"Thus says the LORD of hosts: Even though it seems impossible to the remnant of this people in these days, should it also seem impossible to me, says the LORD of hosts?" (Zechariah 8:6)
Not long ago, I received a Christmas letter from one of our missionaries in Central Asia. She writes that she has been "impressed with the fragility of history’s greatest event." "From the Father’s point of view," she explains, "the birth of our Lord was planned ‘before the foundation of the earth was laid’ (1 Pe 1:20) and occurred when ‘the time had fully come’ (Gal 4:4). Yet from a human point of view there seemed to be a lot of loose ends. Consider the awkwardness of a virgin birth, the inconvenience of Caesar Augustus’ enrollment decree, the frustration of finding no room in a proper inn, and finally an evacuation into Egypt to protect the Child from an angry king. I wonder how many of us would have approved of the plan if we had we been there!"
Of course, we might not have "approved of the plan." Our missionary was right: history’s greatest event was an extraordinarily fragile affair – a dubious strategy, undertaken with marginal people, supported by rather feeble resources. Impossible. Happily, we were not consulted in that case.
We are consulted again and again, however, in similarly outrageous projects today. Sowing Christians into Central Asia, for example – including the young woman who wrote this letter. Or placing Christians in service to "The Islands," or the teeming cities of Africa or Latin America. Actually, it is a bit outrageous to sow Christian people with Christian commitments most anywhere nowadays – even Minneapolis, I think. But that, of course, is exactly our impractical calling.
One of our newest missionaries, who departed this fall for an Asian assignment, remarked that he felt a little like "Alice falling through the rabbit hole." His comment reminded me of Alice’s famous interview before the Queen of Hearts.
"One can’t believe impossible things," said Alice. "I daresay you haven’t had much practice," responded the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast!"
Can you believe that the fragile events at Bethlehem have changed the spiritual complexion of the universe? Can you believe that God Almighty wants everyone, everywhere to know about those events – and what followed at Calvary, and the empty tomb? And how about this: Can you believe that God wants you to become his messenger in this fragile, utterly important project? Believe it. What is impossible for you is not, after all, impossible for God.
"The Way I See It", December 2002
© Copyright 2002 (World Mission Prayer League). All rights reserved.