God’s Way, Not Our Way

“Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” (Isa. 55:6-13)

When our Lord Jesus came to earth He came to save us from our sin that we were allowing to destroy us. As the end of this Age draws near and we have almost completely obliterated the name of Jesus, we know that God’s plan will prevail. “It is not our purpose to discuss the probable reasons why God gave to man the freedom to determine his own actions, but that He did so is abundantly evident in history; and in so doing God is prepared, from the beginning, to run the risk of being defied and disobeyed by each successive generation until, at a time still future, man chooses of his own volition to follow in the perfection of God’s way.” The Element of Risk by Gladys Taylor, The National Message, February 19, 1955. The time of man’s rule on this earth is coming to an end with the return of Jesus Christ to rule and reign over His Kingdom on earth in glory.

As the world continues to sink further and further into chaos we will eventually realize that our ways are not working and that God’s way is the only way. Since the disobedience of Adam in the Garden of Eden we have rebelled against God, always thinking that somehow we know a better way than God. Through our own foolishness we have made our lives much more difficult than they needed to be. We would rather listen and follow anyone but God. “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” (Jer. 5:31) We would rather have someone else speak words to us that we want to hear than read and study the scriptures ourselves and follow God.

If we were left to our own devices it would certainly end in disaster. History shows us though, that God can turn our mistakes into His own plan and purpose. Our own sin should lead us to the path of destruction but God has another way. When Israel went into captivity she might well have been destroyed but God had other plans for her. The prophet Amos says, “Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord.” (Amos 9:8) Although because of our sin we deserve to be destroyed, God, through His mercy, says that He will not totally destroy us. He will only punish us so far before He saves us.

We have a wonderful patient Father who wants only the best for us if we will only follow His ways and not our own. Our rebellion is causing a huge rift in our relationship with God. He wants to bring us back to Him. He wants us to follow His ways as that is the only way that we will have peace and contentment.

“Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.” (Isa. 50:10)

’In fierce storms,’ said an old seaman, ‘we can do but one thing, there is only one way; we must put the ship in a certain position and keep her there.’

This, Christian, is what you must do. Sometimes, like Paul, you can see neither sun nor stars, and no small tempest lies on you; and then you can do but one thing; there is only one way. Reason cannot help you. Past experiences give you no light. Even prayer fetches no consolation. Only a single course is left. You must put your soul in one position and keep it there. You must stay upon the Lord; and, come what may – winds, waves, cross seas, thunder, lightning, frowning rocks, roaring breakers – no matter what, you must lash yourself to the helm, and hold fast your confidence in God’s faithfulness, His covenant engagement, His everlasting love in Christ Jesus.” – Richard Fuller, from Thoughts for the Quiet Hour.

We must turn ourselves over to God’s way knowing that He will see us through all that is coming on the earth in these end times.