Impossible! No Way! Won’t Happen!
Have you ever struggled with the impossible? Have you ever looked at situations in your life and said, “Impossible! No way! Won’t happen!” Luke 1:26-38 is a story about the impossible. It is a story about the “no way” and the “won’t happen.” It is the story of the angel’s announcement to Mary. Think about the impossible situation Mary was in. Mary, a pregnant virgin, was going to birth a child and while still remain a virgin. Impossible! No way! Won’t happen! Joseph following through on the marriage even when he discovers she is pregnant. Impossible! No way! Won’t happen! Elizabeth conceives and gives birth to a child in her old age. Why, it is so impossible the news left old Zechariah speechless. Impossible! No way! Won’t happen!
The entire advent story is full of biblical impossibilities. But, what are the impossibilities in our world? What would you label “impossible” in your life? Peace in our world. Christian values returning to our nation, morality becoming the norm? Impossible! Our church reaching our community and making a difference in people lives? Impossible! Restoring relationships, healing past hurts in our lives; a relative or friend entering a relationship with Christ; breaking an addiction and overcoming past hurts and disappointments? Impossible! We often say through Christ all things are possible but are our actions reflected in our own rhetoric. Debts, doubts, worries, criticisms and indecisions many times guide our actions not our faith. Fear also seems to be precedence before joy. We must move through the fear for us to receive a divine joy, one that the world can not rob us from, and the joy God offers through Christ. We must believe in the impossible. We must believe with conviction that the same God that blessed Mary with the impossible will also do the same to us. How? Mary too asks, “How?” and the angel says, “by God’s power.” Not by her power, not by Joseph’s power, nor by the power of friends/family. It is not the power of nature or the power of luck, but by God’s power!
Have you ever struggled with the impossible? Have you ever looked at situations in your life and said, “Impossible! No way! Won’t happen!” Luke 1:26-38 is a story about the impossible. It is a story about the “no way” and the “won’t happen.” It is the story of the angel’s announcement to Mary. Think about the impossible situation Mary was in. Mary, a pregnant virgin, was going to birth a child and while still remain a virgin. Impossible! No way! Won’t happen! Joseph following through on the marriage even when he discovers she is pregnant. Impossible! No way! Won’t happen! Elizabeth conceives and gives birth to a child in her old age. Why, it is so impossible the news left old Zechariah speechless. Impossible! No way! Won’t happen!
The entire advent story is full of biblical impossibilities. But, what are the impossibilities in our world? What would you label “impossible” in your life? Peace in our world. Christian values returning to our nation, morality becoming the norm? Impossible! Our church reaching our community and making a difference in people lives? Impossible! Restoring relationships, healing past hurts in our lives; a relative or friend entering a relationship with Christ; breaking an addiction and overcoming past hurts and disappointments? Impossible! We often say through Christ all things are possible but are our actions reflected in our own rhetoric. Debts, doubts, worries, criticisms and indecisions many times guide our actions not our faith. Fear also seems to be precedence before joy. We must move through the fear for us to receive a divine joy, one that the world can not rob us from, and the joy God offers through Christ. We must believe in the impossible. We must believe with conviction that the same God that blessed Mary with the impossible will also do the same to us. How? Mary too asks, “How?” and the angel says, “by God’s power.” Not by her power, not by Joseph’s power, nor by the power of friends/family. It is not the power of nature or the power of luck, but by God’s power!
Shalom,
Tommy
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