Do you know the God who is the Doer of the impossible? History is strewn with the stories of how God has built up those who were broken beyond recovery, how He restored those who had no hope, but destroyed the seemingly impregnable fortresses of pride and arrogance. Join me in a brief odyssey regarding the Creator of our universe.
An elderly couple had given up all hope of having their own children. And yet when the man was 75 years old and his wife was 65 years old, God announced to him that he would have many descendants. Genesis 12 But the years continued to roll on and on. And still there was no child of promise. Twenty-four years later when the man was 99 years old and his wife had reached 89 years, the Lord repeated this promise which was now more incredible than ever! Genesis 17:1, 15-17; 18:10 Yes, the thought is a bit humorous, she even laughed at the idea. But that’s just the point. This is something truly impossible.
That’s when the Lord interrupted with, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Genesis 18:14 A year later, this old barren couple was staying up late at night with the cries of their newborn son. The God we serve is a God who does the impossible to achieve His purposes. Knowing what God is able to do helps us to live for Him.
Then there is the story about the vast armies of the Sennacherib, king of the then world power of Assyria. His armies had simply plowed under city after city, opposition after opposition had crumbled before him as if they were sand castles. Like the massive swarms of an army of locusts that darken the noon day sun, his army came and settled on every hill and valley. They were unstoppable. Even Judah’s great fortress city of Lachish could not repel the hordes of Sennacherib. And so one evening the signal fires from Lachish were snuffed out from history as the massive city wall was breached.
Jerusalem was simply the next domino to fall before this great king. Sennacherib and his officers were confident of victory. There was no way they could loose. But the great king woke up one morning to find that his army which was encamped around him were all dead. Those who were soldiers the day before were now lifeless corpses. In one night the Lord did the impossible by destroying the greatest army on the face of the earth without a single arrow being shot. 2 Chronicles 32; 2 Kings 18-19; Isaiah 36-37 Knowing what God is able to do helps us live for Him.
Unfortunately, this led those in Jerusalem to become arrogant and to believe that they were indestructible. So the Lord sent His servant Jeremiah with the message not to trust in uncertain things, but to trust in the Lord and in His ways. Jeremiah 7 But the people would not listen. So the Lord did something that seemed impossible to God’s people, God handed over both His own people who lived in Jerusalem and His Temple to the ruthless Babylonians. Jeremiah 32:26-29 And so Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the temple and took off the exiles into captivity. Knowing what God is able to do helps us live for Him.
Once again this created what seemed for the people to be an impossible situation. God’s people had been crushed, only a remnant remained. As the years of captivity loomed on, worshiping God in Jerusalem at the Temple became more and more just a faint distant memory of the elderly. Even when some exiles did return, the task of building the Temple had been continually blocked and stifled for 16 years. Times were bad. It seemed impossible to God’s people that they would ever worship God again in His Temple. But through God’s servant Zechariah, God sent the message “just because it seems impossible to this remnant, why should this seem incredible to me?” Zechariah 8:6 And so within four years the temple was completed. Knowing what God is able to do helps us live for Him.
Years later we find a virgin to whom an angel appears. The message? Just another impossibility. This young woman would conceive and give birth without ever having relations with a man because “nothing is impossible for God.” Luke 1:37 And so, God continues to work impossibilities that His purposes might be achieved. Knowing what God is able to do helps us live for Him.
What impossibilities might God yet do?
Tomorrow often seems like something guaranteed. It often seems impossible that tommorrows will stop coming. But there will come a day when the heavens will actually open to reveal the Lord of hosts. What may seem distantly remote and "impossible" will happen one day. 2 Peter 3:3-10 Knowing what God is able to do helps us live for Him.
Jesus described the situation of humanity before our God as being impossible. To the question, “who can be saved” Jesus responded, “What is impossible for men is possible with God.” Luke 18:26-27 What impossibility will God yet do? Those who have no hope of salvation will be saved as they come to Jesus. Knowing what God is able to do helps us live for Him.
God wants to do the impossible in your life, but He won’t force you. Will you allow him?
Barry Newton, Copyright © 1998
Other articles which may be of interest:
With God's Help You Can Make It
The Healing God Who Confronts (God makes us face our guilt)
Our Beliefs Concerning God's Motivations Influences Our Behavior
Should We Forget This Part of the Gospel? (God's final judgment)