I Noah Guy...

Has God ever asked you to do something that either didn't make sense, or you just knew it would get you some push-back? Perhaps from your friends or your family? Maybe even the community?

If it is one thing I have learned in my reading of Scripture, it is that more often than not, God asks the people in the Bible to do CRAZY things.

When God told Noah to build the Ark, the size alone was crazy. At approximately 510' feet long, it would have been able to carry 3 of the NASA Shuttles and would have been as tall as a 4 story house.

With the primitive technology, it would have taken FOREVER to build. It was not an easy undertaking. And yet, God called a man who the Scriptures say was around 480 years old. I'm only 36 and while I just got some new tools for Christmas and my birthday, I would not be able to pull that off.

Why does God ask us to do seemingly insane things?

I have often heard the statement, "God doesn't give us more than we can handle." And in my nice preacher tone, I would say, "That is absolute....ly not true."

I believe there are a lot of things in this life that we cannot handle. There are a lot of things that are "impossible" for us. And yet, God still calls us to do impossible things because I believe that God want's us fully...entirely focused and reliant on him. Yes, he wants us to participate with him in ministry to the world, but he wants us to know that without God nothing is possible.

Sound familiar?

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again, I tell you, 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.

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astounded and said, "Then who can be saved?"

But Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible." (Matthew 19: 23-26)

Oh My. That's crazy talk. A camel through the eye of the needle? Sheesh.

Oh yes, I believe we often get more than we can handle...on our own. But I NOAH guy who did the impossible because he walked with the Lord. In fact, the Scriptures are filled with men and women who did impossible things because The Lord was with them.

Let us pray,
God, sometimes we are overwhelmed by our circumstances. We grieve because of loss, we fear because of the unknown, we stay in the shadows because of our sins. But you remind us that through you, all things are possible. 

Help us to put you at the center of all we do; help us to walk with you so we can partner with you in doing the impossible!

In the strong name of Jesus,
Amen