Nothing Is Too Hard 

by Lt. Colonel Steven Ashcraft 

As I shut the car door that morning, something inside told me I would not be disappointed. Driving up the road and getting closer to the mountains of Vermont, there it was in all its splendor. Vibrant reds, oranges, golds, and yellows lined the sides of the road. The bright sun shone in the pale blue sky, illuminating the brilliant colors. Quaint shops were decorated with pumpkins and cornstalks. The bodies of water reflected the beauty of the autumn tapestry that surrounded me. I got out of my car and began snapping photos to somehow capture the beauty, but pictures couldn't do it justice. I couldn't help but marvel at God's handiwork. 

In the midst of it all, God called to my mind a verse of Scripture found in Jeremiah 32:17 (ESV): "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."  

Have you ever stopped to consider the sheer magnitude of this claim? The earth in all its beauty, the countless stars that line the evening skies, the brilliance of the autumn season, are all the handiwork of our good God. This verse invites us to consider that if God has such mighty power over Creation, what does it mean for the challenges that you and I face in our lives? 

The beauty of this passage not only declares God's ability to create and preserve the universe, but His willingness to come alongside us in our everyday lives. When this verse speaks about His outstretched arm, it signifies to us God's readiness and ability to intervene in our daily journeys with the same power with which He created the universe. This same God who orchestrated the Creation of the universe cares about the struggles and strivings of our everyday lives. This should bring us such peace and comfort as we navigate our journey through this life. The awesome fact that there is nothing beyond God's reach or ability, that He is there in our everyday lives guiding us with His love and might, should arouse in us this sense of awe and gratitude. 

Someone once wrote, "Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale." Take some time to just reflect on the beauty that surrounds you and know that you can live in peace because that same power that brought this beautiful Creation into being is the same power that works on your behalf. We can enjoy this journey for we are upheld by the hand of our powerful God.