“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 55:8-9 (NLT)
I had a personal epiphany some years ago that changed the way that I approach God and the way that I've prayed since. It wasn't that I didn't already know the scriptures and eternal fact that my moment of further emerging clarity brought front and center into my thoughts. It was though as if the Holy Spirit pulled all of it together for me into a transforming moment of growth that required both my further submission and my trust to override some of my more visceral human urges when walking with Him through life here.
The knee bending moment of illumination involved so much of what I'd learned and experienced over many years about and with our God, but centered on those two verses in Isaiah 55 and on the Lord's prayer found in Matthew chapter 6...
"... Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.." Matthew 6:9-13(KJ)
At the time that this took place, I had grown so close to my Lord and referred to Him as "Abba" and "Papa God" in my many daily consults with Him and embraced Him fully in my heart as my friend. - And these things are not wrong, but it was as if the Holy Spirit was cautioning me suddenly to see both my God and myself as we truly are at the same time going forward. I had become so comfortable in my conversations and interactions with the God of all creation that there was a danger that I might not be simultaneously respecting Him properly for the terrifying power of ALL that He is beyond being my "friend". And that would be a mistake that could have definite consequence far beyond anything that any man would consciously desire.
A lack of holy fear and respect for God earned Lucifer his current station and since I know that human tendencies have a habit of potentially creeping unconsciously into places we wouldn't consciously choose, I recognized immediately what the Holy Spirit was warning me about and took to focusing on the whole person of God - His ultimate and supreme majesty, His terrifying power, His true right of ownership over everything that He's created, His ability to create from nothing, His perfect character, His complete wisdom - the root of all wisdom, His flawless righteousness, His total authorship of truth, etc. ...
And then, there's me.
"When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers — the moon and the stars you set in place — what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?" Psalm 8:3-4 (NLT)
A mentor once explained to me that when we approach our God to pray, we should first enthrone Him - setting the table for our conversation with Him properly - with Him as the supreme, divine head as Jesus taught. "Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name...". Focusing on this opening allows us to break from the whirring details of our earthly, daily lives and put things into proper context as we approach the Ultimate Majesty of the Heavens. "Thy kingdom come" should be the desire and heart cry of every kingdom kid whose desire is for God's rule - both here and now as well as in the future. "Thy will be done..." In reflection at the time that this all took place, this part thumped me on the head.
As a prayer intercessor in the part of the body of Christ that I was a part of at the time, I attempted to whole heartedly and sincerely address every need that was brought to me ... from my experience with Him, deep human compassion ... and wisdom, but then... “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." ... Who's wisdom to resolve any issue perfectly, could compare with the total omniscience and perfect wisdom of our God? Who's viewpoint provides perfect synchronicity with Gods rule and plan? Mine? Any human being's? Absolutely not! I stood admonished to pray from that time on that God's intervention be present and that HIS will be done in every need and situation brought to me. And while I feared the reaction of those that requested me to pray a certain way, I stood convicted in my own heart of the right answer to every need, the perfect answer - "Your will be done".
I could go on about my own experience, but there's a deeper point to my sharing here. A confluence of things that I'd learned, both from scripture and from my own sustained, sincere, and involved experience with our God were available for the Holy Spirit to draw from to speak to me. If those things weren't in me and a part of my life, they wouldn't have been there for the Lord to use in an impactful way to further refine my walk with Him and to guard me against minimizing or damaging my growth and relationship with Him.
Father God definitely wants a deep relationship with all of us, but until we're able to truly submit to doing what He requires of us we limit both ourselves ... and Him. Learning about Him from the history of Himself that He's provided and making every effort to walk with Him in sincere, sustained relationship opens doors that we cant foresee and provides opportunity for things we can't even imagine.
Love Him well ... and respect Him for ALL that He is.
"No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8 (NLT)
Jeff, Thanks for the very insightful sharing. Pastor Dave at KGF has been sharing much of the similar thoughts.
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