Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” This episode is about how we don't think like God and that can be frustrating for us. Also, it can mean we don't understand why He does the things that He does. However, we need to trust that He knows what He is doing. Music:"Adding the Sun" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Trust Him
Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
This is a verse that can bring us comfort in difficult times. It is also one that can be frustrating at times. It can be frustrating when our thoughts don’t match up with God’s thoughts. Sometimes we have no idea what God is thinking. His ways don’t make sense to us. We pray for our loved one to be cured, and then they pass away. How does that make sense? I thought if I asked God he would answer? I thought according to John 14:13, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” If Jesus said He will do whatever we ask in His name, why did my loved one die? These are questions that many of us find ourselves asking in a difficult time. When I have asked them the answer I have received has been that God did cure my loved one because there is no sickness in heaven. Also, the Lord always points be back to this verse.
His ways are higher than our ways. That may be frustrating at times, but most of the time I find it very comforting. I don’t have to worry that my future is in the hands of someone that thinks like we do. Not that our thinking it bad, but it is limited. God’s scope is limitless. He can see around every bend, twist, and turn in your life. He can anticipate every move you are going to make. This can be frustrating too because you don’t know all those twists and turns. He may be working one thing in your life and it makes not sense to you at all. Yet, in five years when you need to cross a bridge and you only have the strength to do it because of that thing that you did 5 years ago, it all makes sense. Well, actually, it only makes sense if you are looking for ways that it makes sense. If you are able to take the time to self reflect, then it will all make sense one day.
The thing that got me thinking of God’s ways not always making sense was the first reading at the daily Mass on Wednesday. It was from 2 Maccabees 7:1, 20-32, which I know will not be in everyone’s bible. If it is not in your Bible, do a quick google search and you will be able to read the whole story. I won’t read the whole thing to you here, but I do suggest you read it. Actually, the whole Maccabees book is a good one to read. In these verses it talks about a mother who had 7 sons. They were Jewish and the invading army was forcing the Jewish people to eat pork. She and her sons refused and she had to watch all her sons be tortured and killed rather than go against the laws given to them by Moses. They were being faithful to God. They were refusing to compromise their beliefs, they were giving up their lives for God and yet, they still died. In our eyes, they were not saved.
However, God’s ways our higher than our ways, and He is not going to abandon His children. We don’t know what these men were saved from. Maybe they were saved from the fires of hell because if they compromised on this one thing, maybe they would have gotten so caught up in the new culture that they would have fallen away from the ways of the Lord. We don’t know. Maybe they were saved from having to live under the rule of this new authority? Maybe God was rewarding them for their faithfulness by taking them out of this broken world. We don’t know. We don’t know what God was thinking, but we do know that he knows more than we do and if He did, it was for a reason.
Do you remember the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? If you want to revisit this story it is in the Book of Daniel chapter 3. These 3 were Jewish and they were set over the affairs in the province of Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar built a giant statue out of gold and put out a mandate that everyone must bow to it. They refused and said they would only bow to the Lord our God. When they were confronted by Nebuchadnezzar and asked why they wouldn’t bow and told if they didn’t bow they would be put in the fiery furnace, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Can you imagine the bravery of these three men? Can you imagine their faith? They knew that the Lord our God could save them and they believed he would save them, and yet, they were prepared to die if He did not save them. They were definitely gifted with some holy boldness in order to be able to stand up to the king like that, and also to be willing to die instead of betraying their Lord, our Lord. I wonder if I would have the courage? I wonder how I would react? I remember having a discussion about Martyrs once with a friend. She was saying that it was crazy to give up your life if someone is threatening to kill you instead of just doing that one thing.
For instance, Saint Maria Goretti was stabbed to death because she refused to let a childhood friend force himself on her. My friend was saying that Maria didn't have to die. God would have forgiven her. He knew she didn’t want to do it. My friend said she couldn’t imagine that God would have wanted Maria to die. I understand what she is saying. God is always willing to forgive as long as we ask for it. The thing about Martyrs is, they don’t see a choice in this type of circumstance. They love the Lord so much and have devoted their life to Him and living with the thought that they betrayed Him, is not an option. Also, Saint Maria was not just thinking about herself in this instance. I don’t know if she was thinking about herself at all. What she kept saying in the movie was, “God doesn’t want you to do this.” She was concerned for her friends soul as well. She didn’t want him to cross that line and end up suffering in eternity for it.
Yes, I believe that God would have forgiven these men for eating pork instead of sacrificing their life for it. However, I also believe that their reward in heaven because of their sacrifice was so much greater than their suffering in the moment. I believe if Saint Maria Goretti would have not been able to resist, God would have continued to love her and favor her. However, because she was able to resist, God was able to use her sacrifice to save so many others that would not have been saved. Maria, was rushed to the hospital and before she died she forgave the kid that assaulted her. That kid went to jail and served his time. The whole time all he could think about is how she forgave him. He went on to become a priest. Saint Maria Goretti is a great example of forgiveness and because of her sacrifice, so many people have been able to forgive, have been able to know the love of God.
Do you see how God’s ways are higher than our ways? We don’t always understand His plan. Why did the mother have to watch her 7 sons die? Why didn’t God save them? Why didn’t He at least leave her one of them? Why didn’t he deliver them in a way that we think He should have. Why did he let Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego live? I guess I didn’t mention that earlier. In case you are not familiar with that story. King Nebuchadnezzar was so angry at their reply that he threw them into the fiery furnace, which he had ordered to make extra hot. After they were thrown in to the furnace the king looked in and he saw four people in the furnace not three and they were completely untouched by the fire. The Lord had sent his angel in there to protect them. When the king saw that they were untouched by the fire he called for them to come out of the fire and they walked right out. Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”
God sent an angel down to save these three, but he allowed the 7 sons to be tortured and killed. This can be hard to reconcile with because we don’t think like God thinks. I run into this thinking frequently, especially when it comes to people who are sick. I believe with all my being that God can cure any illness, even mental illness. I know he can. There isn’t a doubt in my mind. This means that I struggle when He doesn’t. We have a lot of conversations about it. I question Him a lot about it. I wonder if I am doing something wrong with my prayers. I wonder if I should be doing more. I wonder why I can’t heal this person. And there it is. I can’t heal anyone, only God can. Every time I have these discussions with the Lord, He always says the same thing. “My thoughts are greater than your thoughts, and my ways are better than your ways. Why are you doubting me? Why do you keep questioning me? I know what I am doing and I am doing what is best for everyone. Yes, it hurts sometimes but there is always a reason. I am your Father, you will not always like what I do, you won’t always agree with it, but it is what is best. Trust me.”
Wow, how can I argue with that. When you find yourself wondering what the heck God is thinking remember these words that he told me. Remember this verse, maybe write it down and remind yourself of it often if you are in a difficult place right now. God knows what He is doing. I know it is hard for us to see it and hard for us to even believe it sometimes. Trust Him. He has got you in the palm of His hands, just relax and let Him take care of you.
Dear Heavenly Father, I ask that you bless all those listening to this episode today. Lord, help us to understand that your ways are higher than our ways. Help us to trust that you know what you are doing and that you have a reason. Help us know believe with our whole being that you have our best interests at heart and if you are doing something then there will be something good that comes out of it. Help us to be ok with not knowing. Help us to not get lost in the questioning and the needing to know why. Give us reassurance that everything will all make sense one day, even if it is not until we join you in heaven. We love you so much and we thank you for all you do for us. We ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus’ holy name, Amen.
Thank you all for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. This week’s character trait is prayerful. How can we become more prayerful this week. I sent out and email last night to all those involved in this challenge. It is not too late to sign up if you want to join us for the second half of this challenge. There will be a link (CLICK HERE to register) in the show notes or you can email catherine@findingtruenorthcoaching.com The article I sent in the email last night is titled, 12 Practical Ways To Improve Your Prayer Life. I will put a link in the show notes. (CLICK HERE) I hope it will give you some great tips. I look forward to spending time with you tomorrow. Have a blessed day!