Nothing Is Too Hard || Jeremiah 32:17 || Manna for the Mind #80

Welcome to Day 80 of the “Manna for the Mind” devotional series! This series is about taking scripture passages (typically 1-3 verses) and building our understanding of their teachings through their context and connecting scripture. I believe that doing this helps us understand how to be the type of human that God created us to be.

Today’s passage is Jeremiah 32:17, which guides our discussion about what is too hard for God.

Jeremiah 32:17

17         “O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!”

What does the word “hard” mean in Jeremiah’s context? Other translations use the word “difficult,” which is the Hebrew verb pala (paw-law’), meaning something surpassing or extraordinary. In Jeremiah’s context, it refers to something beyond one’s power. It comes from the word pele (peh’-leh), which means a wonder. It connects with our original words to describe a miracle or something marvelous or wonderful.

When we use this word in our focus verse, Jeremiah states that there is nothing in the world that is outside of God’s power. God can do everything. Every miracle is possible with God. Every wonderful thing in the world is possible with God. We often see this concept compared to God’s ability to create the skies and the earth. No human power can do this, and we are still dissecting today through various scientific methods how the skies and the earth came to be as we know it. Ultimately, until we know something different that’s 100% valid and accurate, we understand that the creation story originated with God. If God can do that, God can transform our lives in ways we can’t even imagine.

Let’s talk about how we can apply this principle starting with Genesis 18:14.

Genesis 18:14

14         Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.

Sarah, Abraham’s wife, has been barren of children for many years. God promised Abraham that many descendants would come from his family line, but they could never have children. They even tried to force this process through Abraham sleeping with one of Sarah’s servants, Haggai. They are about 100 years old in Genesis 18, and these angelic messengers came to them to say that she will eventually have a son in one year. Sarah scoffed at the idea because of her age, but nothing was impossible for God, and Isaac was born.

The question posited in this verse reveals a lot about God. It’s a question that we should actually reflect on daily when it comes to our needs. “Is this day in my life too hard for God?” “Is this habit I’m trying to break too hard for God?” Is this communication problem too hard for God?” Because we have the Holy Spirit living within us, we can ask this question with some understanding. Most often, the answer to the question is no. The day we’re having, which can be the worst, is not too hard for God to deal with. The habit that has crippled us in some way is not too hard for God to break. The problems we’re facing in our relationships are not too hard for God to work through. Knowing that God is with us in these struggles brings comfort and reassurance. I’ve been working at adding new routines into my life to help take care of myself, and this question, since I’ve studied for today’s devotional, has been the foundation for how I approach it.

Father God, we thank you for the sheer fact that nothing is too impossible for you. The world often feels overwhelming, and how we need to function within it doesn’t exist, but you provide a way. Your ways are light and easy to handle. Your wisdom guides us and enlightens our path. Please help us re-center and re-frame our thoughts so that we can think the way we think and do things the way we do them. It’s in your name, we pray. Amen.