The God of the impossible

This bare statement of fact is true on two levels. It is true on the level of generality. Nothing is really too hard for God. What we figure are impossibilities are nothing of the sort to God. We can too easily fall into the trap of seeing God as a mere projection of our own selves and thus assume he is subject to limitations. Of course he is in a way. God can’t deny himself. He can’t cease to be God. This verse doesn’t teach God can do everything, rather that he can do things which humans cannot do or cannot imagine.

It is good to live life in this context. We can be overwhelmed by problems or obstacles and feel that God is on the sidelines wringing his hands helplessly. We can conclude some things are beyond him even if he is generally powerful and good. This in effect means that our circumstances overshadow God, and our circumstances thwart the God who made heaven and earth. Which doesn’t make a lot of sense. Nor does it lead to security and confidence.

And yet this verse appears in a particular historical context. Jeremiah was told to buy some land in Judah just as God seemed to be telling him that Judah was to be overthrown by the Babylonians. A bit like us being urged to invest heavily in the share market even as its value plunges. The purchase of the land was a sign of the fact that God hadn’t abandoned Judah. It had a future beyond this present catastrophe.

We can make that sort of faith gesture too. When things seem against us, we can take steps or make decisions that acknowledge the troubles will pass. We can do this not because we are optimists or because such acts might cheer us up. We can do this because our God can win victory out of defeat and security out of chaos. Such faith is possible because our God is the God of the impossible.

Blessings
David Reay