My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:1-5
It’s so easy to read the Word of God without stopping to look at the small little words like “IF”. “IF” in God’s Word is actually something we all need to pay closer attention to. IF we do, and IF we don’t – can mean the difference in what will happen in our lives!
IF you do what God says, THEN his promises over you are true.
In our Scripture above there are three IFs and a THEN:
- If you accept my word . . .
- If you call out for insight . . .
- If you search for it as for hidden treasure . . .
- Then you will understand the fear of the Lord . . .
But IF you don’t do what God says, THEN what are the consequences? It is either one way or the other – there is no in-between.
God gave mankind a freewill to choose for himself. God gave many IFs to mankind from the very beginning of creation. Let’s look at just a couple:
But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” Genesis 2:16-17 (NLT)
If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” Genesis 4:7
Jesus himself taught many IFs as well:
“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. Matthew 6:14
“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. Matthew 10:37
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35
“If you love me, obey my commandments. John 14:15
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. Revelation 3:20
I want to encourage you to take a deeper look into the Word of God. Get out your Bible (not your Bible app). Take some time as you turn through those precious pages, and circle or highlight the little words like “IF”, “THEN”, “MUST”, “DO NOT” – and then ask yourself . . .
IF NOT – WHAT THEN?
If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” Mark 4:23