Is there anything too difficult for the Lord?
God reminded me of this verse in Genesis today. The angel of the Lord was speaking with Abraham and promised that he and Sarah, his wife, would have a son. The angel hears Sarah in the tent laughing because she knows they are both too old to have children. The angel says, "Is anything too difficult or too wonderful for the LORD? Gen 18:14 (AMP)"
Is there anything too difficult or too wonderous or beyond what God can do? Of course, there is not. There are many days when I feel overwhelmed with my inability to make things right in my life. Like Paul, there are so many things I do, but do not want to do. I make wrong decisions, waste my time, give in to temptations, give in to fears and anxiety, resist how God is leading me, and on and on. Maybe other people are like this as well, but I am pretty much always aware of the spiritual journey I have been called to. Thats a good thing, but it also makes me feel like a failure most days because I always come up short. We all do, that's why God's provisioning power, his grace and his mercy are some of the most essential and beautiful gifts we have ever been given.
I see an army of mighty warrior marching in a column, moving forward, and stepping up to what God has called them to do. I see soldiers camped on the side of the road all along the way. They are always resting or building things or helping others, or stopping to build alters. There is always some purpose as to why they may have stopped and camped for a few days and then they move on. We are people of the alter and the tent. We do not stop to build cities or permanent dwelling places in this life. God's presence is our dwelling place. Too often I see myself camped alongside the road, sitting, learning against a rock tired or distracted or waiting for something. Then I realize I've been there long enough, and I need to get up and get moving again. Have you ever felt that way, like you're doing what God has for you to do, but you're doing it in your own time and partially in your own strength. It's almost as if we misuse the enduement of power we have been given to be about the Lord's business. It's a selfish act to keep power for our self and serve our self. Are we really allowing the power of God's Spirit to work through us as we should? We live like Israel did in synchronism with a blending of two or more belief systems. We're willing to follow the Lord, but we want to follow self as well.
I keep thinking about Eli's sons who would oversee the sacrifice of the animals. They would perform their duties and take meat that was allotted to the Levites, but then also take more for themselves. They would not take the meat boiled as God instructed but would insist it be roasted. We see this subtle shift many times in the scriptures. Paul asks the churches at Galatia why having begun in the Spirit; they are now finishing in the flesh? One of the worst things we can say is "That's good enough" or "I did more than most people I know". There is no "enough" in God's kingdom. This is not about earning our salvation, but would we ever say we had worshipped God enough?
Can we decide to get up now and get moving? Can we leave our own self will behind and trust the Lord with everything? Is there anything too difficult or too wonderful for our God? Self will fill your mind with excuses to stay where you are. The Holy Spirit will just keep saying, "is there anything too difficult for the Lord?" Self will tell you there is plenty of time to get up and do what God has for you to do. The Holy Spirit will just keep saying, "is there anything too difficult for the Lord?" Can we start our day facing the challenges and struggles and still declare the goodness of the Lord? Is there anything too difficult or too wonderous for the Lord?