All Things Are Possible

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.”

Then Peter said in reply, “Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” Matthew 19:23-30 

I was fascinated with kaleidoscopes as a child, and I still am. Each turn reveals another set of designs and colors, each turn opening the light to new designs. As often as I tried to anticipate what would be on the next turn, it was never exactly what I had predicted. It was always a variation, light bouncing, being fractured and reflected in startling ways.  I still have a few kaleidoscopes, which I keep close, to remind me of the possibilities I cannot anticipate nor control.

Jesus' talk about the difficulties of rich people entering God's kingdom made the disciples very uncomfortable. They truly had given up everything to follow Jesus, but he was making what seemed like harsh statements when they wanted a little comfort, a little encouragement. They failed to hear him say "all things are possible with God." We too, often fail to hear it. We get stuck with camel and the needle's eye. In our dark places we think we are at an impasse. We fail to see the slide in the viewer change, the possibilities of new life, when we are facing a blank wall. Yet with God, the impossible is possible. Walls come up by fear and self protection and break down when love enters the scene. 

Today I ask God yo help me usher God's love onto the scene, so that impossible becomes possible. May we love beyond measure today so that those with no hope might see the change of scene, the hope awaiting them today.