If Need Be...

If Need Be

Imagine yourself driving along a highway named 1 Peter 1. Mile after mile you journey along on the highway. The sun is high is the sky. Trees line a magnificent river rushing along beside you, roaring over boulders and meandering through meadows. Your road paved with 1 Peter 1’s words. You voice your route to the Lord, bellowing from deep within you the words of 1 Peter 1.

“Yes, I am Your chosen no matter where I am. I am in Christ—Your precious Son.”

“I am His through His foreknowledge. Holy Spirit You have given me new birth and set me apart to God. I am so grateful. I will obey Jesus Christ. His blood…the precious blood. Grace and peace are mine in the fullest measure!”

You cruise along through the wonderfully adorned landscape. Your day is bliss. You crack your window and now the aroma of pine, your companion.

“I bless You God! I am born again through Your mercy into a living hope. You rose from the dead, Jesus. Nothing could stop You—not even death could hold You. I am Yours forever!”

“An imperishable perfect inheritance is waiting for me in heaven. Nothing can make it rust. Nothing can devalue it. My inheritance, given to me by my Father. What a wonderful Father Your are.”

“I am protected by Your Spirit’s power, defended as in a fortress—a castle; You keep me. Faith is real! My salvation will become ever more glorious as I approach the end of my days. Your face—I will see Your face, God. What a day that will be!”

“I am undone! You have done it all Lord Jesus! I am forever Yours! I am overwhelmed with Your glory. What a life! What a God!”

Coming around another bend in the road, you notice the scenery has changed. Even the sky. The sun no longer visible. Dark clouds—“Is that lightening?” Rumble. Boom. The river has even become more tumultuous. It happened so fast.

You think to yourself, “Did I take a wrong turn?” You pull over to look at the map. “Nope, this is the right route.” Hesitantly you continue along your highway.

You see a sign—finally. It reads, “Highway of Holiness.” Ok good, it is the right road. Wait, what does it say? You didn’t see it on the map when you started out, but there it is on the sign under “Highway to Holiness.”  “If Need Be” it reads. You look again at the map. There it is. The alternate route is named “If Need Be.”

You remember seeing an alternate route, but chose the direct route, didn’t you? How did you end up on the alternate route? You aren’t sure. You don’t remember the sign or the turn. You consider turning around. “The direct route, back to the direct route.” You look behind you just in time to catch a glimpse of a landslide moving across the road behind you. Fear, just for a moment, grips you.

You look forward, then up, then at the raging river. A soft but determined whisper, “I will trust and not be afraid” intercepts your breath. Putting the car back into drive you again start out. Slowly.

That sets the stage for verse 6-7 “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, IF NEED BE, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ…”

If need be…

If need be…

If need be…

you have been grieved by various trials,

that the genuineness of your faith,

being much more precious than gold that perishes,

though it is tested by fire,

may be found to

praise,

honor,

and glory

at the revelation of Jesus Christ…

Faith, genuine faith, is an imperishable inheritance that will not fade or corrode. It is of highest valuable to God. It is so valuable to God that He will take us on the alternate route when it is in our best interest. All the seeming valuable losses are nothing to be compared to the refining taking place in us.

Christian, take a deep breath. Renew your commitment to believe God against all circumstances that He is good. He is a good God Who loves you with an unrelenting passion. He is determined to make you more like His Son and to help you focus on the eternal rather than the menial natural world that is temporary.

Let the fire burn and take a knee.