Trusting God even when it doesn’t make sense
Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:6-8
The great banquet of God’s grace is free and abundant, but it’s also conditional. The reason why we longed to be filled (Isaiah 55:1) is that because we have pursued our own appetite (Isaiah 55:7). In order to be truly filled, we have to follow God’s way and we were given a limited opportunity to do so. The door is wide-open now, but it will close. This was why Isaiah called on the people to “seek” the Lord quickly and to become intentional about Him. We have to set our highest value on Him and removing everything that keeps us from Him. We have to open up to His will with no preconditions. Seeking the Lord is a whole life realignment with Christ. We have to stop treating him as a relish on the side but to let Him be our source of continual feast. We can call to Him for He is near to us, not far off, not aloof and unavailable. Our part is to reject our old ways that keeps us from following Him. Our ways and thoughts belittle God and exalt ourselves, our status quo, and our adequacy. We have to admit this sinfulness and accept His ways and His thoughts. Our ways will keep us tolerant of our sins, especially if we maintain a superficial and nominal righteousness. We cannot just tweak our old ways and thoughts. We cannot just “make a decision for Christ” and leave it at that. It’s not about joining a certain church because it is not challenging our selfish lifestyle and think that is already Christianity. This is not at all what God has in mind for us. Our only path forward is as obvious as it is, for it is transformational. God is calling us to a complete surrender where we place ourselves under His Lordship. Then we can have the joy and the strength to welcome ways and thoughts completely unfamiliar to us but clearly stated in his Word for they are His will.
Blessings,
Noel De Guzman
www.my-wbc.com
