Wednesday: HIS THOUGHTS ARE HIGHER

Apr 19, 2023
2 min read

Isaiah 55:6-13

6 Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares

the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.”

No matter my situation, my purpose in life is to seek the Lord. My primary motivation for seeking Him is to find Him. When I call on Him, I know that He is near.

The “wicked” are referred as those who are not seeking Him—they are sinners who have not had their sins forgiven, and are seen as guilty. They are encouraged to forsake, or turn from, their ways and their thoughts, and instead to turn to the Lord, to gain mercy and a pardon from their sin. This isn’t the way that I normally think, and the Lord reminds me that His thoughts are not my thoughts, and my ways are not His ways. Not only does He think on another level, but His thoughts are the only ones that matter.

THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS

God compares the word that goes out from His mouth to rain and snow that waters the earth and produces bread and seed. The Scriptures are His words and will not return to Him empty. His word will accomplish what He desires and achieves the purpose for which He sends it.

His purpose includes going out with joy and being led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills proclaim the word of the Lord by bursting into song, and the trees of the field will participate by “clapping their hands.”

Do I give God’s word enough credit for such a magnificent display? Do I give God’s thoughts enough credit for taking priority over my thoughts?

Lord, thank You for teaching me about Your thoughts! My thoughts brought sin; Your thoughts brough forgiveness of my sin and my salvation. May You be praised!

May you be blessed,

Chaplain Wayne Ruckman