Jeremiah 32:13-23: a reflection

13“I commanded Baruch before them, saying, 14the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Take these deeds, this deed of the purchase which is sealed, and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days.’ 15For the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel says: ‘Houses and fields and vineyards will yet again be bought in this land.’ 16Now after I had delivered the deed of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to the LORD, saying, 17“Ah Lord GOD! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for you. 18You show loving kindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them. The great, the mighty God, the LORD of Armies is your name: 19great in counsel, and mighty in work; whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of men, to give everyone according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings; 20who performed signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even to this day, both in Israel and among other men; and made yourself a name, as it is today; 21and brought your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, with wonders, with a strong hand, with an outstretched arm, and with great terror; 22and gave them this land, which you swore to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey. 23They came in and possessed it, but they didn’t obey your voice and didn’t walk in your law. They have done nothing of all that you commanded them to do. Therefore you have caused all this evil to come upon them.

As Jerusalem faces destruction, God has Jeremiah buy a field, a sign that houses and fields would yet be bought again in the land, that hope remained beyond the coming judgment. And Jeremiah, having done this strange act of hope, prays a prayer that anchors it: Ah Lord GOD! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for you. The ground of Jeremiah's hope, even as judgment loomed, was the truth that nothing is too hard for God, who made the heavens and the earth. The God of such power could surely fulfill his promise of restoration, however hopeless the circumstances looked.

Notice the truth that anchored Jeremiah's hope: nothing is too hard for God. He was buying a field in a land about to be devastated, an act that made no sense unless God could yet restore what was about to be destroyed. And Jeremiah grounds his hope in the greatness of God: the God who made the heavens and the earth, by whose power all things exist, can do anything; nothing is too hard for him. The circumstances looked hopeless, the promise of restoration impossible; but the God who made everything is not limited by our circumstances. Nothing is too hard for the God who made the heavens and the earth; his power is the ground of hope even when the situation looks impossible.

That is worth resting in, for nothing is too hard for God, and this is the ground of our hope. We face situations that look hopeless, promises of God that seem impossible given our circumstances, and we can despair; but Jeremiah anchored his hope in the truth that nothing is too hard for God, who made the heavens and the earth. The God of such power is not limited by our circumstances; nothing is too hard for him. When your situation looks hopeless and God's promise seems impossible, remember that nothing is too hard for the God who made the heavens and the earth. Anchor your hope in the truth that nothing is too hard for God, who made the heavens and the earth and is not limited by your circumstances, as Jeremiah prayed when he bought a field in a doomed land; for the God of such power can fulfill his promises however impossible they look, and nothing is too hard for him.

Lord, as Jerusalem faces destruction, you have Jeremiah buy a field, a sign that houses and fields would yet be bought again in the land, that hope remained beyond the coming judgment. And Jeremiah, having done this strange act of hope, prays a prayer that anchors it: Ah Lord GOD! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm; there is nothing too hard for you. The ground of Jeremiah's hope, even as judgment loomed, was the truth that nothing is too hard for you, who made the heavens and the earth. Show me the truth that anchored Jeremiah's hope: nothing is too hard for you. He was buying a field in a land about to be devastated, an act that made no sense unless you could yet restore what was about to be destroyed. And Jeremiah grounds his hope in your greatness: you who made the heavens and the earth can do anything; nothing is too hard for you. The circumstances looked hopeless, the promise of restoration impossible; but you who made everything are not limited by our circumstances. Take that to my heart, for nothing is too hard for you, and this is the ground of my hope. I face situations that look hopeless, promises of you that seem impossible given my circumstances, and I can despair; but Jeremiah anchored his hope in the truth that nothing is too hard for you. You are not limited by my circumstances. When my situation looks hopeless and your promise seems impossible, help me remember that nothing is too hard for you, who made the heavens and the earth, Lord. Help me anchor my hope in that truth, as Jeremiah prayed when he bought a field in a doomed land, for you can fulfill your promises however impossible they look.