The Beauty of Imagination

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

Ephesians 3:20 NIV

            When my son was a small child, he always wanted to be able to fly. He would use his imagination and tie on the cape my mom had made him and pretend to fly. I feared one day I would see him sail off the roof of the house. Not a large jump but dangerous to say the least. He used to ask me, “Why doesn’t God make me fly?” and the conversation always ended with, “He will, but you need to put in some effort, pray, and believe”. My hope was he would someday, put in the effort and get a pilot’s license and fly to his hearts content. He just wanted to jump and fly, though. I think he imagined God giving him wings, or a “special” cape, not just a silly cloth one. The cape did serve as his superpower for a very long time, but it never allowed him to fly and it must not have been in God’s plan because he never did get his pilots license.

             It is encouraging to know God does allow us to fly, though. In fact, He is able to exceed all we can imagine, even beyond human comprehension. Ephesians 3:20 is our promise of this. It’s a promise which encourages believers to trust in God’s wisdom and timing even when circumstances seem challenging. In the season’s where we struggle to see God in anything, we can know He is working out everything, above and beyond our imagination.

 I wonder if my son ever felt as if he were flying when he was given the gift, and the height, to play basketball at a college level. He certainly was able to dunk the ball, which took some air time to accomplish. God certainly gave him the gift to play a game in which he excelled all through high school, but the plan took a different turn when he returned home from college after the first semester. God’s plan was about to show up in immeasurable ways with a new daughter following a few months later. God’s thoughts and ways described in this verse surpass human limitations. We can’t even begin to imagine how this scripture might help a 19-year-old feel like he was doing anything but failing but as I told him in his early years, “God will see you flying one day if you pray, put in effort and believe.” He couldn’t believe, suppose, or have faith anything would ever work out and his dreams of flying were put to the sideline.

            God is definitely able, because of His unlimited and great power, to accomplish above and beyond what we might imagine could happen in our lives. Now, my son who coaches high school girls’ basketball, soars to all heights when we witness the changes in the ability of girls from the beginning of the season to the end and the smiles it produces when they score. I am certain, he never imagined being able to help a teenage girl fly when he was wishing for it himself. As God’s mighty power always does, He has helped my son surpass all his expectations.

            God’s ability to do more than ever imagined is the central theme throughout Scripture. In Genesis 1 God creates the world and all that is in it. Definitely hard to grasp creation happening at all, it is certainly a miraculous event along with the parting of the Read Sea (Exodus 14) and the resurrection of Jesus (Matthew 28:1-10). Wow, this is more than I can even imagine and I am sure more than any Israelite could imagine.

 If you are having trouble believing there is a Power who can show Himself in ways we can never expect it’s because the human understanding has limitations and can’t visualize vastness of God’s provision. It reflects the idea that God’s plan and blessings exceed our prayers and thoughts. 1 Corinthians 2:9 shares, “But as it is written, What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived — God has prepared these things for those who love him” (CSB). All these things He has prepared for us are beyond human comprehension. Understanding these scriptures, though, will help encourage us to trust in God’s wisdom and timing, even when circumstances seem challenging.

            My son has now had the courage to interview for the head coaching position at the high school he attended and currently coaches. He has been given a team of girls who look up to him as the father figure many of them do not have. He has a desire to coach his kids as they begin to learn the game. His father’s heart, his compassionate emotions and his deepest desires are now being tugged at as God begins to show him the alignment with His heart. The human imagination cannot conceive the greatness of what God has in store, but if we continue to pray, believe, look for, and praise God, we will see the divine mysteries of God doing immeasurably more than we can ask or image.

            Now, I can watch my son fly as I sit on the sideline bleachers and see his passion, hear his encouragement, notice his brave countenance as he uses his God given, unimaginable skill, to lead young players to meet their unimagined potential in a game where they, too, may fly above the hoop to a slam dunk as the crowd goes wild.