Jehovah Himself asked this question of Abraham when Sarah laughed at the idea of her bearing a son to Abraham in their old age: "Is anything too hard for Jehovah?" Not long before, even Abraham, the "friend of God," had laughed momentarily at the same promise {Genesis 17:17), but both Abraham and Sarah came to believe in the promise and power of God, and their faith found its reward in fulfillment. (Hebrews 11:11.)

     Surely God is good, and perhaps most people who regard the Bible as in any sense a special revelation from. God believe that God is somehow righteous and true as well as loving and kind. No doubt all true Christians would profess to believe that God can do what He will, else He is not God at all.

     Yet in practice our foolish hearts are slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken. (Luke 24:25.) Assuming that God speaks to us through the Bible, can we really believe that He can and will do as He says?

     Victorious faith must believe not only in the truth of God but in the power of God - that nothing is too hard for Him.

Creating A Universe      First, then, let us accept the historical fact of Biblical revelation that it is not too hard for God to create a universe. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

     All the fanciful theories of evolution, of "science falsely so-called" {I Timothy 6:20), cannot stand against the simple record of God's word.

     "By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. . . . He spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast." {Psalm 33:6-9.)

     Ignorant theorists may speculate of eternal matter or chaos, but "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." (Hebrews 11:3.)

     Let fools who will imagine that the universe is an accident or a series of accidents, a product of blind chance. Let us be assured that for the God of the Bible it was not too hard to create the heavens and the earth - and that without consulting puny men of a race not yet created.

Preserving and Destroying      God the Creator, also preserves or destroys His own creation according to His own will. It is not too hard for God to destroy a world with flood or flre; it is not too hard for Him to preserve it so long as He will.

     "By the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." (II Peter 3:5-7.)

     Man may make machines and systems that get out of his control, but not so with God. He Is in perfect control of His creation. He "worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." (Ephesians 1:11.)

     "See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand." (Deuteronomy 32:39.)

Overcoming Natural Law      Beholding the natural order of things and events in God's creation, men infatuated with their own conceit suppose that nature's God must be a slave to nature, limited as man is in his knowledge of nature, so that he is forever discovering new "laws" and reformulating old ones, he would fain reduce God to the level of human ignorance and weakness.

     It is not too hard for God to overrule the "laws of nature," introducing higher laws of His own will. Things impossible with men are possible with God. And so Abraham against hope believed in, hope," replacing his and Sarah's doubtful laughter with joyful faith.

"And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when, he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded, that what he had promised, he was able also to perform." (Romans 4:19-21.)

Defeating His Enemies      It is not too hard for God to defeat His enemies, including the Devil, all the demons, and wicked men. No concentration or union of evil powers can stand before Him. The conflict between good and evil is very real, but there is no doubt of the outcome.

     "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven," said Jesus. (Luke 10:18.) This same Jesus was crucified, buried, and raised from the dead; and now "He must reign, till he hath put all eiemies under his feet." (I Corinthians 13:25.)

     King, Dictator, Pope, Beast, or Devil; rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief: every enemy of God must one day bow before Him. It is not too hard for God to bring them low.

Punishing the Wicked      In fact, no creature can interpose any difficulty to prevent God from accomplishing His own will and purpose. Only God's own holy, character makes it impossible for God to do anything wrong. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Genesis 18:25.)

     So it is no cause outside Himself, but His own inherent truthfulness, that makes it impossible for God to lie, (Hebrews 6:18; Titus 1:2.)

     Likewise, the only obstacle in the way of the punishment of the wicked is the benevolence of God. He has "no pleasure in, the death of the wicked." (Ezekiel 33:11.)

     But presumptuous sinners are wrong when they imagine that God is "too good" or "too merciful" or "too loving" to punish the wicked. He is too just, too righteous, too truthful, to do otherwise than execute His appointed judgments.

     From one point of view God is "not willing that any should perish" (II Peter 3:9), but rebels against Him who presume on His goodness will eventually learn that it is not too hard for God to "do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act" of judgment. (Isaiah 28:21.)

     No, it is not too hard for God to punish the wicked in hell, unpleasant duty as it is. He has provided the alternative of mercy through His Son, but sinners who persist in their sins and insist on receiving divine justice will find that it is not too hard for God to give them the everlasting punishment in hell that their sins deserve. It is not too hard for God to "render to every man according to his deeds." (Romans 2:6.)

Saving and Keeping      A happier thought is the glorious truth that it is not too hard for God to save lost sinners, to keep them saved through the trials and troubles of this present life, and to complete their salvation in a better life to come.

     Oh it is hard, too hard for men! On the divine side it cost the precious blood of Christ, "Whom God set forth as a propitiation through faith in his blood for an indication of his righteousness because of the passing by in the forbearance of God of the earlier sins, in accord with the indication of his righteousness in the present time, for him to be just and justifying the believer in Jesus." (Romans 3:25, 26, improved translation.)

     Even on the side of human experience in appropriating the salvation, provided by divine grace, it is still too hard for men without special help from God. So when Jesus remarked to His disciples that it was "easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God,"
"They were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible." (Mark 10:25-27.)

     Nor is it too hard for God to continue' and complete the salvation of every one of His children. "I know whom I have believed," said Paul, "and am persuaded, that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." II Timothy 1:12.)

Chastisement      Surely God is grieved over the necessity of chastening His own dear children, but even this is not too hard for Him. "Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."

     Earthly parents correct their children, according to their own pleasure, but when God chastises His children it is "for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness." (Hebrews 12:5-11.)

     It is not too hard for God to continue this chastisement to the extent of taking the life of His people when they will not repent. So we read:

"In that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink: for tomorrow we shall die. And it was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of hosts, Surely this Iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord God of hosts." (Isaiah 22:12-14.)

Revival      Sometimes we find situations where it seems easier to persuade lost sinners to trust the Lord for salvation than to persuade God's own people to turn from their backslidings in spiritual revival. Yet it is not too hard for God to revive His work in the hearts of His children, to heal their backslidings, to renew their faithfulness and zeal in His service.

     It is not too hard for God: the difficulty can be only in ourselves. God Who created us, Who has preserved us so far in life, Who makes all things work together for our good, Who has assured defeat for His enemies and ours, Who will surely punish the wicked, but Who has saved us with an everlasting salvation, God Who in faithfulness has afflicted us for our instruction and correction - this same God can really revive even us if we will but believe. Even this is not too hard for God.

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[From Ashland Avenue Baptist paper, May 12, 1972. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]

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