How Can This Be?

Luke 1:36-37 “And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this

is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God." 

I am blessed with three wonderful children of my own and a stepson. Matt, Andy, Kate, and Michael are their names. Each is special to me in their own unique way. No two of my kids are the same. And each has brought great joy, and some amount heart ache to my life as they have grown from infants, through their childhood years, and now into being young adults. I can without hesitation say that children are blessing of the Lord.  Similarly I can also say as a parent that there have been times when I have shaken my head in disbelief at something one of my kids has said or done and said “How Can This Be?”

There are some things we encounter in our lives that just defy all explanation. They are “How Can This Be?” moments.  One that comes to mind is how the miners in Chile were able to stay alive long enough for the rescuers on the surface to, 1) drill down and determine they were alive, and 2) drill a hole large enough to send down a rescue capsule that brought them out. The hand of God was clearly visible throughout this whole process. Praise God through whom all things are possible!  We often see the hand of God in many aspects of life here on earth. The “simple” matter of us walking around in God’s creation serves as a constant reminder of what God can do. Those things are the visible and tangible elements we can grab onto and show others.  And what about things that are not so evident? There are examples of the hand of God at work within all of us. Stop and think for a moment. Do you know of someone, maybe even yourself that was lost and now is found? Is there someone in your circle of friends or family that has come back to God and embraced Jesus Christ as their Savior? Chances are you know someone.  The before and after pictures of their life may give you reason to stop and say “How Can This Be?”  These people have been given life, life eternal, by the faith poured out by the Holy Spirit into their hearts.  Just as Elizabeth and Zechariah prayed for a child - a new life to enter into their lives - we pray for friends and family who are dead in sin and do not know life eternal in Jesus Christ. We pray because our words and actions alone will not cause the change to happen in the lives of these people. We pray that the Holy Spirit will enter into their lives.  We do this because we love our neighbors as we love ourselves (See Matthew 22:39). We also know that nothing, absolutely nothing, will be impossible with God.  Please God, give us “How Can This Be?” moments every day of our lives!

PRAYER: Most merciful God, Your servants reach out in prayer for many things. We have been given this wonderful gift of prayer and cherish the fact that we have a God who loves us so much that He wants to hear from us about even the most trivial of things. We are blessed by Your love for each and every one of us. For this we give thanks. We ask for Your Spirit to pour into the hearts of those in our lives who do not know You. Father, we want those who do not walk with You to be drawn to Your side. Our heart aches for those who do not know Your Son as their savior. Help us Lord, to be filled with Your Spirit that reaches out to the lost. Guide our efforts Dear God in this endeavor, as in all aspects of our lives. May Your will be done in our lives. This we ask in the strong name of Jesus Christ. Amen