With God we can Defy the Odds

"Samson glanced around and spotted the jawbone of a donkey. The jawbone had not yet dried out, so it was still hard and heavy. Samson grabbed it and started hitting Philistines--he killed 1,000 of them!" Judges 15:15 CEV

In an astonishing story published by Runner’s World on Sunday it was reported that Cooper Lutkenhaus ‘defied the odds’ on Sunday at the USATF Outdoor Championships, earning a ticket to the World Championships after a second-place finish in the men’s 800-meter final at Hayward Field. As a 16-year-old. As a rising high school junior. What’s crazier may have been the time: 1:42.27. It was the fourth-best men’s performance in U.S. history—by anyone. It’s currently the fifth-fastest effort in the world. Lutkenhaus’ effort, which dipped under the world standard of 1:44.50—a qualifying mark he needed if he were to finish inside the top three places—was also a new world under-18 best. It surpassed the former record of 1:44.08 which had stood since 2011 by Kenya’s Leonard Kirwa Kosencha. “Just making the team, running that fast this young, it’s special,” he told reporters afterward. 

And when it comes to defying the odds, the Bible is full of stories of men and women of all ages who, by God's mighty power, did things that seemed totally impossible too. Consider the story of Samson who single-handedly killed 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey. I mean what are the odds of that? And what are the odds of glancing around and spotting the jawbone of a donkey in the middle of nowhere anyway? One that had not yet dried out and was still hard and heavy? The odds were slim-to-none of course. But God has been defying the odds since the beginning of time, constantly making a way where there seems to be no way. 

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” Ephesians 3:20 NKJV

So if you're in a situation, or facing a problem today that seems impossible to get out of, consider the words of Mark Batterson, "Impossible odds set the stage for amazing miracles." And remember that God, who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us is still in the business of performing miracles... especially in the face of insurmountable odds. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the many examples in the Bible of people who, by your strength, overcame impossible odds to find victory. Help us to believe that You - the God who was the same yesterday, today and forever - are still performing miracles and equipping believers to defy even the slimmest of odds today. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!