Day 24: The Divine Power That Makes Anything Possible
Matthew 19:26
It’s easy to live our daily lives within the boundaries of the possible. In a world that celebrates the pragmatic and scoffs at the enigmatic, our temptation will be to fall in line.
Jesus meets a man in Matthew 19 who has done well within the boundaries of the possible. He has played by the rules and has carved out a wealthy life. The practical has afforded him comfort. Structure has loved him like a pillow after a long day.
He asks Jesus, “Teacher what must I do to have eternal life?” This man assumes that he just has to play by the right rules, on the right playing field. He quips to Jesus, “All these [laws] I have kept. What do I still lack?” He is asking for logical steps to obtain an eternity that defies logic. He desires the solace of a religious trellis, but Jesus offers the challenge of a relational wild vine. Jesus asks for his heart, not just his head. He tells him, “Sell what you possess and give it to the poor.” This is impossible.
As Jesus grieves the chasm that the rich must bound to find surrender and death to self, His disciples interject, “Who, then, can be saved?” To this, Jesus replies, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Jesus makes an offering to those who follow Him. Leave the pragmatic and possible to the culture. Join team Jesus and live your life out of bounds.
Reflection Prayer
God, where do You want me to live out of bounds? Where do You want me to step into the impossible? Where can my obedience defy the sensible? I pray that, as Your child, the impossible and wild love that I exhibit would make the world curious. I pray that my faith would create questions so big that only You, God, could answer them. I submit to You that the challenges that stand in front of the Church seem impossible. At the same time, I confess that I serve a God who specializes in the impossible. Amen.
Week 4: The Power of God
Creation is a profound demonstration of God’s omnipotent power and His ability to create something new out of nothing. The intrinsic nature of creation not only demonstrates the infinite wisdom of the omniscient God, but also demonstrates the authoritative power of His Word, with which the entirety of creation was made. We read throughout the Scriptures about the manifestation of God’s power time after time as He moves to fulfill His plan and purpose for His chosen ones. He is naturally supernatural. His Word reveals that He is above and beyond seasons, circumstances, human realities, and the forces of darkness. His power has no comparison.
— Isaac Charles