Hoekstra's Day by Day by Grace (July 5th)

God's Ability and His Promises

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 our present verses, 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]?"