Sunday, April 7, 2013

Expecting the Impossible

In Genesis 24, when Abraham sent his servant back to his homeland to find a bride for Isaac, the servant was concerned as to how he would know which lady was to be the one. We can learn some things from the way he handled this situation. He did not form a committee, he didn't formulate a plan, he didn't take out an ad in the local paper. He simply prayed. We could take care of most of our problems in life, if we would handle them with prayer. But we can learn even more from this servant. He asked God to move on the right woman to do what no one in their right mind would do: get water not only for him, but for all 10 camels that he had with him. Archaeology tells us that the wells from that time and part of the world were typically at least 25 steps down a hole in the ground. Based on the size of the containers she could carry and how much water a camel would drink after a multi-day journey through the wilderness, it is safe to say she would have to make 50plus trips up and down those 25 steps. Like I said, he asked for something that no one in their right mind would do. But, this is the servant that saw a 90plus year old woman give birth to a son. He knew Jehovah and that Jehovah is a miracle-working God. We need to learn from this servant that not only should we be handling our problems with prayer, but that we should be asking God for the impossible. Basically, he was saying, Lord, I'm asking for something so impossible that if You don't do it, it can't be done. This is what Gabriel was trying to tell Mary when he told her she was going to have a son. She said that's impossible, I haven't been with a man. Gabriel said the Holy Ghost will come upon you. See, that is the difference in the impossible and the possible, between the natural and the supernatural. It is time that we as Christians stop expecting just the natural and the possible and start asking for and expecting the impossible and the supernatural. That's what God wants to give us. We need to say like Mary and say to the Lord, "Be it unto me, according to Thy word."