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.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)
These verses are well-known and often quoted. But do you know the context? Look at what the Lord speaks through His Prophet Isaiah just prior to this bold statement:
Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
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. (Isaiah 55:6-7)
Isaiah is imploring people to seek the Lord. He proclaims God’s mercy to the wicked; His forgiveness to the undeserving. And it is this outrageous grace that leads to Yahweh’s statement that “my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways”.
So true – for which of us make a habit of being merciful to those who are wicked to us? Or whom among us freely forgives those who sin against us? It’s a rare thing for us, yet business as usual for our Savior!
We can seek the Lord, forsake our wickedness, and turn to the Lord, because He is not like us. He sees past our current failures and into our hearts. He thinks about the precious child He lovingly created, and not about the most recent sin that we repent of.
Thank you Lord that your ways are not petty, but perfect. Thank you that your thoughts are not on retribution, but on mercy!
#LoveMatters