Focus: Two Problems (Pt.1)

Text: Lk.18:27

"The things which are IMPOSSIBLE with men are POSSIBLE with God."

In our text mark the words, Impossible, Possible, Men, God. We find here that there are basically two problems in this life: problems solvable by God and problems solvable by man. God takes care of the impossible; man takes charge of the possible.

Our challenge is knowing where to draw the lines. When it comes to what God can do, don't worry about it. Take it to God. The Lord Jesus Christ says to a father whose son has a chronic and demonic condition, "Bring him unto me" (Mk.9:19). We must learn to bring to God situations that are beyond us. 

When it comes to what you can do, don't be lazy about it. Just face it. Get to work. Jesus Christ says to the servants, "Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim" (Jh.2:7). While they took care of filling the pots with water, Jesus took care of turning the water into wine. Again, Jesus says to His disciples, "Make them sit down by fifties in a company" (Lk.9:14). And with the available five loaves and two fish Jesus Christ fed five thousand men beside women and children. In fact He made His disciples participate in the miracle by giving them the bread and the fish to pass on to the multitude.

One thing we must not do is taking God's place and trying to do His bit.

Take for instance our two scientific tools: the telescope and the microscope. A telescope is used to see objects from a distance, objects like the stars in the sky. A microscope is used to see objects too tiny for the eyes. Both are designed to work differently. You can't use the microscope for the job of the telescope. But both of them will give you the expected results when used for what they are meant for. That is also how we should handle our problems. Man takes care of the possible and God takes care of the impossible.

Let me say, by the way, that some of our humanly solvable problems seem impossible at first glance. But with wit and grit we can dismantle them. We have to take the impossible problems to God, and then concern ourselves only with the problems that we have the capacity to solve. Really, our problems are solved if taken to the right place or source.

*Problems solvable by God

Don't make the mistake of taking humanly impossible situations to your fellow human beings, except those who can direct you to or connect you with God.

A clear example is Rachel, who got hold of her husband Jacob, and said to him, "Give me children, or else I die." Jacob retorted in anger, "Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?" (Gen.30:1-2). Rachel went to a wrong source for her problem. Man cannot do everything. Science is not almighty. Understand that men are not God. Stop taking your issues to the wrong places or people. No man can take the place of God, and mind you, there are consequences for those who do. The Scripture says, "Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm… he…shall not see when good cometh…" (Jer.17:5-6).

For our problems to be solved by God we need to TRUST God. It is only on the ground of faith that we can relate with God. Access to God is by faith. Fellowship with God is by faith. God honors faith.

Jesus says to a man with an issue, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth" (Mk.9:23). You must come to God, believing in His impeccable character and infinite ability. God is both able and willing to help you out if you believe. Luke writes that "with God nothing shall be impossible" (Lk.1:37).

A leper says to Jesus Christ, "If thou WILT, thou CANST make me clean." And Mark reports that "Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I WILL; be thou clean" (Mk.1:40-41). Jesus can, and He will help you. Jeremiah says, "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is" (Jer.17:7).

Another point worth noting is that you need HUMILITY in dealing with God. If a problem is beyond you, be humble enough to ask God for help. Don't put up an attitude of pride. Lutheran theologian, Reinhold Niebuhr said in his prayer, "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." 

Don't waste time trying to handle a situation that is bigger than your head, hand or feet. Let God into it. The human mind is powerful, and God made it so, but it has its limitations.

You need the light of divine intelligence, the force of divine revelation and the Spirit of divine inspiration. He who made you knows better. 

Stop trivializing the transcendent or making it look like God has no idea what you are going through. Even in the mundane you need to recognize the sublime. This brings us to the need for the WORD of God and PRAYER. The psalmist says, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may BEHOLD WONDROUS THINGS out of thy law" (Ps.119:18).

Through the word of God the Spirit of God can plant a divine idea in your heart that when acted upon could result in a miracle. Paul says, "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Phil.4:6). Prayer works miracles. Take your issues to God in prayer. He can handle the impossible from His position of power and wisdom.

(Part 2 for tomorrow)

by Bishop Moses E. Peter