Richard Leslie Parrott, Ph.D.
An Old Testament text gathers up the “Possibilities of Hope” for us:
“…is it impossible for me? says the Lord…”
(Zechariah 8:6)
Here is a question that will set the direction of your life. It is the same question that Sarah faced when learning that at long last, she would give birth to the promised child: “Is anything too hard for the Lord” (Genesis 18:14)?
Every human being must answer this question. Your answer determines everything else. One answer is to say that there are some things that are just too hard for God. This is the safe answer. This answer will keep your world stable, reliable, and hopeless. This is the answer of common sense, good reasoning, and predictable logic. Sarah understood this answer. She laughed at the thought of giving birth.
The other answer is to say that there is nothing too hard for God. However, this option breaks with reason, common sense, and practical wisdom. This answer shatters our value systems, takes on the worst of enemies in the hope of victory, and conquers death in resurrection. This is the answer of the Bible proclaims again and again and again:
- Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you (Jeremiah 32:17).
- Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26)
- Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God” (Luke 18:27).
Mary, the heroine of the Christmas Story, makes her decision. The Angel announced the birth of Jesus and Mary asked how it could be. The Angel made heavens declaration and Mary received the message in faith:
“…For with God nothing will be impossible.”
Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord!
Let it be to me according to your word”
(Luke 1:37-38).