ISAIAH 55:8-9

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

TO PONDER

Do you ever feel like life is so full of chaos that you have trouble navigating your way through it? It can be like getting knocked over and tumbled around by a huge wave at the beach; you get pushed under the surface, jumbled all around until you can no longer tell which way is up! I know many people are feeling that way at the moment, particularly with this new outbreak of war in Israel. It's a big deal in the church community in Newcastle at the moment because a group of 30 people from one of the large independent churches here were all over there on a Holy Land tour and are now struggling to get out of there and return to Australia.

I'm sure that in the midst of that, many people in that group are trying to make sense of the situation. You might imagine some of the questions, "God what's going on here? Why is this happening now? How will we all get home? What if we get caught in the next attack?

All these are valid questions. But what comfort there is to be found in these words from Isaiah, that God has everything under control. That while most of the world might have been caught by surprise at this latest attack, God saw it coming. While we might not be able to make sense of it or see the purpose or imagine how God works this out for the good of those who love Him, we can be sure that he has a plan and He knows what He is doing. That knowledge is where we are can find our comfort and Joy when we are feeling tossed about by the chaos around us.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, your ways are indeed higher that my ways and your thoughts are so vastly different from my own. Help me to simply trust that when I feel chaos, that you are sill in control. When I feel trapped, you have a plan. When I feel alone, that you are with me. Amen

Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle