HOLY WEIRDNESS - PART 1 “Saving What Sinks”
GOD SPECIALIZES IN RETRIEVING THE IRRETRIEVABLE”
Jeremiah 32:17 17 O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you! 18 You show unfailing love to thousands, but you also bring the consequences of one generation’s sin upon the next. You are the great and powerful God, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.19 You have all wisdom and do great and mighty miracles. You see the conduct of all people, and you give them what they deserve. 20 You performed miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt—things still remembered to this day! And you have continued to do great miracles in Israel and all around the world. You have made your name famous to this day.
Absolutely nothing is too hard for God. He has dominion over the impossible, as evidenced all throughout Scripture. His promises are faithful and true and we can lean in to them because we can trust that in His time, He will bring them to pass.
Job 42:1-2 Then Job replied to the Lord: 2 “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you.
When Job is finally able to speak directly with God about all he has been through, he is overcome by the realization that there is not anything God is unable to do. In this chapter Job confesses and repents for doubting God’s faithfulness. Let us look to Job’s example and focus on trusting God in the hard, knowing that if he did it for Job, he can do it for us. Believing that God can do the impossible is often the key to His blessings being released, so don’t give up too soon.
Philippians 4:11-13 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
God’s ability to do the impossible extends to doing impossible things through me because of Jesus Christ. He chooses to include us as active participants in impossible situations because they glorify His name. Paul understood how amazing it is to be given the opportunity to partner with God to do the impossible. Let us follow Paul’s example and allow God to stretch our faith in the process.
WHAT IS SOMETHING IMPOSSIBLE THAT GOD HAS DONE IN YOUR LIFE? WHERE HAS GOD PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO PARTNER WITH HIM THORUGH PRAYER OR STEPPING OUT IN FAITH TO ACCOMPLISH THE IMPOSSIBLE? THANK HIM TODAY FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP.
Jeremiah 32:26-27 26 Then this message came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 27 “I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?
Jeremiah is confused but remains obedient when God commands him to purchase a plot of land right before it is about to be handed over to the Babylonians. God reminds Jeremiah that His promises are true. The punishment God warned the Israelites would come to pass because of their disobedience was imminent. But God, in His steadfast love, would rescue them and bring them back to Him when they repented, again doing what seemed impossible through human eyes.
Psalm 46:8-11 Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
See how he brings destruction upon the world.
9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”
11 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.
God does glorious works that are all around if we look for them, just as He does the impossible. We are called to glorify Him for who He is, not for what He has done or will do. Let us learn to practice being still in the knowledge that He IS God and worthy of honor no matter what He does or does not do.
PUTTING THIS INTO PRACTICE
God can do what no one else can do. Despite His ability to do the impossible on His own, He still chooses to involve us, His children, to participate in this process.
Read Isaiah 43:1-13. How can you see God drawing His children in to Him in this passage?
Which verse or verses jumped out at you and why?
Now read Isaiah 43:14-28. What is one word that describes how God may have been feeling in this passage?
Where are you walking through hard in your life right now? What is one choice you can make to practice trusting God to “retrieve the irretrievable?”
Read Hebrews 6:13-20.
We can trust God and place our hope in Him because He has already shown His faithfulness in sending Jesus. How can you take this passage and apply it to your life today?
Can you think of other examples in Scripture where people trusted God to “retrieve the irretrievable?”
Take five-ten minutes to really consider where your hope truly lies today. Is it in Jesus and God’s promises, or is it on yourself and the control you try to have over your life?
Write out a prayer asking God to help you relinquish control and to trust Him in all your impossible situations. Share with a trusted friend or your small group.
Look up the Biblical definition of contentment. Write it out and underline the fruit that comes from walking it out. Pick one of those fruits to focus on growing in as you practice living a content life in Jesus.
Do you see the practice of contentment as participation in what God is doing in your life? If your answer is no, take time to seek God in Scripture this week and ask Him to reveal the way He has for you to be a participant in His plan for restoration.
