Sunday, September 14, 2014

My Thoughts and His Thoughts

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith 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."
The first time I came across these verses was probably in seminary as we studied the Old Testament. (Seminary is a daily gospel study class that members of our Church take during the four years of high school.)

For a long time--until fairly recently--I viewed these words as something of a put-down from the Lord. I interpreted them something like this: "Look: I'm God. I know what I'm doing. My ways are much better than yours. You don't know as much as me. Just do what I say." And on top of this interpretation, I seemed to hear or feel condescension or disdain. Like an older sibling trying to straighten out a younger. (I have 3 older brothers.) To some degree, I bristled at these verses. While I believed the Lord knew all and I didn't, the idea wasn't comfortable nor the position it put me in--being dependent on Him.

This could be a lesson about context--the 2 verses come across differently when you read them in context with the rest of the chapter. But it is more about the goodness of God. I no longer see these words as a challenge to my abilities or intelligence, but as an invitation from the Lord to rely on His omniscience so that I don't have to find out (usually the hard way) whether my way will suffice.

Why do I see it differently now? In part, because "my way" usually doesn't work. At least I've figured out that much. The next step is being willing to choose God's way.




- Forrest
Who is ready to watch some college football.




No comments:

Post a Comment