Day Twenty-three = This Is Impossible

What is impossible with man is possible with God. (Luke 18:27)

Impossible is what the friends of Jesus were saying to each other after Jesus arrived four days late. Lazarus was supposed to be Jesus’ good personal friend. He was informed of his friend’s sickness in ample time, why then did he wait? Why didn’t he immediately get up and go to his side. It was well-known in that time that Jesus had the power necessary to heal the sick. He had done it many times before, so why would he let his good close personal friend die? The situation had gone from not so great, to pretty bad, to impossible by the time Jesus arrived on scene. (See John 11)

Our lives often seem to form a similar line to this situation. Something bad happens, and we pray to God for help or for an answer. Instead of getting better it seems that the situation gets worse. We remind ourselves that God hears our prayers and we ask him a second time for help, this time giving it extra gusto. Maybe we say pretty please, this time or even go so far as to add the cherry on top! Still the problem seems to worsen. We feel alone, desperate, and frustrated. Pretty soon our situation gets all the way there. We find ourselves in the category of impossible. Nothing left to do but lie down and die right along side Lazarus. Just then Jesus finally makes His way around to us and says ok I am here. All we can say to Him is what took you so long? It is impossible now!

The verse above reminds us that impossible is right where God wants us to be. Impossible is God’s favorite place. Anyone can do the possible things but the impossible things can only be done by our great an awesome God. Everyone in Jesus’ day knew that he could heal the sick; they had seen it with their own eyes. They had witnessed Jesus opening the eyes of the blind and causing the lame to walk, but death that was impossible.

Paul reminds us in his writings that being crucified in the flesh, or rather dead is necessary so that we might let Christ live in us. (See Galatians 2:20) Jesus resurrected Lazarus from the dead in an impossible feat of victory so that all might see the power of the almighty God. In that same light Paul reminded the church that being dead in flesh was necessary that Christ’s power might be seen.

As we find ourselves just over the hump of half way through our 40 day fast. You may find yourself saying the word impossible, but be encouraged today. Impossible is the realm in which God lives. Impossible is right where you need to be in order to see that mighty victory. Don’t give up yet. Don’t throw in the towel hold on because when you have reached impossible God will be there to intervene.