Naked Impotency & Impossible Trust
“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
—Mark 10:27
Observation:
In Ancient Israel wealth was considered a mark of God’s favor and the righteousness of the man. So, when Jesus says that it will be easier threading a camel through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God, the disciples are bewildered because their model of “good” has been re-categorized as “not good enough” by Jesus. But when the disciples despair, “then who can be saved?” Jesus responds by telling them that salvation is impossible for Humans. There is nothing you can do to save yourself. No matter how “good” you are you will never be good enough to save yourself. It is what Jesus follows with that makes me think he had a fourth office while performing his earthly ministry, “Anti-motivational speaker.” “You cannot do it, but God can!” is not exactly Tony Robbins fodder. The point of Jesus’ anti-motivational moments is to deter his followers from thinking that anyone besides God can do “it” for you.
Application:
I have mixed feelings about the fact that I cannot do “it,” but God can. On one hand I relish the fact that no matter how hard I try whatever modicum of control I think I have is merely a mirage. But on the other hand when things look impossible, specially when things look impossible, I am not in control of the outcome anyways so I am free to just trust God. I do not have to busy myself with that which I cannot do, but rather do that which God has called me to. But therein lies the conundrum; it is hard to just trust God! It goes against every cultural norm that we are wired to believe: Just do it, if you believe it you can achieve it, if you work hard you can make it, just pull yourself up by your bootstraps, the list of axioms goes on. We are programmed to believe we are a people who cannot be stopped or held down as long as we continue to strive. But it is not true. It does not matter how hard you try; it does not matter if you believe it you cannot achieve it. The truth is “with man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” That is the reality of our situation; realizing that you are impotent is probably the most naked feeling you can experience.
When I look back over the last five years I am just awed by how God has taken the seemingly impossible and not just made it possible, but actually done above and beyond what is fathomable. Even in the midst of my doubt God shows himself to be faithful. I am an alien unable to work, but yet I am part way through my master’s degree, because “all things are possible with God.” I have seen God heal the terminally sick. I have seen God multiply food. I have seen God reach into the depths of poverty and despair and bring forth hope and life. But nonetheless I still try to do “it” on my own far too often, and without missing a beat God reminds me that it is him and not I that makes things happen.
There is a certain shame that has been assigned impotency in our society. Our inability to do “it” is to our chagrin and in our attempts to nullify the effects of impotency man has come up with all sorts of ailments, pills, contraptions, and things of every ridiculous nature. We cannot accept the fact that we just cannot do it. We cannot accept the fact that Nike’s marketing department has been lying to us since the 80’s.
This inept thinking that for some reason we do not need God; we too like God can do “it” has been a lie that has deceived us since the serpent spoke it to Eve in the Garden of Eden. In fact the reason that the Devil rebelled against God was because he thought he too like God could do “it”. At the heart of thinking that we can “just do it” is rebellion against God. Prior to believing the lie that we could “just do it,” we were naked and unashamed. Maybe the shame comes from the fact that we no longer trust that “all things are possible with God.”
Prayer:
Lord, help me to exercise the lie that I can do it myself from my life, mind, and body. Help me to trust you for everything that I need, want, or do. In the name of Jesus I pray Amen…
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