Her 5th Christmas with Jesus: "Glorious Impossible"

I often mention how Emily's 13-year life taught our family so much, but the Lord is not finished teaching us yet.  This Christmas (her 5th one with Jesus), He taught me this particular lesson:

In 2007 -- Emily's last Christmas with us -- "Glorious Impossible" was a song in our church's Christmas program.  The lyrics speak of how Jesus touched lepers and blessed children.  It says, "Lift your souls now and receive the Glorious Impossible."  Six years ago, I took these words to mean that God would do the impossible for Emily and heal her leukemia, even if through a bone marrow transplant.  When on December 30, 2007, He instead chose to take her home, I was somewhat bitter at God, especially when I began seeing other people get their “Glorious Impossible” miracles.  In the past few years, though, God has taught me that many of Jesus’ miracles were somewhat temporary.  When He raised Jairus' daughter from the dead, at some point, she later died—so did Lazarus and everyone else He healed.  The miracles Jesus did in people’s hearts, however, were forever.

This year, we sang "Glorious Impossible" again, but its meaning this time struck me so differently than it did 6 years ago.

The real “Glorious Impossible” is Jesus Himself.  It is the spiritual wholeness He brings to us—first of all through salvation and then in so many other ways.  Those are the forever miracles.  I cling to those now so much more than the stories of Jesus turning water into wine and feeding 5,000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish.  Those were amazing miracles, but eventually they ran out of wine again and within hours those 5,000 folks were again hungry.  Jesus said to the woman at the well,

Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life. (John 4:13-14)

Although I still rejoice in the song's line that says He "touched the leper, blessed the children,"  I cherish the following lyric that gives us our ultimate hope:

He was bruised for our transgressions, and He bears eternal scars;

He was raised for our salvation, and His righteousness is ours;

Praise, oh praise Him, praise the glory of this lavish grace so full.

Lift your souls now and receive the GLORIOUS IMPOSSIBLE!

Embrace His love this Christmas and throughout the New Year!