The Invitation/ Prepared/ Maturing in Christ

God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways

Isa 55:7-9 November 17, 2015

We mouth it all the time in church: “God’s ways are not man’s ways”. But do we expect and allow for his unimaginable and marvelous ways to surface and take precedence over our ways, or do we still expect that God ought to do things the way we think is fair, just, and good?

“Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isa. 55:7-9

We ought to forsake our own ways and our own thoughts and listen for Jesus’ voice because He is “the Way, the Truth and the Life”. John 14:6

Jesus said of the faithless, “Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God”. Luke 16:15

Let God deliver us from our own ways and thoughts, let our minds be washed by the water of the word. Remember and believe it, “that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” God’s ways are higher than ours and we cannot see them. Who would have thought to save man from sin by sacrificing his only son in place of the condemned? Only God could have thought of such a perfect plan and so it is with all of his unthinkable ways. They are beyond our comprehension.

Step Into THE LIGHT…
Our journey starts with being born-again and we soon realize we have born the indignation of the Lord because we have sinned against him. Christ has stood up for us and plead our cause with power because He performed ultimate love when he shed His holy blood on the cross for us. When we accept His appeal and our stay of sentence, He brings us into the light where we can see and live in His righteousness. We no longer have to wrestle with the frustration and guilt of our own ever failing, impotent ‘righteousness’. We are able and free, free to live a life that pleases God because we can walk in His righteousness by the Spirit. The prophet Micah saw this power and grace coming. He saw its promise in and for his own life. “I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me.” Micah 7:9 He will acquit us so we may turn from our unholy works and our vain trust in Flesh.

“…He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.” We can step out of the night of our soulish life, and step into the light of His Spirit. His Word and the right paths in which to make our way, to walk and even to breathe the spiritual breath of life are now wide open and laid clear before us. Micah had not only sought the righteousness of God, he believed in the righteousness of God, had seen it and made it his dwelling place and was saved. He was spared the imprisonment of the cares of this world, including having them become a ruling force in his sojourn and his daily struggles of life.