“Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” (Luke 18:27 NIV)
Jesus can make all things possible for you. Just because He can, doesn’t mean He will. God takes the ordinary and makes them extraordinary. No matter what our circumstances are, God is in control of them. He has the power to work the miracles we need. He can take what to us is impossible, and make it possible. Our problem is what we want to be possible. What we see as possible, what we want to be possible, are often not the things Jesus wants for us. Jesus can make all things possible, but that doesn’t mean He will.
Jesus can make all things possible, but that doesn’t mean He will.
Today’s verse comes at the end of a conversation that Jesus has with a rich, young ruler. The man asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus tells him to follow the ten commandments. The young man says he’s done all of those things. Then Jesus gets to the heart of the matter. He tells the young ruler to sell everything, give to the poor and follow Him. The rich young ruler can’t give up his riches, he loves them more than Jesus. Jesus, understanding where this young man’s heart is says:
“How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:24-25 NIV)
The people around Jesus that heard this conversation, wanted to know how anyone could be saved then? That is when Jesus speaks today’s verse: what is impossible for man is possible for God.
Jesus’ first and foremost desire for all of us is to be in heaven with Him. He wants us to have life and have it to the fullest (John 10:10 NIV). He doesn’t want any of us to perish. We can’t have eternal life without Jesus. What Jesus makes possible for all of us is a relationship with God that will last forever. Our riches here on earth will one day be gone, but our life in Christ never ends.
What we want as possible isn’t what Jesus necessarily wants for us. We want riches and fame, Jesus wants us to have eternal life. We want a worry free life, Jesus wants us to trust in Him. We want safety, Jesus wants life in abundance for us. Our life here on earth was never meant to be trouble free. Jesus tells us it won’t be (John 16:33 NIV). What Jesus wants for us is what we truly need, not the desires of this world. Jesus makes the impossible, possible, He gives us eternal life.
Question of the Day:
Have you trusted Jesus for life eternal?
Further Reading: Joshua 15:1-63 NIV, Luke 18:18-43 NIV, Psalm 86:1-17 NIV, Proverbs 13:9-10 NIV
