3 tells the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. King Nebuchadnezzar had ordered everyone to bow down and worship the golden idol he had set up.  If they failed to obey, they would be thrown into a fiery furnace. Well the three young men believed in the One True God and refused to worship the golden idol.  When the king found out about the three young Hebrew men's refusal to obey his order he had them brought to him.  They had served him well and he wanted to make sure they understood the order before he punished them.

      "Nebuchadnezzar asked them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you don’t serve my gods or worship the gold statue I have set up? Now if you’re ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music, fall down and worship the statue I made. But if you don’t worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire — and who is the god who can rescue you from my power?”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question. If the God we serve exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the king. But even if He does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”"  Daniel 3:14-18

Those three young men had all faith in God that He would deliver them.  But even if He chose not to, they would not bow down to the golden idol. They would continue to serve and worship the One True God no matter what.  God has not always answered my prayers the way I wanted Him to but I had to make a conscious decision that even if things didn't work out the way I wanted them to, I would still worship Him.

There is a song that Mercy Me sings called "Even If".  The song spoke so clearly to me the first time I heard it. The chorus says:

      I know You're able and I know You can
      Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
      But even if You don't
      My hope is You alone
      I know the sorrow and I know the hurt
      Would all go away if You'd just say the word
      But even if You don't
      My hope is You alone.

      You've been faithful, You've been good
       All of my days
      Jesus, I will cling to You
      Come what may
      'Cause I know You're able
      I know you can...

Some days the sorrow and hurt of loss and loneliness sneak up and try to overwhelm me.  But every time I put my focus on Him, listen to praise and worship music, read His word, I am comforted.  He knows what is best for my life, and I will continue to trust Him, even when it isn't easy.  I have learned over the years when I get in the way and try to do things my way and in my time, they usually
get messed up.  So my prayers will continue to be, Even if...

In His Love,

Pam