The One Who is Able
It was the day after my birthday and my husband was installing shelving in closets as a gift, because women can never have enough storage! We had just arrived home from laying my mother in law to rest seven days prior and the emotions were still raw, open wounds. The grief process had not even begun as we were still in the shock and disbelief stages. I glanced at the phone and saw many missed calls from my sister in law and knew in my gut – something was not right. As I returned the call her wavering voice said she needed to speak to my husband immediately. As I watched him take the call, his knees buckled and he lay prostrate on the ground with gut wrenching cries.
Seven days after laying his mother to rest, his father was arriving home on his motorcycle from paying the final payment on his wife's grave stone, when a young woman ran him over, failing to see him. We didn’t know the details at the time of the call – we only knew he was being life flighted to the nearest hospital. My husband needed to get on a plane as fast as possible, but when he landed no one knew what the outcome would be.
Hours of surgery, a severed pulmonary artery, a lung torn in two, ribs shattered, in a medically induced coma, on a ventilator - these were the messages we were getting. My husband sat vigil in a hospital waiting room for days begging his father to keep fighting. And on day 19 the breathing and feeding tubes were removed. Six months later he climbed aboard his motorcycle and enjoyed again one of his favorite pastimes.
My God is the God of the impossible. That will always be my impossible story. Forever I will cling to God’s mercy in my father in laws life. It is such a testimony of God’s might, power, majesty and goodness on display.
Just a month before, we prayed the same type of impossible prayer for my mother-in-law. We prayed God would heal her, that He would do the impossible and instead He claimed her to heaven. My hope is not in the miracle. My hope is in the Performer of miracles. My hope is in Jesus who at any time is able to perform the impossible. Sometimes that is an overwhelming concept to swallow in grief or unbearable situations. I have no doubt that God could have breathed new life into my mother in law and healed her. But in that moment His name was glorified and His eternal plan was fulfilled by her return to heaven's gates.
The Bible is full of story after story of impossible things – an old woman becoming pregnant, the sea dividing to rescue God’s people, a pillar of fire to follow through the night, water turned to wine, 5,000 people fed from a few fish, etc. But if we cling to only the impossible where does that leave us when God does not answer the way we desire?
I will choose to cling to the God who is ABLE to do the impossible. The Bible says “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26 ESV). I want to know my faith lies with the One who is able.
Melissa Jackson has been married to her college sweetheart, LD for 14 years and they reside in Charlotte, NC. Melissa is a biological mom of 3, an adoptive mom of 1, and sometimes a foster mom and host mom to exchange students. They also share their home with Melissa's parents. Their home is an ever revolving door and they are so thankful to be able to live with hands and hearts open to whatever God calls them to. Melissa has served on staff at churches as well as in leadership roles as a volunteer and has a passion for providing opportunities for others to be the hands and feet of Christ. Melissa began documenting their life of radical faith after her husband left corporate America to do ministry and they became foster parents. More about their journey can be found at www.crazywildfaith.wordpress.com