“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the LORD.” Isaiah 55:8 (ESV).
I often think of this scripture. I need it written in my mind and on my heart, so I not only remember it, but live by it. But do I totally live this and trust in God, who sees clearly my path and the obstacles that may obscure my way? Do I live in this surrender?
As I read through the Old Testament, I see this scripture woven throughout the stories of the lives of those who came before us, such as Noah, who, with God’s instructions, began building an ark as God directed him, while the rest of the world continued to live its life. Noah never lived through a flood and perhaps had no idea what it would be like or what life would be like afterward. Or was there an after? God could see the waters rising and had a plan that Noah could not see. Then there’s Abraham, who listened to God. He packed up his family and left behind his familiar surroundings, not knowing where he was being led or what struggles lay ahead. Moreover, his trust was put to the test when he was asked to sacrifice Isaac. One of my favourite quotes from Abraham is in Genesis 22:5, where he tells his servant, “I and the boy will go over there and worship and COME BACK AGAIN to you.” This demonstrates Abraham’s trust and confidence that God had a plan—a good, greater plan for his life and the generations that followed. A glimpse of the crucifixion and resurrection is clearly foreshadowed in the account of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22. A story of a loving sacrifice that echoes God’s thoughts, ways and plans in John 3:16 so many years before.
My favourite in the Old Testament is the story of Moses and his beautiful relationship with God. Moses lived as a prince in Egypt, then in one moment, God changed everything. Unknown to Moses, God’s thoughts and ways changed the course of his life and those of so many others. God had a great plan that nobody else could see or even comprehend. What did Noah, Abraham, Moses (and others) have in common? They lived trusting God’s thoughts and ways, believing in Him and surrendering their lives, giving up their comfortable ways so that He could guide their steps. They didn’t have the Scriptures, but they trusted God’s words and instructions. They didn’t know what was ahead of them. And, despite their flaws, they walked by faith. Oswald Chambers said, ‘We cannot presume to see ourselves in any circumstance in which we have never been.’
One sermon by Pastor Mitch struck me deeply when he spoke about how God turns our pages in life. It made me reflect on how God has radically changed my life and continues to do so. There have been many times when I thought I was exactly where He wanted me, only for Him to turn the page on me. I can sit in a beautiful moment, being so comfortable. But God is the author of my story, leading me out of my comfort zone, and I must allow Him to do so. In 2016, a year after I gave my life to Jesus, I read the statement, ‘A year ago, I never thought I would be where I am today.’ I found so much joy and truth in this statement. It was the first time I wrote about what God had done for me. I wonder how many chapters have been written now and how thick they are. I think of Jacob’s Genesis 28 dream, where he says in verse 16 when he woke, ‘Surely the LORD is here in this place, and I wasn’t aware of it.’ God is omnipresent in all our lives and circumstances since before the beginning of time. He didn’t begin writing our stories at birth; He began long before that, picking up His pen from the very start.
I am grateful for the devotions that remind me of how God wants us to learn and grow. In Jackie Hill Perry’s “Upon Waking,” she reflects on how Jesus emptied Himself, became a servant, and was obedient to the point of death because THE FATHER WAS EVERYTHING to Him. A heart-pounding moment. Jeremiah, in his prayer (10:23 NIV), states, “LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.”
I love Isaiah 55. It’s a wonderful invitation from God to ‘come’, ‘buy’ and ‘eat’ to ‘listen’ and to ‘seek Him’, ‘call on Him’ and ‘turn to Him’—a great offering of the basics we need in life. Just as Isaiah 55:11 reminds us, God’s Word will not return to Him empty, but it will accomplish what He desires. From the very beginning, God was writing our stories—page one had begun. If we surrender to and trust in His thoughts and ways, we will go out in joy and be led forth in peace (verse 12). His story for our lives leads us to eternity and brings us joy here on earth, even in times of uncertainty. We just need to surrender to God’s thoughts and ways.
Jackie Hill Perry notes that surrender can scare us, as we fear that giving up what God asks us to relinquish will leave us lacking. We mistakenly equate surrendering to God with losing our joy. However, she affirms that nothing we hold on to is beyond God’s ability to replace with more of Himself. On the other side of surrender lies God.
Thank You, LORD, for being in every moment of our lives. We pray, LORD, as we surrender daily, it’s not just with words, but with our hearts and actions. We invite You to write our stories, LORD, as we walk freely in surrender to You….in Jesus’ name…. Amen.
