With God, things are always “impossibly possible.”

Welcome to “Word from The Center” MONDAY, a devotional word from the Center of our faith, Jesus Christ, with reflections on His Word. I’m Gregory Seltz. Today’s verse is this portion of Mark chapter 10, where the Bible tells us of a day when   

[23] Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “It is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!... [25] 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.”

[26] The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

[27] Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; with God all things are possible!” (emphasis added)

Have you ever been so overwhelmed by something that you finally gave in? In a moment of exasperation, you concluded, “There’s nothing else that I can do; I can’t handle this.” I think we’ve all faced that to some degree. There are issues in life that so overwhelm us, it’s as though life itself become impossible to face. Jesus often shakes us up by pointing out “the impossible” in our lives, while at the same time offering God’s possibilities even then. Amazing. Unclean lepers suddenly healed. People blind from birth suddenly seeing clearly, both physically and spiritually. Who is this Savior who shows us the depth of our depravity just so that He can demonstrate even more clearly God’s gracious salvation even there? He’s the Savior who, when it comes to eternal life and salvation, reminds that “with man this is impossible, but not with God; with God all things are possible.”  

Jesus here uses wealth as a teachable moment to show us what is truly valuable. When He talks about how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God, it’s not because wealth is intrinsically bad. It’s because it gives us a false sense of security and power. It also tempts us to think that this sinful world is all that there is, and that with tons of cash we can do anything that we set our minds and hearts too. (That’s a particular weakness here in Washington, D.C.) But the Bible calls that out to us all. It calls it what it is -- false pride. And you know it’s true even if you haven’t read it in the Bible. You know it’s true just by looking at the brokenness and sin all around you, even in your heart and mind as well. I heard it said this way, “Money doesn’t give you life. It just helps you drain whatever life you have faster.” Sobering. The Bible exposes our ineptness in these matters, not to humiliate or to demean, but to get us to refocus our life on the one who is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” Jesus Christ (John 14:6).

Elsewhere Jesus warns us that life does not consist in accumulating an abundance of things (see Luke 12:15). But He says that to remind us that He came so that we “may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Strive for excellence in all that you do. Be passionate. Set goals. But in living your life, remember the essence and fullness of life are God’s gifts, to be received by grace, through faith in Christ, as a gift. When it comes to the biggest things in life, only Jesus can handle those. Indeed, with Him things become “impossibly possible.” Thank God He’s that kind of Savior for you and me.

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, assure me each day that You have handled what is impossible for me by freely giving me eternal life and salvation. Such faith gives me confidence to entrust all things to You in prayer and then to face each day with the confidence, knowing that You are our capable Lord and Savior in all things. AMEN.