For those who are familiar with “The Princess Bride”, a movie that came out decades ago, there are certain words or lines that are likely stuck in your memory bank. One that sticks in mine, because it was simple, and because it was so well delivered time and again, came from the mouth of the character Vizzini, who believed himself to be the smartest man in the land. Time and again, Vizzini would witness the lead character doing something that he thought was impossible, to which he would remark “Inconceivable!”
Personally, the idea that more than 20 inches of rain would fall on our island during the month of August was inconceivable, especially considering that we weren’t hit by a tropical system with prolific feeder rain bands. Two-thirds of my backyard has been underwater for weeks, and an alligator has taken up residence – all on property that I have routinely mowed with my riding mower. What was inconceivable is now not merely conceivable, but reality – no imagination required. While I wish it would all drain away and return my yard to its previous condition, I now know that having my entire backyard underwater is conceivable.
Time and again, the limits of what humans have been able to conceive of have been exceeded, furthering our knowledge and understanding. However, we are humans with finite minds that truly are subject to limits, and there are things that will remain beyond our comprehension while we inhabit this material world. The Apostle Paul wrote about this to the church in Corinth, declaring “However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor 2:9).
A problem that we face in this life, particularly amongst those who consider themselves to be the smartest, is to think that our inability to conceive of something is the same thing as declaring that something is impossible. Back to the movie, Vizzini declares three times that something was inconceivable before another character, Inigo Montoya, says to him, “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” Vizzini continued to use the word, but Inigo had correctly pointed out that an inability to conceive does not make something impossible. Instead, it is our arrogance that restrains us from embracing the truth that there are things that we cannot conceive of that will become reality, and our willingness to accept that truth will impact our ability to ultimately benefit from it.
Fortunately, God has never troubled himself with the idea that He should only do the things that we can conceive of and understand. As the omniscient God, His plans far outstrip our ability to conceive. What God asks of us is to trust Him, accepting that He will always be the smartest in every room that exists, and that even the height of our brilliance is below his lowest folly. So please, don’t fool yourself by thinking that reality is somehow constrained by what you can imagine. Inconceivable is only our way of describing our personal limitations, and there will be a day when God lifts that veil and allows us to see beyond. All we need to do is allow for that act to be conceivable!
Peace and blessings – Pastor Aaron