Can the impossible really be accomplished (Mark 9:23)? With a story from the Lamp Division of General Electric.

SCRIPTURE: Mark 9:23 (TM)

Jesus said, "If? There are no 'ifs' among believers. Anything can happen."

STORY:

Years ago new engineers in the Lamp Division of General Electric were assigned, as a joke, the impossible task of frosting bulbs on the inside. Eventually, however, an undaunted newcomer named Marvin Pipkin not only found a way to frost bulbs on the inside but developed an etching acid that gave minutely rounded pits instead of sharp depressions. This materially strengthened each bulb. Fortunately, no one had told him it couldn't be done, so he did it.

OBSERVATION:

How does “oh, that’s impossible” slip into our thinking? Once a day? Twice a day? Or more? Once is too much! Why? Because with God everything is possible! We are just not possibility thinkers.

Our tendency is to look at any task and think of ways that it cannot be done or reason why it cannot be accomplished. We look at our abilities or skills or talents or whatever one would like to name and think our way into negative thinking. But is God a liar? Did Jesus communicate something that was unattainable? Did he create false hope?

“Everything is possible for (the person) who believes.” (NIV) Everything? Oh, come on Jesus, you cannot be serious. And all I have to do is believe? Seems too good to be true if you ask me. “Well,” my child shares Jesus, “I’m not asking you … I’m telling you. Believe it WILL happen!” “Impossible,” we declare. “Okay, prove me wrong.”

Do we take Jesus at his word or simply continue to believe that things in this life are just too impossible to be accomplished? Maybe we need to God-size our vision. Remember: God never asks any of us to do something that we can do! If we can do it then we don’t need God, but when God gets involved and his Holy Spirit takes over whatever he asks us to do will get completed. All we have to do is believe!

PRAYER:

We believe, but help our unbelief … we want to believe that the impossible can be possible. Lift our vision off of ourselves so that we can see life from your perspective.