Endless Possibilities

At one level, the Christian walk appears difficult. But at another, it’s impossible, especially if relying on your own strength. Too often, little things take us down and we fall short of desirable goals. In my experience, sooner or later, good works fail. One might wonder how our ancestors endured excruciating trials. Let’s start with Abraham. What did he honestly and truly know about God’s character?

Chosen by God to become the father of a new spiritual race, Abraham’s story contains bountiful heartaches but offers readers the only type (in Scripture) of God the Father (Genesis 22). Sarah and Abraham knew their child-bearing years had long passed, yet, God promised a child. How could that be? What seemed hopeless in man’s estimation, Almighty grace reigned and they received the miracle-born-son Isaac. That’s just for starters and consider, if you will, Job’s similar words, “no plan of His (God) can be thwarted” (Job 42:3).

Moving along we learn about Moses’ burning bush experience (Exodus 3). How did he absorb the faithfulness of God? Both uniquely glorious and profoundly impossible, Moses witnessed God’s provision of manna and water in the desert, dividing the red sea, protection (pillar of cloud by day and fire by night) their clothes nor shoes decayed—for 40 long years—I’d list all that under ‘supernatural’ category. Wouldn’t you?

What about little shepherd boy David? Did he comprehend the Lord’s enormous power in his lifetime? I reckon so! Giant, lion and bear slayer, warrior, king, musician, saint, adulterous murderer, prophet, type of Christ and a man after God’s own heart: looks as if David confirmed the ‘can’t-be-done-without-God-theory’. Enter now the greatest wonderment of all—young Jewish virgin girl delivers baby that saves the whole world from sin. Of course, Mary questioned Gabriel, “How can this be, since I’ve had no [intimacy] with a man?” He replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and He will be the Son of God.” To give Mary an encouraging faith-boost, the angel proclaimed ‘your relative Elizabeth, in her old and barren state, has conceived a son’. For added emphasis Gabriel remarked, “For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment” (Luke 1:26-37 Amplified).

That’s it. But, oh, you might argue, ‘sure, that was then, but this is now’. I beg to differ because Hebrews 13:8 emphatically and truthfully proclaims ‘God is the same, yesterday, today and forever’. So, let’s turn our hearts and barren lives God-ward, asking for endless possibilities.