Pastor's Weekly Devotion

Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares 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.”

Sometimes it is hard for us to understand everything God is doing in our lives.  In Mark 6 Jesus fed the multitude and then instructed the disciples to cross the sea to Bethsaida.  He then went up on the mountain top to pray.  The disciples obeyed Jesus’ instruction and boarded the boat to cross the sea.  However, unbeknownst to them, they were headed straight into a very challenging situation.  As they made their way across the sea the winds came up making their travels very treacherous.  The disciples struggled and strained at the oars late into the night.  Perhaps, Jesus should have checked the weather and picked a different time for the disciples to cross.  Perhaps, after the fact He second guessed His decision to send the disciples across at that time.  Or, perhaps, Jesus sovereignly and providentially directed the whole situation to transform the disciple’s faith.  You would have to agree Jesus knew the weather forecast and He had nothing to second guess because he was not caught by surprise.  When we encounter various trials in life we can trust that God is working out His providential plans in our lives.  We may not understand because His thoughts and ways are much different than ours.  His ways are so much higher and better than ours.  The Bible teaches us in James 1:2-4, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”  So, the next time you encounter a trial rest assured in the providential plans of God.