Your Impossible is a Point of View Based Only on You

Some things are just impossible. “Nothing is so embarrassing as watching someone do something you said couldn’t be done.” – Sam Ewing

Five-Minute Friday: NOTHING. What is impossible?

Did you ever watch a magician and think, “That is impossible!”? I experienced it. My boss and I were at a well-attended conference in Boston, and during the lunch break we were standing outside of the restaurant waiting to be seated with nothing to do (this was long before smartphones were a possibility). The conference realized the waiting times for local restaurants would be long, so they hired various performers to entertain the attendees while they waited. A group of 5-6 six of us were standing with a young man who was showing us various tricks that seemed amazing.

Near the end of his “show”, he asked me if I would like a gift, and I said, “Yes.” He handed me a small box, which I opened. Inside was a nice wristwatch. Then it struck me. The watch was exactly like mine! I then pulled up my sleeve to discover that he had removed the watch from my wrist without me feeling it or seeing him do it. He put it in the box and closed the box. The others were equally amazed. It was impossible! But nothing is impossible for the one who knows the solution and has the power and abilities.

When Omnipotence and Omniscience Meet Obstacles

There was an old lady named Elizabeth who conceived a son (although she had never seen her son, and this was before MRIs to determine the baby’s sex). Another much younger woman was told she would also conceive in a more amazing way. She would bear a son without the help of a man. She said, ““How will this be, since I am a virgin?” This is recorded in Luke’s Gospel. Here is the angel’s response:

“’And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’ And the angel departed from her.” Luke 1:36-38

When we think nothing is possible, God steps in with complete knowledge and power.

Nothing can be a Funny Thing

It is true that we can do nothing about many things in life. Here are some funny quotes: “People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” – Winnie the Pooh “Doing nothings is very hard to do…you never know when you are done.” – Leslie Nielsen

But when something needs to be done, and we cannot do it, there is only one way to change the anything in life impossible to nothing is impossible. It comes from understanding and trusting God. There is a Sovereign over everything and everyone.

God can stop any and all nations. “The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.” Psalm 33:10

God can keep us from failure. “Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.” Psalm 119:165

How to Identify a Follower of Jesus

A follower of Jesus sees that nothing I can do will make it possible for me to escape death. The clock is ticking. I bring nothing into the equation (except sin) and yet there is nothing outside of our Savior’s control.

Hebrews 2:6-9 says, “It has been testified somewhere, ‘What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.’ Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”

It doesn’t stop there. Verses 10-11 go on to say, “For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers.”

Five Minute Friday

This post is part of the weekly Five-Minute Friday link-up.

All scripture passages are from the English Standard Version except as otherwise noted.