Luke 18:27
Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."
I'm sorry to say this, but I recently recognise that I find it to be extremely difficult to pray for situations which seem impossible and hopeless to me. So the verse above seems very difficult to comprehend and grasp. While I recognise it and the fact that it is truth, there isn't a deep personal belief which my inner man testifies of.
Some 1-2 weeks ago, I got the email blitz that my former pastor was supposedly with cancer and prayer request for God to do the impossible and heal miraculously. Then, another email came stating that the cancer was a stage 4 (the most fatal stage) and we were told to rebuke it and claim for complete healing. Somehow, I just can't make myself claim that the impossible can be turned around.
In my mind and heart, there is a sense of skepticism as well as resignation that such killer diseases are inevitably going to lead to death. Moreover, it's so widespread nowadays that I'm just being realistic and pragmatic that we should just do what is enough to prepare for the inevitable, rather than pray our hearts out.
Honestly, it does scare me that I'm feeling so resigned, and a seemingly lack of faith. As I walked to work, I muttered to God, please don't place me in such a situation because of my lack of faith or passion to pray for the impossible to happen. I don't want to be honest with myself/you and then be placed in the darkest situation so that you can prove to me that you can do the impossible. Simply because I know that if I'm stricken with a terminal disease, I'm unlikely to cry for healing because I'm too fatalistic and practical. In fact, I'm likely to ask people to pray that it be fast and painless, rather than pray pray pray, fast fast fast..... Too much effort for something which i deem inevitable. However, if this happens to those close to me, now that is a different story, butthe last thing I need is to have God use someone that I care about prove a point to me that he can do the impossible.
As I look back, I have seen a close friend pass on despite her faith and the multiple powerful ministry by others to her. I've also witness in church camp, how many zealous prayers were made, just to have the inevitable happen. In rangers, I've seen the passing of a US leader inspite of much prayers being rallied for. In all these, I've not seen the mega miracle that made me believe that prayers in such impossible cases can result in God turning the situation around, not that I'm really eager to see God prove himself because in his sovereignty, he doesn't need to prove himself to me.
But, before my heart turns cold, hardened by skepticism and my mind conditioned by pragmatic logic, I ask that God, you make your sovereignty seen in the impossible case before me in the life of my former pastor. Not to prove to me, but just because there are those who can testify of your goodness and through it, your name will be glorified.
M.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalms 73:26)
05 August 2009
Impossible is nothing, not with me though.
Luke 18:27
Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."
I'm sorry to say this, but I recently recognise that I find it to be extremely difficult to pray for situations which seem impossible and hopeless to me. So the verse above seems very difficult to comprehend and grasp. While I recognise it and the fact that it is truth, there isn't a deep personal belief which my inner man testifies of.
Some 1-2 weeks ago, I got the email blitz that my former pastor was supposedly with cancer and prayer request for God to do the impossible and heal miraculously. Then, another email came stating that the cancer was a stage 4 (the most fatal stage) and we were told to rebuke it and claim for complete healing. Somehow, I just can't make myself claim that the impossible can be turned around.
In my mind and heart, there is a sense of skepticism as well as resignation that such killer diseases are inevitably going to lead to death. Moreover, it's so widespread nowadays that I'm just being realistic and pragmatic that we should just do what is enough to prepare for the inevitable, rather than pray our hearts out.
Honestly, it does scare me that I'm feeling so resigned, and a seemingly lack of faith. As I walked to work, I muttered to God, please don't place me in such a situation because of my lack of faith or passion to pray for the impossible to happen. I don't want to be honest with myself/you and then be placed in the darkest situation so that you can prove to me that you can do the impossible. Simply because I know that if I'm stricken with a terminal disease, I'm unlikely to cry for healing because I'm too fatalistic and practical. In fact, I'm likely to ask people to pray that it be fast and painless, rather than pray pray pray, fast fast fast..... Too much effort for something which i deem inevitable. However, if this happens to those close to me, now that is a different story, butthe last thing I need is to have God use someone that I care about prove a point to me that he can do the impossible.
As I look back, I have seen a close friend pass on despite her faith and the multiple powerful ministry by others to her. I've also witness in church camp, how many zealous prayers were made, just to have the inevitable happen. In rangers, I've seen the passing of a US leader inspite of much prayers being rallied for. In all these, I've not seen the mega miracle that made me believe that prayers in such impossible cases can result in God turning the situation around, not that I'm really eager to see God prove himself because in his sovereignty, he doesn't need to prove himself to me.
But, before my heart turns cold, hardened by skepticism and my mind conditioned by pragmatic logic, I ask that God, you make your sovereignty seen in the impossible case before me in the life of my former pastor. Not to prove to me, but just because there are those who can testify of your goodness and through it, your name will be glorified.
M.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalms 73:26)
Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."
I'm sorry to say this, but I recently recognise that I find it to be extremely difficult to pray for situations which seem impossible and hopeless to me. So the verse above seems very difficult to comprehend and grasp. While I recognise it and the fact that it is truth, there isn't a deep personal belief which my inner man testifies of.
Some 1-2 weeks ago, I got the email blitz that my former pastor was supposedly with cancer and prayer request for God to do the impossible and heal miraculously. Then, another email came stating that the cancer was a stage 4 (the most fatal stage) and we were told to rebuke it and claim for complete healing. Somehow, I just can't make myself claim that the impossible can be turned around.
In my mind and heart, there is a sense of skepticism as well as resignation that such killer diseases are inevitably going to lead to death. Moreover, it's so widespread nowadays that I'm just being realistic and pragmatic that we should just do what is enough to prepare for the inevitable, rather than pray our hearts out.
Honestly, it does scare me that I'm feeling so resigned, and a seemingly lack of faith. As I walked to work, I muttered to God, please don't place me in such a situation because of my lack of faith or passion to pray for the impossible to happen. I don't want to be honest with myself/you and then be placed in the darkest situation so that you can prove to me that you can do the impossible. Simply because I know that if I'm stricken with a terminal disease, I'm unlikely to cry for healing because I'm too fatalistic and practical. In fact, I'm likely to ask people to pray that it be fast and painless, rather than pray pray pray, fast fast fast..... Too much effort for something which i deem inevitable. However, if this happens to those close to me, now that is a different story, butthe last thing I need is to have God use someone that I care about prove a point to me that he can do the impossible.
As I look back, I have seen a close friend pass on despite her faith and the multiple powerful ministry by others to her. I've also witness in church camp, how many zealous prayers were made, just to have the inevitable happen. In rangers, I've seen the passing of a US leader inspite of much prayers being rallied for. In all these, I've not seen the mega miracle that made me believe that prayers in such impossible cases can result in God turning the situation around, not that I'm really eager to see God prove himself because in his sovereignty, he doesn't need to prove himself to me.
But, before my heart turns cold, hardened by skepticism and my mind conditioned by pragmatic logic, I ask that God, you make your sovereignty seen in the impossible case before me in the life of my former pastor. Not to prove to me, but just because there are those who can testify of your goodness and through it, your name will be glorified.
M.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalms 73:26)
