Impossible! No Way! Won’t Happen!

The characters in the familiar stories that make up our journey through Advent teach us about facing the impossible.  First, there’s Elizabeth conceiving and giving birth a child in her old age. Why, it is so impossible the news left her husband, old Zechariah, speechless. Impossible! No way! Won’t happen!

Then there is the story of the angel’s announcement to Mary that she was to give birth to the Christ child. It is truly a story of impossibilities – of “no way” – of “it won’t happen.”

·        A pregnant virgin having a child and remaining a virgin. Impossible! No way! Won’t happen!

·        Joseph following through on the marriage when he discovers she is pregnant. Impossible! No way! Won’t happen!

·        Avoiding death when the family and neighbors hear the news. Impossible! No way! Won’t happen!

So I ask you: What are the impossibilities in your world? What are the things that make you say: Impossible! No way! Won’t happen! This Advent season in particular, we're caught, suspended between fear and hope, on the edge of a new day but facing formidable challenges: violence, unrest in many countries, poverty, economic crises, harm to the earth...so many problems, and many of them mirrored in our own personal lives in broken relationships, ill health, money worries, troubled consciences.

Yet the angel said, “Nothing is impossible with God!”

Whether in Temple or dusty little village, with elderly parents-to-be surprised by joy or a young maiden facing an unexpected and dangerous pregnancy, the stories of Advent speak of trust in God at work in the lives of ordinary people in very surprising ways. 

When the impossible hits – and when the impossible thing has impacted our lives, broken our hearts and shattered our dreams, the message comes to us again, "...nothing shall be impossible with God."

Impossible things confront us, and we are frightened, angered, depressed or any number of other emotions that can leave us crushed and hurting. However, if – and this is important, if we stop and listen for the still small voice within, we hear the good news that nothing shall be impossible with God. It's really all about God and what God is doing in our lives and our world – not about us.

Trusting that all things are possible with God requires a leap of faith. Are you ready to jump?