Thursday, August 03, 2006

Post #200!!

I'm so thankful that God's ways are not our ways, neither are His thoughts our thoughts.

That is all. Feel free to expand on this concept or share what it means to you personally.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kristi said: "I'm so thankful that God's ways are not our ways, neither are His thoughts our thoughts."

And we have faith to guide us as a light and lamp unto our paths.

"By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going."
—Hebrews 11:8

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths."
—Proverbs 3:5-6

I think it took some maturation to help me understand the Lord's way with more clarity, and how all things are truly working together for good, for His flock.

It's ironic but I never fathomed the deeper significance of some simple Bible stories until my twenties such as Joseph and Jonah. I had to endure a little affliction myself. Suffering is the furnace of sanctification. As Charles Spurgeon said, "God gets His best soldiers in the highlands of affliction." Now, that I have got a few battle scars, some wounds, and occasionally I got my wounds salted which adds to their sting — I try and turn and see how providence can use my affliction for my betterment, and how I should respond to further trials and adversity in God's strength. I have frequently failed at that in the past.

John Murray wrote, "We might be tempted to ask whether God can build character without suffering. That is a hypothetical question. He has not chosen to do so. Young Joseph gave every indication that he was spoiled. He was not fit to be a leader. It took the pit and the prison and twenty-two years of preparation before he was ready to do the work God intended him to do. In the prison he was laid in irons (Psalm 105:18). Variant readings are ‘the iron entered into his soul’ and ‘his soul entered into iron’. It was more than Joseph’s flesh that felt the iron.

God prepares us as if there were no one else to prepare. A sculptor working at a piece of marble when asked: ‘what are you doing?’ replied, ‘I am chipping away everything that does not look like a horse’."


So, I am sure that I too, I'm so thankful that God's ways are not our ways, neither are His thoughts our thoughts. I might understand God's ways fully, or even see the necessity of them, but the King is sovereign and working things together in accordance with His perfect plan.

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."
—Romans 8:28

Anonymous said...

Before I meant to say, I might **NOT** understand God's ways fully, or even see the necessity of them...

Kristi B. said...

Thanks for sharing that, Ryan!

Tim Rice said...

How true a statement! My insight while growing is too limited, too small. God sees all - past, present, future - and sees beyond my small geographical views. And he understands us even though many times we don't understand ourselves.

Judy Romero said...

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