All Things are Possible

"...with God all things are possible."

Matthew 19:26

A true story is told of a family who purchased acreage for a house and farm buildings out on the plains of the Midwest.  A bank in the nearby city had worked out a loan, and through hard work and great determination, the man and his wife built a secure home and a fully functioning farm.  The day came when the man set out for the town with animals to sell, and enough money already in his pocket to pay off the loan at the bank.

The next morning, he started his return journey with a much lighter load, and a grateful heart for the deed papers in his pocket for his land that was now his solely owned property.  As he neared home, he came up over a rise and stopped to view his acreage, feeling the immense pride of total ownership, and taking in the beauty of his homestead.  As he gazed, he suddenly realized that he couldn't seem to see the house.  Wait a minute - over there - where the house should be, he could see wisps of white smoke.

He saw a rider galloping full speed toward him;  it was his neighbor, who pulled up next to him and said, "John, I am so sorry, but the house burned to the ground last night.  We were barely able to save the barn and the corral."  The farmer turned and asked, "Anyone hurt?"  "No," said his neighbor, "all are safe."  A smile creased the man's face, then he clapped his neighbor on the shoulder and said, "Well then, we will rebuild!  With God's help, we can, and we will!"

Life is full of setbacks - they happen to us all.  The economic downturn that has plagued the world during the pandemic has made life difficult for many, many people.  Thousands have lost their homes, their jobs, their retirement funds, and their sense of security.  Starting over can be a very difficult pill to swallow.  But God is beside us - listening to our prayers, granting us wisdom to figure out what to do, courage to do what has to be done, and offering the gift of patience when the road gets rougher than it already is.  Some situations may seem impossible, but take heart - "impossible" is God's specialty.   

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In the bulb there is a flower, in the seed an apple tree,

In cocoons a hidden promise, butterflies will soon be free.

In the cold and snow of winter is a spring that waits to be,

Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

The United Methodist Hymnal, No. 707