Bible Reading: Isaiah 55:8-13
"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.
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,
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.
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.
Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
A Reflection
There are many things in life I don’t understand, brain surgery and astrophysics being just two of them, and the church describes marriage as holy mystery. Few married couple would disagree!
It seems with many things, that the more I understand, the more I realise that I don’t understand. The same is true of God. And actually, if I could understand God with my tiny, finite mind, he would hardly be worth worshipping. So I’m glad there is a lot I don’t understand! As God reminded the people through the prophet Isaiah, so he reminds us today, his ways are higher than our ways, and his thoughts are higher than our thoughts.
Prayer is as much about us tuning in to God’s thoughts as it is about us trying to tune God into our thoughts.
And just because we don’t understand everything, doesn’t mean that God is not sovereign. Even in these difficult times he will still send his rain to water the earth so that the plants will grow and yield a harvest which will in turn produce food for the hungry.
Isaiah says that God’s word has the same effect on our lives as water has on dry ground. Where in your life can you see God's word helping you to grow and bear fruit?
Where in your life do you need God to pour out his refreshing water of life? What might he be saying to you about that?
Isaiah concludes here with a beautiful promise. Can you take this as a promise to you for today and into the future?
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. Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.’
A Prayer
Father God, help me to understand you more each day, and when I don’t understand, give me the faith to trust you.
Amen
You shall go out with joy.
Comments