March 5

Impossible

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27).

Scripture: Mark 10:23-31

Song: “It Took a Miracle”

The bride’s father and his fiancée sat in the first row of the storefront church, the groom’s parents beside them. Behind them were the groom’s brother, sister-in-law, two nieces, three half-siblings with their spouses, and a gang of aunts, uncles, and cousins. Add a small cadre of faithful friends, and the congregation numbered 50.

The young minister grinned. The bride glowed, her pre-teen son beside her. The groom beamed, his little girl at his right hand. Everyone in the room knew they were witnessing something that was impossible.

Rewind several years. A young man in jail, convicted of felony drug dealing. An impossible case, most folks said. Impossible? He’s the grinning minister performing the ceremony. See a 20-something disheveled woman, screaming hysterically after intentionally slicing her wrist with a piece of glass. Untreated mental illness. Chronic substance abuse. Many thought it impossible for her ever to be sane and healthy. Impossible? She’s the glowing bride, a medical professional today.

Picture a man in his mid-30s. Lab work reveals shocking blood serum levels of multiple drugs in his system. He should be dead. An addict over half his life. Estranged from most of his family. Survive? Impossible. Impossible? He’s the beaming groom, who facilitates addiction recovery groups as he prepares for ministry. He’s also my son. All things are possible with God.

Thank You, Lord, for seeing a wedding where others saw three gravestones. Open our eyes to the possibilities You envision for us. In the name of the one who knows no impossibilities, amen.