Verse of the Day 4/19

Verse of the Day 4/19

Isaiah 55:8-9

English Standard Version

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

    neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For today's verses we return to Isaiah 55.  Most of us are probably familiar with the verses and have seen them in picture frames and placed on walls in homes or churches.  As Christians, we realize and acknowledge them to be true. It dees not take much faith to believe them.  But to get a better understanding of just what this means, we need to look to the previous verses.

Verse 7 states that God will abundantly pardon those that return to the Lord and turn from their "wicked ways".  Man's way is not to pardon but to punish, to seek retribution, to "get even".  Man gets satisfaction out of doling out punishment.  God, on the other hand, will abundantly pardon, He will have compassion on those who had sinned against Him. In doing so He shows His grace; His great love for us.  Why are we so resistant to turn to Him.

Satan is the accuser.  He wants to heep guilt on us, feel that we cannot turn to God and keep us from Him.  God issues His call to turn to HIm.  If you are on a Bible reading progrma you may currently be in the book of Luke.  My schedule for tomorrow is to be in Luke 15, where we read of the Prodigal Son.  It is an example of today's verses put on dislplay in the New Testament.

Read the words to the old hymn below.  If you haven't received God's pardon and grace,  as the hymn says, "Will you this moment His grace receive?".

1. Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
   Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
   Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured,
   There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.
   • Refrain:
     Grace, grace, God's grace,
     Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
     Grace, grace, God's grace,
     Grace that is greater than all our sin!
2. Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,
   Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
   Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
   Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.
3. Dark is the stain that we cannot hide;
   What can we do to wash it away?
   Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,
   Brighter than snow you may be today.
4. Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
   Freely bestowed on all who believe!
   You that are longing to see His face,
   Will you this moment His grace receive?

His ways are truly higher than our ways.

Blessings,

Mike

Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV

Isaiah 55:6-12

English Standard Version

6 "Seek the Lord while he may be found;
    call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake his way,
    and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
    and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
    and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
    and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

12 "For you shall go out in joy
    and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
    shall break forth into singing,
    and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.