“Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.””
Matthew 19:26
You see it, right? The sheer impossibility of it?
It’s April.
It’s time for bunnies and chicks and cavorting in the grass.
But – what grass?
Oh. That grass. The grass buried under six feet of snow. Not sure if you noticed it, but my seven foot tall cranberry is all but obliterated. I’ve never seen the snow this deep.
So starting seeds and taking slips of plants to start cuttings with seems rather foolhardy at best. But here I am, in my garden room behind my garage, putzing in a very gardener-like manner, with that as a view out to my garden space.
Discouraging, to say the least. About as probable as a camel going through the eye of a needle, I’d say.
Ever seen it done?
Nah. And you won’t, either. It’s just a sheer impossibility.
Which brings us to this passage in Matthew.
Jesus has just told His folks that being ‘saved’ as a rich person is about as likely as the whole camel and eye of a needle idea – and it screams of the ludicrous.
(You see now why my gardening activity this weekend reminded me of camels?)
Don’t miss the Teacher’s point – in a day and age where wealth and prosperity was seen as the ideal (and has it ever been any different?), Jesus is about to set His disciples’ thinking on its head. Getting into the Kingdom is of more value than anything – and it can’t be bought. It can’t be earned. It isn’t reserved for the rich or the famous or the beautiful, but for the lowly and humble and repentant. This is one facet of the Good News – we don’t have to earn our way in.
It’s a gift.
In fact, as Jesus puts it, without God’s help, no one can be saved.
It’s totally a God Thing.
Only God can melt a human heart and turn it from a life of selfish indulgence to a life of service. Only God can mend what is broken, set captives free, and heal the spiritual sickness that plagues us all.
With God all things are possible.
All things.
Doesn’t that give you some hope today, as you look at the impossibilities before you?
Sure. Impossible for you. Impossible to convince your landlord to let you stay. Impossible to deal with that diagnosis. Impossible to forgive what he did to you.
(Impossible to believe that all that snow will melt before July 31.)
But as salvation is a work of God, so is forgiveness. So is peace. So is joy when nothing is going right, when you are betrayed and abandoned by those you thought had your back.
Al things are possible.
It’s a God thing.
So when it looks like your particular camel is not going through that needle of yours, pray. Lift your head. Take another step.
And watch your heart thaw…
Keep walking by faith with me?
Father, that snow that keeps coming reminds me that You are the God of the impossible. You delight in showering us with good gifts, with special surprises as we pray. Remind us to keep pressing on, keep believing for miracles, as we learn to trust that what You are doing on our behalf is right and good. Amen.
Growing in Grace 