Extreme Impossibilities!
By Elin Henderson
“For with God, nothing will be impossible!”
Luke 1:37
We have all heard of extreme sports. People go to all lengths to prove their might, speed, even foolishness at times. And, if you are like me, you really enjoy watching Extreme Makeover, where they do miraculous wonders and change someone’s complete appearance. But, you know, God delights in extreme impossibilities!By Elin Henderson
“For with God, nothing will be impossible!”
Luke 1:37
In I Kings 18:20-40, we find poor Elijah doing battle with the prophets of Baal. They have set up a “test” for their gods to see who is the most powerful. What is interesting in this story is that God wasn’t satisfied in proving Himself in just an “impossibility” - - raining fire down from heaven to burn up the offering. Instead, He told Elijah to pour water on the sacrifice, soaking it completely, not once, not twice, but three times! Like the fire wasn’t enough, he added layers to the impossibility.
There are multiple examples throughout Scripture: God weeded Gideon’s army down from hundreds of thousands to a measly 300 to defeat an impossibly large army. Jesus waited until Lazarus was dead for three days before raising him. Do you see a pattern? I do! God loves the impossible, but really delights in the extreme impossibilities.
I find myself asking God for the impossible and even the extreme impossible a lot lately. Not only am I here in Mozambique trying to learn a virtually impossible, unwritten language, but I get to live with the constant stresses that life brings: a solid week of rain which results in moldy clothes, centipedes crawling into bed with me… all sorts of added “buckets of water” being poured on top of an already impossible task. And then, lest I forget, I am reminded of the more impossible task at hand of seeing the lives of hundreds of thousands of “resistant” peoples brought from darkness into light. Yes, the task before us is pretty extreme… extremely impossible! Yet, in the end, the God of extreme impossibilities will be victorious!
So, next time you feel like “it can’t get any worse!” and it does, just think of it as another bucket of water onto the quest for the impossible. When your day meets obstacle after obstacle and your goals seem totally unattainable, remember, God delights to show Himself strong on our behalf, going above and beyond what we could ask or think. Not only will the outcome be amazing, but it will be totally His doing! In those extreme impossibilities in Scripture, was there any way, humanly speaking, that victory could have been achieved? I don’t think so! God delights in the work He does and He specializes in Extreme Impossibilities!
GOING DEEPER:
1. What seemingly impossible task or situation is God asking of you? Give it to Him and expect His extreme provision!
FURTHER READING:
Judges 7; John 11:1-44
Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson and her husband Phil serve as church planters with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa. Elin is mother to ten-year-old Callie and eight-year-old Elias.
