“For nothing will be impossible with God.”
(Luke 1:37)
Many years ago, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary with a message from God that was quite hard to believe. On hearing the news, Mary responded, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” Gabriel explains, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” The singular ingredient that moves the impossible to the realm of reality is that of divine intervention, “for nothing will be impossible with God.”
We have access to more than ample evidence for this truth when we stop long enough to observe what we typically take for granted. How seemingly impossible is the fact that when nothing else existed, God did. And then He made everything out of nothing. Another seeming impossibility. And not only did He create it all, He continues, after thousands of years, to sustain it all. Colossians 1:17 says that He is the One who holds it all together and makes it all work.
Procreation is another seemingly phenomenal impossibility. That a 6-week-old embryo the size of a sweet pea has a heartbeat is quite unbelievable, and yet what would appear to be an impossible event happens every day in our world because God is involved in the doing.
God is sovereign, meaning He controls all. He is omniscient, meaning He knows all. He is omnipotent, meaning He can do all. Job says, “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted,” (Job. 42:2). Because God is who He is, He brings to pass whatever He chooses according to His sovereign will, “for nothing will be impossible with God,” (Luke 1:37).
At the same time, God always acts according to His nature. He is sovereign over who He is, and what He does is always consistent with who He is. John Arrowsmith elaborates, “Natural occurrences which would never occur on their own are possible with God. For example, the work of miracles, giving sight to those who were born blind, raising up children to Abraham out of the very stones in the street, these are possible with God. But… God cannot sin, lie, or deny Himself, and that is because He is sovereign over His own nature and omnipotent.”
Another seeming impossibility is that fallen humanity can be restored and reconnected to a Holy God. In Romans 3:10-18, Paul explains just how impossible that situation appears, considering the extent of our wickedness. And yet God, in His great mercy, chose to do the impossible. Christ did for us what we could never do for ourselves, “… freeing us from our sins by His blood and making us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever,” (Rev. 1:5-6).
As Paul said to the Ephesians, “He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,” (Eph. 3:20). He can knit together a human being, born of God, in the womb of a virgin. And He can take your black, dead heart, and make it beat for Him. He stamps on those who receive Him by faith some impossible impressions of His sovereignty, for He does the impossible!
- You, O Lord, have sovereign dominion over all things. Your Christ has the power to convert a cursed and fallen soul like mine, and make it adore You. Your might extends to everything that by Your power all things impossible become possible. “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Gen. 18:14). Certainly not… because You are God Almighty!
- Lord, You are sovereign in governing and ordering the hearts of men and can turn them in whatever way You please. You bent the hearts of the Egyptians to send the Israelites away with gold and silver when You delivered them from Egypt. Further, You showed me grace and turned my heart toward You, something that was impossible for me to do for myself.
- I know You are Almighty, and that if I sin, I provoke Your wrath against me. “Do you provoke the Lord to anger?” the apostle asks me. I am foolish to give You cause to be angry, knowing You have all power. Keep my heart ever diligent to love and serve You, for You have graciously purchased my salvation with the blood of Your Son.
- Your almighty power gives me encouragement, Lord. I run to You in prayer with all my needs and cares. It is from You that I seek relief, as I know You alone are able in all my difficulties to help me, to deliver me out of all my dangers, to support me under all my trials and circumstances. I know You make the most impossible situations in my life work for my good. I look to You for everything I need and hope in Christ alone.
Further References for Luke 1:37
Matt. 19:26; Gen. 18:14; Jer. 32:17; Luke 18:27; Num. 11:23
