God's power can carry out God's will.
"All that Jehovah willeth he hath done." Observe the contrast with idols. If it were conceivable that they had the power to will, it is manifest that they have not the power to carry out, or execute, their will. Observe the contrast with men. They, undoubtedly, have the power to will, but the inability to perform oppresses them continually. "I would, but cannot," is the constant cry of man's feebleness. But a limitation on God's power to execute what he wills is inconceivable; and if we could conceive it, we should find we had lost all worthy ideas of God. "With God all things are possible" that are not ridiculous in the statement. Calvin says, "The specification of Jehovah's doings according to his pleasure, in heaven, earth, sea, and all deep places, puts before us in a graphic manner his particular care always and everywhere."
I. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN GOD'S WILL AND GOD'S POWER. That can be seen in all the three spheres of God's relations.
1. In the material world of things. It always was, and it always is, true that "he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood forth?" Laws in their working may seem to cross other laws; but they cannot hinder the outworking of what God wills.
2. In the world of people. God "doeth as he wills among the armies of heaven, and inhabitants of the earth."
3. In the spiritual world. Because that world is so difficult to apprehend, the connection between God's will and power escapes our attention, though it is as sure as anywhere else.
II. THE HINDRANCES PUT IN THE WAY OF THE CONNECTION. They never come from things. The disturbances of nature are not real; they only represent human conceptions based on what is humanly observed. Tempests, earthquakes, etc; are in the Divine order. The hindrances can only come from intelligent creatures, to whom is entrusted a limited self-will. Man has this awful possibility given to him; he can come in between God's will and the carrying out of that will.
III. THE TRIUMPH OVER THE HINDRANCES. That must sometimes be accomplished by the putting forth of Divine power; but it is the marvel of Divine grace that it is usually done by persuading the human will, bringing it into full harmony with the Divine will, and so getting the man himself to take the hindrances out of the way.—R.T.