To Live is Christ — nothing is impossible

My mother used to joke about human ingenuity and the latest inventions. Someone had said it first, but whenever a new gadget or feat was announced, she rolled her eyes and quipped, “And we thought we’d gone about as far as we could go.”

Nearly every week something new catches my attention, from i-phones to a solar-powered battery that you can recharge with sunlight and use it to recharge cameras, cell phones, and anything else that runs on regular batteries. I also roll my eyes and wonder, what is next!

Today’s devotional reading is about impossible things. I reflect to years ago when people thought that putting a man on the moon would be impossible, or run a mile in less than four minutes. Is there much today that people think is impossible?

The devotional offers three: breaking the laws of physics, loving God more than money, and defeating spiritual entities that we cannot see, are helpless to battle, and usually don’t believe in anyway.

The first one mentioned is the law of physics that says childbirth requires a male sperm and a female egg. Children don’t just ‘happen.’ However, an angel told Mary she would have a child without a man. I cannot imagine the skepticism she felt, but the angel said, “For with God nothing will be impossible.” (Luke 1:37)

The second is about spiritual things. People who love money are no greater sinners than those who couldn’t care less about wealth, but the person with money sees no need for God. They can buy whatever they want. That is one reason that Jesus said that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

When He said it, the disciples were astonished. They had believed that God blessed His people with material riches. To them, money and faith went together. So they asked, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” (Mark 10:27)

In the third example, spiritual entities that we cannot see are part of the story. A boy was overtaken by a demon that caused him to be dumb, violent, and self-destructive. Most people in North American scoff the idea of demons or hit the other end of the scale and are far too interested in evil spirits. Anyone who has lived where they are visibly active has no doubt that these evil forces exist.

In this case, the father was desperate and brought his boy to Jesus saying that the disciples had tried to help but with no success. He said, “If You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23)

The Old Testament believers knew it too. Job said to God, “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.” (Job 42:2)

Jeremiah echos the same thought, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.” (Jeremiah 32:17)

These past few days, my heart rate has acted the way an a-fib acts — sometimes strong and regular, sometimes like a jazz drummer. Of course this does something to my confidence level. I’m not fearful it will kill me, but am wondering how much it will change my life. Will it go back to normal (not likely)? Does God have a purpose for this, and if so, what?

For several days, I was reading Isaiah 40:30. It says that those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. Today He has me in other passages that say — with Him, nothing is impossible.

Coincidence? No, I don’t think so. I’m not sure exactly what this means for my physical health, but it is doing wonders for my spiritual well-being. God knew I would need encouragement this week, and He knew exactly how to do it!