We demand a lot out of God.
I don't know if you have any of those one-sided relationships, maybe with a relative or even a grown up kid who is always asking for money and others kinds of help. They get miffed if you don't come through for them every time.
I think we treat God like that too often. We face a circumstance that seems hard so immediately we pass it to him for help because—well that's his job right?
It’s like a contract with God. We agree to worship him and he does miracles. All our lives it’s on him to heal our diseases, provide finances, and occasionally stop rainy weather or keep airplanes from taking off on time so we don’t miss our flight. Concierge service. Whatever we might need from on high.
Uncle Luther’s “If Not” Sermon
My uncle Luther (Earnest Quinley to the rest of the world) is a huge influence in my life. He was the only preacher in our family before me. He has a great sermon on this aspect of our relationship with God. I heard it once and I have preached the idea so many times through the years. It’s so helpful that I want to share it with you too.
It comes from the story of the fiery furnace and the three Hebrew boys in Babylon. I can't imagine a greater trial. Death by fire—so horrible.
You probably know this story by heart.
Shadrach, Mechach and Abed-nego have been ordered to bow down before the golden statue erected by King Nebuchadnezzar.
Every one of their friends, and even their elders, has prostrated before the image immediately. The three of them alone remain standing.
The king was humiliated because they were the three top leaders in his government after Daniel. He cannot allow this level of insubordination, especially from foreigners serving in government positions.
The Bible says he was enraged. (You can read the story in Daniel chapter 3.) He orders a massive fire to be built with a large chimney over it.
Just imagine watching this fire and knowing that you were about to be thrown into it. You know these three Jewish men were hard at prayer for God to help them escape the fire.
When the fire is hot enough, Nebuchadnezzar stands them up in front of everyone and shouts at them that he will give them one last chance. The symphony is going to play music again and they had better bow down before his gods or they're going to be thrown into that big fire.
In verse 16 they shock the king with these words:
"O Nebuchadnezzar we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us from your hand O King.”
On the One Hand, You Have to Have A Bold Faith
Faith is really important when you are dealing with God. You have to have absolute confidence in his power and in his love and relationship with you.
You have to claim the good things that you are praying for. These boys know that and they declare their faith in God's ability to deliver them even when there is no possibility of human intervention.
So that's the first part of this message.
God is our lifeline for everything we need. We rely on him for our planet’s survival every day when millions of asteroids come flying at us and the Sun's radiation tries to burn us up, and diseases try to kill all our bodies.
He stands up for us every day and strengthens our immune system and gives the Earth a magnetic field that pushes away the radiation and an oxygen-rich environment that burns up the asteroids. It's really so wonderful. He is a present help to all. Anyone who walks with him in faith throughout life will be rescued time and time again.
Most of the time God comes through for us just as we requested. It's really amazing. Maybe his reliability is one of the things that makes it feel like a contract. We do our part he does his.
But God is God
If we are really going to have a relationship with him, we have to acknowledge that he is God and that we cannot control him completely even with prayer and that sometimes we might not get the thing we are requesting.
Even if we don't, he's still good. That's the second part of this lesson and these mature men of God fully understand it.
Sometimes God is at work on something bigger than you and you may even have to be sacrificed for the greater good and you may never know the details in this life.
If you're going to walk with God, love him and be loved by him then you just have to trust him for the things you do not understand and still serve him even if you don't get your miracle.
The “If Not” Clause
After their first bold speech about trusting God, they add a PS.
“but if not… let it be known to you or King that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
My uncle Luther said that we all need an “if not” clause in our walk with God. So many people give up on their relationship with God because they become disappointed over one event. (OK, maybe more than one.) God is God. He's not a big man. His plans are huge. We’re not his boss.
These men had a contract with God that had an “if not” clause.
“We will serve you with all of our heart. We will follow your ways. We will obey your laws. You will love us and make us your children. You will be both a father and a friend. You will be our comfort and protection all the days of our life. You will answer our prayers, but if not, we will still be faithful to you. In those moments where it seems there is an exception being made and provision is scarce—healing is not happening. We lose the business. We miss the flight. We get fired. Our child does not get accepted into the great college we were hoping for, etc. etc. or even if we get thrown alive into this massive blazing fire—still, we will be loyal to you.
What Does God Want?
I think this brings us to a really important question. What does God really want from humans? When you look throughout the Bible stories, what is the one thing he demands from those who will have a relationship with him?
Obviously, it is not moral perfection. That seems strange to say, but most of the great Bible heroes, men and women clearly have a relationship of love with God and yet are flawed morally.
They are “people in development” and whether it's Adam and Eve, or Abraham, or Moses, they fail God somewhere along the way. They have problems in their character, ethics, and in their morals. They stumble, but they get back up. No, he does not demand moral perfection as the basis for an ongoing covenant relationship.
What is the bottom line, then?
It seems to me the one thing that is nonnegotiable with God is loyalty. Peter denied Jesus, but he came back and apologized, and when he faced the same trial again, he succeeded. He tested out as loyal.
God can help anyone grow and overcome character flaws and other parts of human weakness.
The link between us does not depend upon God. He loves us with an eternal love. He’s not walking away.
The connection between God and man depends on the human being loyal to him, steadfastly loyal in good times and bad.
Come to think of it. That's the main requirement for a marriage and for any other relationship. We have to be loyal in good times and bad. We have to think the best of each other even if the other disappoint us. We have to stand faithful even when we are disappointed at times. These men were fully committed to God whether they won or lost this particular battle.
The End of this Story
At this point in the story, it really doesn't matter whether the boys get thrown into the furnace or not. The battle has already been won. They are fully formed disciples and sons of God.
In this particular case, God gives us a happy ending. They see Jesus standing the furnace with them. The fire does not affect them. They are delivered and honored. God gets the glory. The king is even converted, sort of.
I like that ending.
On the other hand, there are millions of Christians around the world, and over 100,000 in this year alone, who will face the ordeal of fire or the machete, and they will not be rescued from it. They will be delivered from their enemies by going through it without bending their knee to the idol.
It’s happening this week in Syria and India. God is very much present with our brothers and sisters there.
After a moment of pain, these who are being tested will open their eyes and see the smiling face of their Savior, welcoming them across the river. They will be grateful for the grace to be strong and loyal and to hear God say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
When they awake they won't be mad at God or sorry they had to go through that trial. They will receive from God great honor and great responsibility in the new world as they inherit their second life, the eternal one. They will be highly respected at the resurrection and regeneration of all things.
This life is just the test that separates sheep from goats, faithful from unfaithful, loyal from disloyal.
Those who stand in the end will be the ones who had an “if not” clause in their covenant with the Savior.
The “If not” clause is the indispensable part of our agreement with God.
I think this week is a good time to ask whether we have this covenant loyalty at the heart of our engagement with God.
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