Focus

Prepare yourself to discern what is and what is not of God today. Still yourself so you can hear how God is calling you.

---

Read

Isaiah 55:1-9 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Ho, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and you that have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me;
listen, so that you may live.

I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.
See, I made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander for the peoples.
See, you shall call nations that you do not know,
and nations that do not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,
for he has glorified you.

Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake their way,
and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

---

Reflect

Each generation has different thoughts and ways. At times you will hear each talk about how “back in my day,” or “when I was your age.” I catch myself from time to time doing this now. I’ve grown to learn that it’s important to hear how others see themselves in this day and age and how we can learn from one another to live for the common good of all.

It seems to me that we are fine with that notion unless we are talking about faith. Many aren’t comfortable with theological diversity and seek theological conformity. This passage shares an important reminder to us about that pursuit of conformity. God’s thoughts and ways are not our thoughts and ways about God. Or in other words what we think we know always ends up falling apart as we get closer to God.

How can we as individuals, who have our own thoughts about God and our own ways of following God, learn from one another without compromising our convictions? I think it starts with some theological humility. None of us have gotten God figured out. God’s thoughts are not our thoughts; God’s ways are not our ways. We would do ourselves a lot of good beginning each day reminding ourselves we don’t have God figured out.

---

Pray

Mighty God, we strive to know who you are and what you desire for our lives. Help us remember what we think and do is not always how others think and do. Guide us as we seek your thoughts and ways. Amen.

Go with God!