ISAIAH 55:6-11 – “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.””

THEME OF THE DAY: WHY WE TRUST HIS WAYS AND THOUGHTS.   Many of us may quote from memory a large portion of today’s scripture especially the words of the Lord – “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” I am sure we may look in our lives either past or present remembering how these truths became quite personal as the Lord took us down paths and through difficulties we would never lay out for ourselves.  We know by experience that His ways and thoughts are not our ways and thoughts.

This truth proves over and over to be of great comfort to us when life takes twists and turns we did not choose or imagine would happen. These providential actions from our Lord come with trials, tears, and testing.  They are painful, often confusing to us, and if not properly viewed will lead to discouragement, even depression. Another thing about His ways and thoughts if not seen correctly: they will lack comfort for us.

So, the way to embrace the truth God’s ways and thoughts are not ours, and to do so in a way we receive comfort and strength from them is to interpret them not by what we feel or see.  We must get our emotions out of the way and not let painful circumstances interpret God’s ways and thoughts.

All of God’s dealings with us flow from His character.  Everything He does is by His Word and out of His character.   If we learn to see God through Who He is, comfort will be ours.  Why? His ways are always wise, loving, good, holy, purposeful, and perfect.  His thoughts?  Always wise, loving, good, holy, purposeful, and perfect.  It is this truth of our God, our unchanging God, that prompts confidence in His ways and thoughts when we don’t understand His ways and thoughts.

PRAYER:  Lord, I praise You that Your ways and thoughts are always good, wise, loving, and holy.

REFLECTION: God’s ways and thoughts should be interpreted through the lens of His character.