Isaiah 55:8-13
““For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. While the statement may seem straightforward enough. Do we consider the ramifications of it? What we call logical, what we assume to be reasonable, the standard we filter everything through may very well be foolish in God’s eyes. If human nature could lead us to utopia, it would have achieved it by now, but we haven’t even gotten close. Remember that.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. While this statement may seem purely poetic, it also addresses his point of view. From heaven he sees everything. The broad picture that we don’t. He can see what’s on the other side of the mountain you want to cross. Not just here and now, but what will be there when you arrive. So he knows whether you should cross or not, or if he needs to intervene in your progress for optimal timing.
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. The circle of nature is used as a comparison to God’s guidance. Cause and effect often has multiple layers to it. That he is often three steps ahead of us. There is sometimes a difference between knowing a path and following 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. Going forward on your path in joy is different from being led in peace. Sure we are full of hope and faith in the beginning, but once we start walking it, we need to adopt a more focused task oriented state of mind. Is that why people get stuck? They crave the joy but forsake the peace. Not realizing that to walk that path in peace despite the obstacles, is a blessing in and of itself. That it leads to better places. Why else would even the obstacles of mountains, hills, and trees rejoice in the journey? Similar to the way Jesus states in Luke 19:40.
Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. The alternative to thorns and briars are both evergreens. Consider that symbolism.
This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.”” We honor God and inspire the world by following his divine guidance in faith.
King David’s words of wisdom to the heir to his throne Solomon. Since guidance from those who went before us can be valuable as well.
1st Chronicles 28:8-9
““So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commands of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever. David urged his son to follow the way of holiness, as well as why that is important. In other words, be like God in thought and deed as we indicated last time.
“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. God does not just know our thoughts, but the motives and intent behind them. His guidance must surely be Tailored by this. As indicated before, he considers the cause, not just the outcome.
If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.” Notice the wording “He will be found by you” it is not a matter of looking in the right place, but looking with the right heart as the previous sentence indicates. If your intent is loyal, God will make himself and his guidance available, wherever you’re looking. (Isaian 30:31)
Remember, King David is speaking as someone who knows the consequences of not living up to said advice. We should seek the same when looking for mentorship. People can only guide where they have been after all. The person who only pretends to be perfect can only teach us to fake it as they do.
Mark 4:21-25
“He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Light is meant to illuminate your way in the dark, it cannot guide you when hidden away.
Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? Value the light, put it in a prominent place so it may guide your steps.
For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. Even if we can’t see the light from where we are. That does not mean it’s meant to be hidden from you. God wants all to see, and it will be revealed when the individual is ready to step out of the darkness and accept his guidance.
If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” I am reminded of the parent who yells “Will you LISTEN to me” at their child. This is Jesus’ more elegant and gentle way of saying that.
“Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. Jesus acknowledges that there are multiple voices out there trying to misrepresent God’s truth and mislead us.
“With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Applying what we understand brings on more understanding. Knowledge is not meant to be a passive thing. Like we said last time, the spirit world is a multiplier.
It has been said knowledge does not necessarily mean understanding. Yet what we clearly see here is that the application of knowledge brings about better understanding. As it says in James 1:22-25
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”
I see this passage quoted all the time, yet they often stop at verse 23 or 24 leaving out the blessing in verse 25. Applying it only as a command, not a promise made by Jesus himself of increased understanding.
So let me repeat the opening statement. Since we interpret life according to the reality presented to us, we need divine guidance to truly live up to God’s will. God gave us a map via his scripture, but there is a big difference between reading it and being guided by it. So often we wait until we understand before we will follow, but the reality is we may not be able to understand until we follow.
The Visual PARABLEist
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