ASTOUNDING

Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” – John 11:40

If the decision of the mortal king Ahasuerus could overnight turn around the fortune of a fellow in whom the king had delight – Mordecai, how much more does the King of kings have all the power to turn any situation around no matter how seemingly hopeless it is? This speaks of the dimension of blessing I’ll call “ASTOUNDING”! God is the Specialist in releasing His chosen ones into Astonishing and Astounding Blessings! Time is not a limitation for the Almighty God; therefore He can do what men call “impossible” within the twinkle of an eye! The Lord Jesus says in Mark 10:27b, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” And again, “For with God nothing will be impossible” (Lk.1:37). Let’s meditate on two astounding events in the Scriptures, one in the Old Testament, and the other in the New.

God did the “impossible” in Samaria (2Kgs.7:1-20). He will do the “humanly impossible” in your situation, if you believe. This passage is set against the backdrop of a desperate circumstance. The city of Samaria was surrounded by the Syrian army. The people within the walls of the city were literally starving to death, as depicted by the conditions in 2 Kings 6:25-29, where two mothers were debating how to cannibalize their sons! Then, one day, a message of hope came from a most unlikely source. Four strange messengers – outcast lepers – brought a weird message to the city gate that changed everything for those trapped inside the city. Only the boastful “officer on whose hand the king leaned” who derided God’s miracle-working ability, failed to partake of the astounding blessings of the season! All things are possible; only believe!

Another biblical incident shows how the Lord loves to demonstrate His Glory by decorating His people with His blessings. He will gladly do much more for His elect in Christ. Sometimes in order to make His blessing unique and astounding, God may allow the situation of His beloved to become humanly “hopeless” before intervening, as was the case with Lazarus. Jesus loved Lazarus; hence, when he was told that Lazarus was sick, one would expect that He would rush down immediately to heal him, and thus demonstrate to the disciples how He really loved him. Alas, Jesus waited another three days, and got there only when the case had completely gotten ‘out of hand’! The situation looked hopeless – the dead body of His friend had started decomposing. Why would the Lord allow what seemed like the worst to occur before divine intervention?

We understand from His testimony that Jesus took this route in a bid to show how great God is and to make the testimony astounding. As far as he was concerned, Lazarus was simply asleep, waiting to be awoken: “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up” (Jh.11:11b). Whatever God calls a thing is what it is! When He speaks life in the face of death, death is deleted. The Lord assured Martha that her brother Lazarus will rise again. Martha doubted because Lazarus had been dead for four days and his body was already decomposing and stinking. But, by the spoken word, “Lazarus, come forth…Loose him and let him go”, the dead, stinking, decomposing body of Lazarus was raised, revived and restored (Jh.11:43-44). No matter how ‘dead’ your situation is, the spoken word of the Living God will prevail for you. Hold on to it!

When God steps into a situation, whatever is contrary to Glory steps out! What is that situation in or around your life that has been defying solutions or contending against His Glory? Only believe; only believe; all things are possible, only believe!