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LUKE 1:37 “FOR WITH GOD NOTHING SHALL BE IMPOSSIBLE.” (KJV)
“For with God nothing will be impossible.” (NKJV, RSV)
“For nothing is impossible with God.” (NIV)
“For nothing will be impossible with God.” (NASB)
“For no word from God shall be void of power.” (ASV)
“For every promise from God shall surely come true.” (TLB)
I apologize if this makes anyone unhappy, but I couldn’t resist. I don’t imagine anyone is unfamiliar with the photos above. Face it, we all know about Mission Impossible.
In case you aren’t familiar, our buddy Ethan Hunt, famously portrayed by the actor Tom Cruise, is always assigned “impossible” tasks which, surprisingly, he never refuses. (The recording does say, “should you choose to accept it.”) This is always followed by seemingly impossible feats he accomplishes that amaze and astound us.
I often wonder, why does he always choose to accept such missions? The “super hero” he portrays seems to always accomplish the impossible, doesn’t he? This has become even more incredible as the actor is now 62 and rapidly approaching (just like me) his 70s. Yet, movie after movie, we watch Tom do the seemingly impossible! I can hear the theme song pounding in my head right now!
I have to admit, it is great entertainment, especially in his last fighter pilot movie, since he is doing the stuff I did many years ago myself. But I reckon it would be just as impossible for me to manage some of those maneuvers now at 70 as it seems impossible for his character to accomplish in the movie. “Remember Dave, it’s just a movie.”
So, how can I relate that to the impossible things it seems like the Lord assigns us as we travel through this life? The preceding verses in this passage involve a young virgin named Mary to whom an angel had just declared that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and cause her to bear the long awaited Messiah, whom she would call Jesus.
Just like we all would, Mary asks, “how can this impossible thing be?” She had never been married nor known a man. History had never born witness to an immaculate conception. If she had been Moses, she might have said “get someone else.” If she had been Esther, she would have required an uncle who told her, “you have been born for such a time as this.” The angel said, “with God, nothing will be impossible.” And Mary, full of faith, responded with “behold, I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be just as you have said.” Just WOW!
The Lord tells us all the time, “just tell your neighbor about me.” We respond with, “Lord, that is hard!” Or He tells us, “I’m taking you through some really hard trials right now. But you can trust me to get you through it!” And we respond with, “Lord, this is really hard. Please take it away from me!”
Here’s one. Maybe the Lord has actually told you that He does want you to memorize a hundred Scripture verses of His Word. I’m sure a lot of us have said, “Lord, that is impossible!” Do we really need an angel to tell us, “with God nothing is impossible” for us to decide that we believe God can really do impossible things through us?
An old chorus says, “Nothing is impossible when you put your trust in God. Nothing is impossible when you’re trusting in His Word.” Come on “man of God”, let God do the impossible through you. Come on “daughter of faith”, tell Jesus, “whatever you ask of me, whatever you want me to do, no matter how seemingly impossible it might be, I know you can do it!”
I know I can’t move a mountain. But I have absolutely no doubt God can! The disciples asked Jesus why they couldn’t cast out a particular demon. He told them their unbelief prevented the impossible. He told them that with even the smallest faith that they could say to a mountain, “move from here to there” and it would move! (Matthew 17:20) Then He told them, “nothing will be impossible for you.” What is your impossible mountain? What is your Mission Impossible that the Lord would choose, just for you?
Questions to ponder: Does it help to verbalize the impossible that God gives us? Is it possible that the real reason we don’t think the Lord can do the impossible is because we have a small view of His power and ability to do what we cannot? How easy is it to give up when we don’t immediately get the answer to our prayers that we expect to get? What did Jesus mean when He said in the following verse, “this kind doesn’t happen without prayer and fasting?”
Other Scriptures to consider: Matthew 19:26, Mark 10:27, Luke 18:27 “…with God all things are possible.” Hebrews 11:6 “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Following verses) Noah built an ark, Abraham waited for a city founded by God, Moses delivered the Israelites, the walls of Jericho fell, verse 33: they subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched violent fire, escaped the sword, became valiant in battle, turned enemies to flight. So, what really is too big, too impossible for God to do? Genesis 18:14 “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Jeremiah 32:27 “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”
 
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