Hard Times part 2
Let me start with my memory verse. I don't usually like to, but it asks the question that I want to address today. "Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son" (Genesis 18:14). And there's really so much good stuff about this story of Abraham's promised child. About Sarah's womb being dead because she was so old (Romans 4:19). About how Abraham even tried to take a shortcut into his servant's tent in order to make the promise happen, but how God didn't need Abraham's help. It's such a rich story. So much there. And I like all that stuff. But my question is the same as God's question. "Is there anything too hard for Him?" The answer, of course, is no. How could anything be too hard for Him? The Creator of heaven and earth all of a sudden can't do what He says He's going to do? Nah, man. That's not anything. That's just us getting all worked up and thinking that WE have to do what HE wants us to do in our own power. Which is not the Divine Order of things. Which is not how God operates. We always say things like, "Before God made cows, He made grass." Which is to say that He always provides what is needed... before it is even needed. When God wanted Moses to speak for the people of Israel, and Moses said he wasn't good at talking... God gave Aaron as Moses's right hand man. It's not about ability. It's about availabilty. It's about being willing to move when God says move. That gives HIM the opportunity to move in you. And through you. And as you. And that is really, really important during hard times. Especially with the snapshot mentality that we seem to have so often. Where we think we're stuck wherever we're at right now... forever. Where we think "this is how it is, how's it's been, and how it will always be." But that's NOT the case. Tough times don't last. But tough people do. It came to pass, not to stay. We go THROUGH things, in order to get to where God wants us to be. In order to learn and grow. In order to be able to help others go through those same kinds of things we've been through. The important part, and what I'm really trying to say today, is... when we need God the most... that's when He shows up the best. We think, like, "Well, I've made my bed. Guess I have to lay in it." But we KNOW, "If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there" (Psalm 139:8). No matter where we go or what we do, God is there for us. He is there WITH us. And when we need Him--even if it's because we made a mess of ourselves--He's there. Nothing is too hard for Him. You haven't gone too far, or done too much. God is a stalker. He will never leave you nor forsake you. So when hard times come--and they will. Jesus said in this world we will have tribulation--we can be of good cheer. Because we've got an ace in the hole, if I can say it that way. We've got the power of love coursing through our veins. We've got everything we need in order not just to survive, but to thrive! To enjoy the gift of abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life that we've been given... by giving it away. By taking the good, the bad, and the ugly... and learning from all of it in order to be able to keep on keeping on. Nothing is too hard for God. God lives in you. That means nothing is too hard for you!