God’s Command
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Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon, published in “Mornings & Evenings,” entry for June 30th, PM.
Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2009.
“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” Jeremiah 32:17
When the Chaldeans surrounded Jerusalem, several hundred years before Christ, when war, famine, and pestilence desolated the land, the prophet Jeremiah was commanded by God to purchase a field.
This was a strange purchase for a rational man to make during wartime! It seemed highly unlikely that the purchaser would ever enjoy the possession, as it seemed certain to be taken in war or even destroyed in battle. But it was enough for Jeremiah that his God had spoken. He knew that God should not and cannot be ignored by His children.
Jeremiah replied to God’s command by saying: “Oh, Lord God! You can make this plot of ground fruitful. You can rid this land of these oppressors. You can make me sit patiently in your presence, because for You made the heavens and the earth, and there is nothing too hard for You!”
This trust in God gave a majesty to the early saints. They dared to do God’s commands, even things which common sense would condemn. Whether it was Noah who built a ship on dry land, Abraham who was told to offer up his only son, Moses who despised the treasures of Egypt, or Joshua who besieged Jericho seven days using only the blasts of rams’ horns as his weapon, they all acted on based on their trust in God.
The Lord gives a rich reward to those of obedient faith, so we should pray in these modern times for a potent infusion of this heroic faith in God. If we meditate more on the promises of God, we will enter a world of wonders which we are currently still strangers! Let Jeremiah’s reason for confidence be ours as well: Nothing is too hard for the God that created the heavens and the earth.
Question: Which of God’s commands do you find hardest to obey, and why?
About this Author: Charles Spurgeon
