11.28

The Impossible is Possible (God & Janet)
Matthew 11:2-6  

 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” 4 Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 
5 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with a skin disease are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. 6 And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”

John the Baptizer faithfully lived his purpose, boldly calling his generation to repentance. John never perceived himself as the way, only the messenger sent to prepare the way and point to the One who would come after him, the One who would be The Way.

Imprisoned for his bold faithfulness, John began to hear about his cousin Jesus’ ministry of healing. He longed to know. Could the impossible be possible? Could Jesus, born of his mother’s cousin Mary, be the One? Could the long-awaited, promised Messiah, who he insisted was coming, be his cousin Jesus? Something in John needed to know. Perhaps he desired affirmation that his ministry mattered. Jesus lovingly confirmed John’s longing to know. Yes, He (Jesus) was indeed the Promised One. 

I don’t claim John’s courage, but I absolutely relate to his longing for the impossible to be possible. Frequently trapped in my perfectionist tendencies, seeking to deserve God’s forgiveness and love, I marvel at the impossibility that God’s love redeems my imperfection unconditionally. In Advent, we remember the promised impossibility became possible. God chose a humble birth into human form (the incarnation) and loves us fully in our fully human form.

—Janet Hudson