Speaking Of Life 1025 | Hinder

Greg Williams

Have you ever been hindered by something? It’s kind of a funny sounding word, hinder. What does hinder mean? It means to slow down or make difficult the progress of something or someone – to hold someone or something back.

I have been hindered by weather on many occasions by lightning storms interfering with the scheduled takeoff. Road construction is a regular hinderance when driving around most of the bigger cities. A spider in the bathtub can hinder some from cleaning the bathroom, especially if arachnophobia plays a part

We can be hindered by many things. We can even be a hinderance to others as we get in the way of their promotion, or we drive too slow in the fast lane causing someone to be late to an appointment. Sometimes it’s even a power-kick to hinder someone.

But what about God? Can anything hinder him? Can anyone or anything hinder God and keep Him from doing what he is going to do? Is it possible our attitude, stubbornness or sin could keep him from fulfilling His will? The answer is no, not at all.

In the book of Acts God gave Peter a vision, making it clear that his desire is to draw all people to himself– Jews and Gentiles, slave and free, male and female.

Peter shares the revelation that through Jesus there is nothing that can hinder all people from being in relationship with God. This truth was revolutionary. In the cultural climate of the time it was not believed that Gentiles could be called in the same way.

Notice the account when Peter went to the Roman centurion’s home to proclaim this good news and share what God had given to him:

 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus

Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?” When they (the other disciples) heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, “Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.” (Acts 11:15-18 NRSV)

It was and still is God’s intention to call all people to himself. Peter was among the first to realize that nothing can hinder God from what he desires and intends to do.

What hinders you?

There’s probably a few things that come to mind immediately.

What hinders God?

Nothing.

And for that we can be thankful. For nothing can hinder the love of Father, Son and Spirit towards us all. That is good news, indeed.

I am Greg Williams, speaking of life.