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Hoekstra: God’s Ability and His Promises

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This blog post is based on Bob Hoekstra’s popular devotional Day By Day By Grace. For previous posts in this series, click here.

Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth…There is nothing too hard for You…” Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:17, 27)

In recent days, we have meditated upon many of the strategic promises of God. When considering promises, the ability of the one making the promises is a vital concern. If we examine God’s ability and His promises with an open heart, growth in faith will always be the result. In the passage above, God’s promise-keeping ability is assured by His role in creation and by His rule over mankind.

How able is God to fulfill His promises? Jeremiah answers this by confessing God as the creator of the universe. “Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.” Because God was able to create everything, we can be assured He is able to do what He promises. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). He was able to do this merely by His spoken word. “God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light” …”Then God said, ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters’…and it was so” (Genesis 1:3, 6-7). The Psalmist understood the proper response to such a great God. “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth…Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalm 33:6, 8-9). When our God, the Creator of heaven and earth, speaks forth His promises, we should bow before Him and say with Jeremiah, “There is nothing too hard for You.”

Our confidence in God’s ability to keep His promises is further strengthened by His rhetorical question addressed to Jeremiah. “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” Our God not only created the universe, He is the ruler of all humanity. The Psalmist also saw this truth. “The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations” (Psalm 33:10-11). When our God, the ruler of all nations, addresses His promises to us, we can respond rhetorically, “Is there anything too hard for [Him]?”

Ah, Lord God, You are the creator of all the universe, and You are the ruler of all mankind. Surely, You are able to do everything that You have ever promised. Nothing is too difficult for you!

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Comments

  1. Ah, the rhetorical question! There is always a bit of sarcasm, cynicism, let’s say a “poor” or “negative” attitude and some can find humor in the rhetorical question also when we expose and examine ourselves with them – (expose and examine ourselves, a prerequisite for life following Yeshua, Hbr 4:12 HNV, (my life verse), no “hurt feelings” allowed in this realm). If we have to be convinced of “God’s promise-keeping ability” with all creation in front of us? Wouldn’t we then have to wonder about ourselves and just who it is we say we are calling upon? Would we be calling on HIM or ourselves? Seems to me at least like a logical question to ask (hint, “HE” is the answer as proven by the Resurrection).

    Is not the sight of all creation enough to convince and believe?? (Rhetorical question – obvious answer – YES). Must HE convince by “promise-keeping” so “we” can have what “we” are promised and “our” own way? Now comes the but – But HE is so Gracious and Longsuffering that HE continues to wait silently like a LAMB to the slaughter, like HE did before Pilate (study Jesus conversations with Pilate in all four Good News accounts) while we ask stupid and obvious questions, while we look for “proofs”, that HE does convince us by other means. Thank HIM for HIS faithfulness – not our faithfulness – because we don’t have any, HE does it all. “a deep sleep fell upon Abram”, “a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.”, Gen 15 HNV.

    J.

  2. Num 23:19, Jhn 1:1-, Jhn 1:10-12

    When our God, the Creator of heaven and earth, speaks forth His promises, we should bow before Him and say with Jeremiah, “There is nothing too hard for You.”

    in all humility and gratefulness,

    your Breaux