God’s ways are higher than our ways

Sunday service, Albu van Eeden, 22 Jan 2017

Is 55:8 – 13
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.”

Thank God for our God. What would we have done without Him? He says as high as the heavens are above the earth so is His thoughts than ours. He is more holy than we are! He is more pure than we! He is more just than us! He is more faithful than us.
It says that there is a Friend who is closer than a brother (Prov 18:24). He is more selfless than us. He is more wise than us. He has better intentions than we do.

He is above us as the heavens are above the earth. The relationship between parent and child is one of the most unselfish relationships in this world, yet His thoughts for us is even above the thoughts of a loving parent towards his child.

There is not a spec of darkness in God.

But when God comes and strikes us and for example takes a loved one from us, we can be assured that He does it in love and still has the best intentions towards us.
But He is God and His ways are above our ways.

His solutions to our problems are so different to what we think it should be. There is no crises that you or I can experience that is too great for God to handle.

But what is man’s biggest problem? It’s the problem of the ages – sin.
There was a man who was severely disabled, with a hunchback. He was mocked as a child. As he grew up people avoided him. He had no friends and had no future. No one would ever want to marry him. He was in constant pain. One day he decided he had had enough and decided to climb a high mountain and commit suicide. But as he climbed the mountain he met a beautiful girl who also wanted to commit suicide. He asked her what her problem was and she shared with him that she could marry almost any man she wanted because of her beauty. But twice her heart was broken. The last one she was engaged to she was greatly in love with. But before the wedding he just left. Her whole world was shattered and she decided to end it all. So they climbed together. On the way they met another man. They asked him why he was climbing the mountain. He answered that he was a police man looking for a notorious criminal on the mountain. This criminal had six fingers on his right hand. So they climbed together. High up the mountain there was a church. The leader of the congregation was on fire for God, having only shortly before become a Christian and was the new preacher of the congregation. He was the most blessed minister they had. This minister came to greet them and they could immediately see why he was so beloved. They were struck with great respect for him. The custom in that country was to kneel before one you respect and kiss the hand. As the girl knelt and kissed his hand she noticed he had six fingers on his right hand! And this story stop right there.

The biggest problem we have is our sin! God knows how to deal with our biggest problem, our sin. When Jesus was born it was said that He will save His people from their sins (Matt 1:21)!

Have you been saved from your sins? Have you ever experienced Jesus working that miracle in your life. Have you seen your six fingers from which you must be saved. Your lust and anger and jealousy that’s taking you to hell! Your pride and arrogance? Have you seen your sin and experienced the love of God, that although He saw your wickedness He was willing to die in your place! It will immediately put life in the right perspective.

You might be sick and experience pain, but the joy of knowing your name is written in heaven surpasses all. When the disciples returned to Jesus, they rejoiced because the demons submitted to them, but Jesus said to them that they should rather rejoice that their names were written in heaven. What is important to us aren’t always so important to God.

The girl in the story above had an emotional hurt and wanted to commit suicide. But if you have God’s perspective that won’t be the most important to you.

A woman was sent to the mission with severe depression by a certain doctor. No treatment helped. She was counseled to be quiet before God and pray that God would speak to her if there be anything in her life that causes the depression. For three days she just stayed in her room. When she was asked if God had spoken to her about anything, she said there was only one thing. She couldn’t forgive her brother in law. Her sister was a blessing to the whole family. Her husband came home one day, took his gun, shot her sister, their two children, poured petrol on the house and set it alight and shot himself. She was told that she would only find freedom if she let go of that grudge and forgive him. She was prayed for and left two days later. A month later she phoned with great joy that her depression was gone. The doctor was amazed when he saw her. He asked her what medicine she was given that changed her completely!

Some when they have emotional hurts even consult the dead and commit great sin.

Blessed is the person who have learnt to trust God when they experience hurt.

Nothing happens without the word going from God’s mouth. Think of Job. He lost all his children, his wealth and health. But it came from God’s mouth. He permitted it.

Our hearts are sore because of Kjell’s death. But if we think of where he is it is much better. As we read in the last two verses:
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.”

Can we ask for anything better for our lives? One can only pray that one’s own life will bring the same blessing, an everlasting sign of God’s power and love. Every sinner washed and cleansed by Jesus is an everlasting sign of His power and love. It’s a letter written of God’s power and love.

We must see things from God’s perspective.

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