What Seems Impossible

It seemed not just hard. Not just unlikely. But impossible. The idea? Reaching the city of Lhasa (in Tibet) with railroad service.

The city, located almost 12,000 feet above sea level, is surrounded by some of the world’s highest mountains. It could be reached by land, but the journey was arduous at best. It could be reached through the air, but there are challenges because of surrounding mountains and elevation.

But it seemed completely unrealistic to even attempt to reach Lhasa by rail. Many of the best engineers in the world were approached and thought it was impossible. Even those who had found a way to build railroads through the Alps thought that the region around Lhasa simply presented too many obstacles.

A famous travel writer declared that the mountains that surrounded the city were “a guarantee that the railway will never get to Lhasa.” But the impossible actually happened. And just a few years later, all the rails were laid, and railway service was introduced in Lhasa. This service continues even today.

How many of the things we take for granted once were considered “impossible”? Air travel. The internet. Television. Yet how many of these “impossibilities” now are normal parts of life.

Impossible was a word many used to describe the problems Jesus faced. The lame who never had walked. The blind who never had been able to see. Thousands who needed food. Even His disciples thought it was “impossible” for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God (vs. 23-24).

As He did so often in His ministry, Jesus demonstrated that “everything is possible with God.” Everything. Even those things which seemed impossible.

That kind of miracle-working power still is available to His disciples. For those who believe. For those who put their faith into action. For you?