If I ask you this question, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?", what would you answer?
Typically, a person who believes in the omnipotence of God would declare, "No, nothing is too hard for the Lord." Yet, in our everyday walk with the Lord, we do not act in accordance with our declarations, and often disbelieve and doubt the extent of God's power. Let us look at some incidents from the Bible.
Genesis 18: 10-14 Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent. And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?” And the LORD asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’ Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.”
The assumption that certain things are just too hard, even for God comes out as disbelief of God's power to be faithful to His promise, as revealed in Sarah's laughter. At times we think that the probability of the fulfilment of God's promise is a product of our ability and God's ability. If we assume that our ability is 0, we think that the product is 0 no matter what God is capable of doing. If this is the way we think, aren't we thinking that we have some innate ability apart from God? Sarah was hoping her reproductive organs would be able to conceive a child. When that didn't happen, and it was past the age of childbearing, she thought that God wouldn't be able to fulfil the promise unless she thinks of an alternate way. Just like faith exhibits itself in godly works, disbelief too exhibits itself in worldly works. Sarah's disbelief made her suggest alternate ways of having a child, an alternate way that is humanly possible. Let us think of our own lives now. In what area of your life are you thinking it is impossible to God to work out a change? Consider how the disbelief manifests in your life.
Numbers 11: 21-23 But Moses replied, “Here I am among 600,000 men on foot, yet You say, ‘I will give them meat, and they will eat for a month.’ If all our flocks and herds were slaughtered for them, would they have enough? Or if all the fish in the sea were caught for them, would they have enough?” The LORD answered Moses, “Is the LORD’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not My word will come to pass.”
In this case, the assumption that certain things are just too hard for God comes out as frustration in trying to work out God's plan with human strength. Hudson Taylor is known to have said, "God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply. He is too wise a God to frustrate His purposes for lack of funds, and He can just as easily supply them ahead of time as afterwards, and He much prefers doing so." In what area of your life are you trying to work out God's purposes with only human strength? Let us not forget that we need to love God with all our might (strength). Yet, the fulfilment of God's mission doesn't depend on the extent of our strengths. It depends only on God.
Jeremiah 32: 26-30,36,40,41 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me? Therefore this is what the LORD says: Behold, I am about to deliver this city into the hands of the Chaldeans and of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who will capture it. And the Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will come in, set it on fire, and burn it, along with the houses of those who provoked Me to anger by burning incense to Baal on their rooftops and by pouring out drink offerings to other gods. For the children of Israel and of Judah have done nothing but evil in My sight from their youth; indeed, they have done nothing but provoke Me to anger by the work of their hands, declares the LORD. Now therefore, about this city of which you say, ‘It will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword and famine and plague,’ this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never turn away from doing good to them, and I will put My fear in their hearts, so that they will never turn away from Me. Yes, I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.
Even among things which we consider difficult for the Lord, there are things which we consider slightly difficult - like miraculously providing food for the Israelites in the wilderness or causing Sarah to have a child. But, what we tend to consider most difficult for God is - causing a change of heart. The assumption that certain things are just too hard for God comes out as hopelessness. Have we thought of us or any of our loved ones are beyond hope? No one who has the breath of God in them is beyond hope.
Zechariah 8:3,6 This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of Hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.” This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “If this is impossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be impossible in My eyes?” declares the LORD of Hosts.
We too look at our communities, our nation or our churches and wonder how on earth there could be any restoration of these terribly fallen structures. We are too quick to give up. Too quick to say its impossible. We deem truth and holiness as ideals that cannot be reached by our communities in this culture and times, and we wouldn't even want to try. The assumption that certain things are just too hard for God comes out as apathy or refusal to do God's work! God is asking us today whether we consider it impossible for God to cause a revival in our land. If we truly believe that all things are possible for our God, we would not give up, we would be on our knees.
Matthew 19:23-26 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Whoever it may be, it is possible for God to work in the lives of people of all possible financial, social, educational, or religious standings. It is possible for God to work His purpose out in our lives. He who began the good work in you is faithful to complete it. So today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts in unbelief, frustrations, apathy, and hopelessness. For, nothing is too difficult for our God.
Link to the previous article: Who do you say I am? Link to the next article: What profit is it to gain the whole world and lose your soul?
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