"As the heavens are higher than the earth"

This is THE day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. I hope you woke up this morning thinking about how blessed you really are. The ability to see, hear, walk, feel, breathe, talk are just a few of the many things that I take for granted daily. I was reading this morning about MILLIONS of Chinese people that are homeless after the earthquake. Many are living in make shift shelters...yes, I take much for granted. I don't thank God DAILY for my home.

Even when there are times that I can't understand WHY I am going through a difficult trial or battle, I need to have an attitude of gratitude because that God hasn't forgotten about me, and is really working on my behalf. I may not be able to figure out what He is doing, but when I realize that He is God and I am not, it helps me to trust Him more. Another thing that I need to do is remember God's nature and character...He is LOVE, and He really is a GOOD God, even when I can't understand. I heard someone say recently, "when you can't trace His hands, TRUST His heart." How true! Please read the following verse slowly, and let it get down into your Spirit:

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

Astronomers have spied galaxies 12.3 billion light-years from earth. To put that distance into perspective, consider the fact that light traveling 186,000 miles per second only takes eight minutes to travel the 93 million miles between the sun and planet earth. Sunlight is only eight minutes old. But light from the furthest galaxy takes 12.3 billion years to get here. That distance is virtually incomprehensible! And God says that is about the distance between His thoughts and our thoughts. Your best thought about God on your best day falls 12.3 billion light years short of how great and how good God really is. We underestimate God’s goodness and greatness by at least 12.3 billion light-years.

You know what the greatest tragedy in life is? It is someone whose god gets smaller and smaller with each passing day. I never want that to happen in my life. To keep that from happening, I take inventory of my life every morning, and then take the first few moments to thank God and give Him praise, regardless what I may be facing at this very moment. I remind myself, "This truly is the day that the Lord has made, NOW I WILL rejoice and be glad in it."

You really CAN trust God's ways, because you can trust His heart! He is a GOOD God and He is LOVE, so go ahead and give Him thanks and praise, in spite of what you are experiencing or feeling. REMEMBER...you are underestimating God's thoughts and ways by at least 12.3 billion light-years. Blessings!

Pastor Rusty