If, like its cousin while, is also a complex logical construct. It suggests a possibility and asks (or tells) what will happen if the possibility becomes reality. If does not deal in probability, only possibility and reality. It is also a construct subject to analysis by Boolean methods (evaluating as true or false) and therefore extremely useful in computer programming.
It is also useful in planning for contingencies, and it is the core of at least one entire industry. What if you run into another car while driving? What if you get sick or hurt? What if there is a hail storm or your house catches fire? What would happen to my family if I died? What happens if my tree falls on my neighbor’s car? You get the point?
So ubiquitous is IF that we don’t even catch ourselves using it. Can I still retire if the markets tank? What if I won the lottery? What if Baylor wins the Big XII football title? (Oh snap, they did.) Everything we plan and most of what we think about involves an if.
But here’s one you might not think about all that often. What if God or one of His angels, showed up for a word with us?