“Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.”
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”
John 11:38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
2 Chronicles 20:20 And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.”
Romans 4:20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Some things are hard for us to understand when concerning the power and might of God. A small child would say God can do anything, but as we grow older and become established in life we seem to lose this child like faith. God has not changed. He can do all things. Our thoughts change, life happens and we sometimes limit what God can do. There are examples of faith that I love to think about. In Daniel; Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[c] from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Their faith statement “God can and is able – but even if He doesn’t” Leaves room for God’s sovereign plan and purpose. The same was true the night Jesus was betrayed when He said – “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” Our faith is not a magic wand we shake out actions of God at our command. I don’t know why some faith prayers God answers and others He does not. Leaving it in His loving hands takes faith. Leaning not onto our own understanding takes faith. Trusting the outcome is in His plan and purpose takes faith. Our Creator has plans and purposes beyond out ability to know and we do well to trust in, rely on, and cling to His promises of love, grace, and mercy.
