A Sunday Song – What If
What If?
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?~ Nichole Nordeman
This Sunday song is a contemporary glimpse of Pascal’s Wager for my dear doubting friends.
What if you’re right? Really. I mean what if you really are right? What if he was just another nice guy who came in peace and taught us to love?
If you’re right and the story ends there, I choose it anyway. Everything He said, everything He taught, takes me down a very different path than my instincts – than the reactions in my gut and the grit in my heart, lead me to on their own. So even if you’re right and I’m wrong, I’m still in.
But what if you’re wrong? What if there’s more? What if you jump into the pool and this time it isn’t a trick? What if this time, Someone catches you and keeps His promise to hold you close, forever?
Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists. ~ Blasie Pascal
What if it is LOVE?
31 Responses to “A Sunday Song – What If”
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Hi Debbie…. I appreciate the honest questions you and the song ask. I think for too long, my experience in the Christian community has been afraid to address doubt and uncertainty. It has been afraid to be honest about some sensible questions about Jesus. Are we afraid to ask because we fear our own doubt? I was.
Yet, the Bible talks more about believing than knowing. In fact, it often feels like ‘knowing’ God is more a product of the modern church. I remember being a young Christian and feeling less-than for not claiming to ‘know’ God the way my peers claimed to. Yet, my peers led no more Christian lives than I did. And many went through similar or worse calamities than me.
I don’t often recall being encouraged to believe. Which meant exercising my faith and volition to accept who God and Jesus are in spite of thoughts that swirled in my head. Instead, I felt an expectation to fast-forward to ‘know’. I remember the profession of one leader in particular, “I know that I know that I know”. Really? Do you? Or are you just overstating to hide your everyday doubt, and really simply believe like the rest of us?
Many days, my faith in Jesus can be described best by saying, “I can’t see how he wasn’t who he said he was”. Other days, I feel a very strong sense of connection. While other days, I feel a sense of knowing. But to be frank, the knowing is not the default. Not yet anyway. And I wonder how many would be honest enough to admit the same?
Thanks for the brutal honesty.
Ciao.
Chaz
Hi Chaz!
“I know that I know that I know.” Is that ever a blast from my past!
It was the mantra of the church I spent most of my adult life it.
Sadly, I’ve have plenty of dogmatic days myself.
Much of what I was SO sure I KNEW, I now see entirely differently.
My core beliefs are solid (Jesus is Who He claimed to be, loved and died for me), but I found that over the years, along with the Bible, I’ve unconsciously mixed in clichés and sayings and teachings of others and come up with a stylized Christianity that was more granite-like than grace filled.
I like your perspective here: “I believe”…
That’s one reason I so often quote C.S. Lewis. He’s sometimes given to absolutes (always and never are rarely accurate when it comes to human behavior) and was pretty chauvinistic, but most often he couches his thoughts, rightfully, as his opinion, not God’s.
I wrote a post a while back about what I KNOW:
1. God is good.
2. God loves me.
3. God is always right, so if we disagree, He’s right and I’m wrong. Those things I know. The rest I believe. Therein lies faith.
Thanks for your ever thought provoking comments!
~ Debbie
Lovely post and quotes. I choose to believe and if I, as well as others, are wrong then we have lost nothing as stated so eloquently above.
Dear Linda – How grand to see you again!
Yes, it seems to me a very wise wager. What if I’m wrong? “I’ve been a fool for far lesser things.”
I’m fortunate in that faith has always been the easy part for me. Living in a way that was a reflection of that faith, some days, not so much.
grace to you, my friend,
Debbie
This gave me goosebumps, gracious one. And brought tears too , as I want so much for those who just aren’t sure, to be caught and held by Him. I will never ever regret my decision to trust Him and believe is He who He says He is.
oops . ..so moved by the post, I forgot to sign off properly!
God bless you as you dive into His love each day. love and prayers! – the other deb
<3
Dearest Deb –
Part of the great joy in love is free will – but it’s also part of the heartbreak.
love to you and Aub,
~ Debbie
Loved it all AND so glad I took the gamble. I have spent more of my life without Him than with but I have lived fuller and richer with than without. grace to you!
judi – as I begin to get to know you, I’d say that you’re more than making up for lost time!
You’re a constant encouragement,
~ Debbie
true – sometimes it feels too fast…other days too slow! Ditto dear one!
Wonderful Debbie! I will take the leap as I believe. Buy even if you dont, take the chance, you will be a better person for it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Blessings Debbie
Greg
Hello Greg!
Reminds me of Jim Elliot’s quote:
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
grace and joy to you, my friend,
Debbie
Oh wow–this moved me to tears, Debbie, and not because I had doubts. No, it’s His “Big-ness”–and the image of jumping into the water, or whatever, and feeling His arms catch me. Wow. I think we share a mutual awe of the seemingly limitless treasure chest we draw our writing from–that’s pretty cool, roomie!! God bless you from His wealthy abundance today. love, sis Caddo
Dear Caddo –
I know so many people whose Dad told them to jump in the water with the promise that he’d catch them, but he didn’t – as a way to get them over their fear.
But broken promises always just serve to build fear – sadly often transferred from here to There.
God bless you, too, as you dance the dance!
~ Debbie
“Beautifully Done”! I’m so very happy Debbie that I believe his truth and one day he’ll hold me forever,and I can’t hardly wait!!
Love you and have a lovely day
Pat – Reminds me of the old hymn, “Oh that will be, glory for me.” And it will.
I’ve been thinking of you and keeping you in my prayers.
love and grace to you,
~Debbie
“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,”
Hi Debbie
Thanks so much for that scripture I did need that reminder! And thanks so much for your prayers.
Love you
Thanks Debbie. Loved this – posted it on facebook.
Dear Drusilla – Thank you. How very kind. I don’t think I’ve had anyone FB my post before!
love and grace to you,
~ Debbie
I haven’t seen quotes by Blaise Pascal in a very long time. Thank you for inviting him into your post this morning! BTW, you have excellent resource. Shalom
Hello Jeanne!
The only thing I knew for sure when I began this blog last summer was that I didn’t know enough to write one!
I rely heavily on the insight and input from others.
I tried studying Pascals Wager and it was a little too much math for me – but I love it when he simplifies it.:D
~ Debbie
Thank you, Debbie
Great reminder
Thankful that we have the gift of choice.
I choose to believe that He holds my life in His hands, and that He keeps His promises. I am thankful it is all true!!
Blessings to you and yours
ann
Ann –
It’s funny how, when someone, anyone new, just a regular person comes along and likes me; maybe even grows to love me and I think, ‘Well now, isn’t that something’, Who would have thought that would happen?
Every day the Father tells me He likes and loves me and I often forget to sit back and simply be amazed!
I’m thankful with you, dear Ann,
~ Debbie
I know nothing. My Faith is being tested. Thank you for posing this. My mom knew a lot about God and poetry. …stopping by to say I Love You and your kindness has sustained me along with lottsa coffee
, flavored water and restaurant food. xoxox Melissa
Melissa, named by your mother, accepted and cherished for all time by your Father – you are more loved than you can imagine!
love and peace to you dear heart,
~ Debbie
Debbie– This is another work of art from the heart. His grace shines on me every time I read your posts. Thank you for the part of you that is shared in every post here. I know you’re in. Forever.
Hi Debbie! Much love to you! Thank you for gracing my blog flogness. I’m going to be in and out of the sphere. I’m just so grateful for you and your large, wise, heart
xoxo melis
Hello Heidi – Reminds me of reading the Ted Dekker trilogy – Dive Deep!
love and grace to you, Heidi,
Melis – You’ve been so much in my prayers. Always a joy to see you both!
Debbie