| Luke 1:37 – “For nothing will be impossible with God” |
What can you not do?
Strange question I know.
But we all find things that we say, we just cannot do.
Some are physical–can’t jump like a basketball player or run like a sprinter.
But many are nothing more than us not thinking we can.
Perhaps it is a lack of faith in God.
More likely, it is lack of faith in ourselves.
I think of Moses as you open Exodus 3.
He thought he could do great things.
He learned of his heritage.
So, when he saw an Egyptian taskmaster beat one of his brothers, he beat him to death. He envisioned himself as a liberator.
But, instead, he had to flee Egypt.
He gave up palace and power to do nothing more than tend sheep in the desert. This would be his life, and Egypt was a far distant memory.
He was never going to deliver anyone.
But then, came that bush green with leaves that did not curl or brown from fire. It intrigued him.
He went closer and he heard a voice–the voice of God.
He was going to give him the job of deliverer.
But you hear the words “cannot” in Moses’ mouth.
I cannot speak.
I cannot represent you because I lack knowledge or credibility.
Finally, God says…go. He said I want you to do the work, and I will supply the tools. A rod in your hand. Your brother Aaron as your spokesman. Just go do it.
That may be what we need to hear from time to time. Instead of excuses or thinking it cannot be done, but especially by me, I just need to start.
It is as Edgar Guest said in a poem called “It Couldn’t Be Done.”
Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,
But he with a chuckle replied
That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.
Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it”;
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing
That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it
When Moses finally went, something happened. A promise made 400 years before to the great Patriarch Abraham came to fruition. God’s people left Egypt, and the excuse-maker Moses led them.
What do you think is impossible? Just do it.
Robert G. Taylor
robertgtaylor.com
