Impossible Is God’s Playground

“Why should I hope in the LORD any longer?” – 2 Kings 7.2, NRSV

The Aramean army had marched up and laid siege to Samaria (2 Kings 6.24), which resulted in a great famine. The people were being starved to death by the Arameans. “As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, “My lord the king, help!” (2 Kings 6.26, CSB). His response to her was, “If the LORD doesn’t help you, where can I get help for you?” (2 Kings 6.27, CSB) Things were bad. Their survival seemed impossible. When the king of Israel saw how bad things had gotten, he moved into irrationality, wanting to kill Elisha, the man of God (2 Kings 6.31) as if this would fix anything. As I first read that, I didn’t understand his thinking. It seemed so random. Maybe the king blamed Elisha for a missed opportunity to damage the Aramean army earlier in 2 Kings 6 when God protected Elisha from the army by blinding them (2 Kings 6.8-23). Instead of killing the army, Elisha told the king to show mercy, give them food and water, and then let them go. And while this may be true, because Scripture doesn’t explicitly say, maybe it was less about Elisha and more about who Elisha represented. 

Look at the king’s words to Elisha, “This trouble is from the LORD! Why should I hope in the LORD any longer?” (2 Kings 6.33, NRSV). Elisha is referred to over and over in 2 Kings as “the man of God.” Elisha spoke on behalf of the God of Armies, who could step in to defend Israel with horses and chariots of fire (2 Kings 6.17). But he wasn’t stepping in to help. And so, what if the king’s murderous plot against Elisha was more about the king’s anger toward God? In either case, the king had lost hope. And I’m convinced the king had lost hope because he had lost sight of God. What about you?

The word of the Lord came to the prophet Jeremiah some time after all of this. Through the prophet, God said, “Look, I am the LORD, the God over every creature. Is anything too difficult for me?” (Jeremiah 32.27, CSB). How do you answer that question? Has this season of suffering caused you to lose sight of God? Has your faith been shaken so much because of how it seems like he has not stepped in to help you? Have you lost hope? If so, I want to remind you of something God has reminded me of many times through the impossible parts of my journey with him.

Impossible is God’s playground.

Some reading this may say, “Bumper sticker theology won’t fix this.” I couldn’t agree more with you. I’m so sorry if it comes across that way. That is not my intention. However, with that simple statement, my heart desires not to put a nice band-aid on your wounds and pretend that things are all better, but to remind you that nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1.37). Nothing. 

“Then why doesn’t he help me?” you might say. I know that I’ve thought that very same thing over the years. But I’ve also been reminded that God’s help is not determined by my idea of how he should help. Instead, God helps based on what he deems best for us. God’s help may not start with fixing the problem immediately because he has something greater in mind that requires bringing us through the problem instead of moving it. But God will give us what is needed to continue walking with him through it. “For I am the LORD your God, who holds your right hand, who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.” (Isaiah 41.13, CSB)

My prayer is that this reminder, that the impossible is God’s playground, may help you in some way to turn back toward trusting the God of Angel Armies. I pray that you’ve been able to slow down while reading this and breathe deeply as you experience the peace of God flooding your mind as the Holy Spirit ministers to you. I pray that hopelessness would be driven far from you as you hold on with an unwavering trust in God’s ability because you are convinced that the impossible is God’s playground. And I pray that these words from the book of Isaiah will minister to you as the Lord reminds you of who he is and that he does help you.

“To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God”? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” – Isaiah 40.25-31, NIV (emphasis added)

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