God Doesn't Think Like Me

Thankfully!

The verse above from Isaiah is often quoted or paraphrased when life doesn't go our way. When we experience hardship or loss, we pull out this truth from Scripture, and rightfully so.

But have you read Isaiah Chapter 55 to understand what that verse means in context? If not, you might be surprised.

You see, it's about forgiveness. When you read Isaiah 55, I hope you'll understand why I am so thankful for this verse.

God thinks in terms of truly forgiving.

The chapter begins with an invitation to all who are spiritually thirsty to come to the fountain of God. Beginning in verse 6 we see to whom God is truly calling out. Not the righteous, nor the godly. He is calling out to the wicked, and the evil.

Why?

So that He can pardon them. Forgive them. Give them a new start.

Because His thoughts are not our thoughts, nor His ways our ways.

We often think of rewarding and serving those who please us. God thinks of saving those who are His enemies. That is a fundamental difference in thinking, a completely different modus operandi. We tend to reach out to those with whom we have much in common. God seeks those who don't know Him at all.

Who among us would actively seek out those who have wronged us so that we could forgive them? Not I, at least not of myself. My thoughts are dark and evil when I am wronged. I may act out of the presence of the Spirit in my life, but those are not the thoughts of my human nature.

That's one way God doesn't think like me.

Thank you, Lord! For not so long ago, I was your enemy, too!