Do you face seemingly impossible situations? Perhaps you find yourself wrestling through financial difficulties, relationship issues or health problems. I’d say it’s fairly safe to assume that you have in the past, are currently, or know someone who is. If we live on the same planet, that is!
In reading Luke 18–John 1, the story of a rich ruler stands out. This man believed he had done everything necessary to find eternal life, but he hadn’t dealt with one heart issue—false security in money (see Luke 18:18-30).
Ouch! Jesus spoke into the ruler’s vulnerability; we’ll call it his trigger point—his place of fear. Because money was the ruler’s source of security rather than God, he couldn’t let go of it—even in exchange for the greater security of eternal life.
When Jesus appealed to the man—addressing his fear—to give his wealth to the poor, the man walked away, his need unmet. It seems as though the crowd considered it an impossible situation as well, because they commented on it. In response, Jesus reminded them that impossible situations—those that are often fearful and have the potential to hold our hearts captive—are not impossible with God.
Jesus then took the disciples aside for a teachable moment and told them of the upcoming events: “He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him, insult Him and spit on Him; they will flog Him and kill Him. On the third day He will rise again” (Luke 18:32-33, NIV).
This didn’t make sense to the disciples. What did this messy information mean, and how was it related to “impossible” situations? They didn’t understand that Jesus was about to usher grace onto the center stage of the human condition through His death and resurrection.
The rest of the book of Luke features Jesus dealing with impossible situations and people as He faced His own “impossible” destiny. Luke closes his treatise on grace with the death, burial and resurrection of the Grace Giver.
No one said grace was neat, pretty or free. It was messy, and it cost the Son of God. But God’s grace is powerful enough to offer salvation to all people (see Titus 2:11). That’s a lot of grace! Moreover, God is still addressing our trigger points and fears.
What’s your trigger point? What causes you to fear so much that you consider it an impossible situation? Will you allow the grace of God that cost Jesus His life to invade your impossibilities? Will you let go of your fears and trust in the Grace Giver? There’s still plenty of grace to take care of your seemingly impossible situations.
By: Susan Gaddis, assisting pastor at Father’s House Foursquare Church in Atascadero, Calif., helps others build a spiritual legacy through her gifts of writing, speaking and teaching.
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