"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." Is 55:8-9 NIV.
God's thinking is definitely much higher than ours. We may think that we know a lot or that the world in the last few decades has accumulated a lot more knowledge than the past centuries combined, well they certainly cannot surpass the knowledge God has. In fact, not just knowledge per se, but also the manner of thinking is also different. The way humans think is very much different from the way God thinks. Over on this side of heaven, we do not have full knowledge and understanding as to how end time prophecies will come to pass. For instance, there are many different interpretations or schools of thought with regard to the second coming of Christ. Some say He will come before the tribulation, while others in the middle and yet others after the tribulation. The Bible correctly tells us that we know in part and we prophesy in part (1 Cor 13:9). The various end time prophecies found in the Bible may not tell us the whole picture.
Just as our existence on earth is in two different environments - mother's womb and earth - so likewise when we die and are released into heaven, we would experience a totally different environment. In the spirit realm, we could possibly fly like Jesus when He ascended to heaven. Our thinking and understanding would also be changed when we meet with our Creator; the aha moment would come when we begin to understand the Scriptures from God's perspectives. Someone has said that if we couldn't get along on earth, how can we get along in heaven? Well, our thoughts and attitude toward one another would also be changed. There would also be infinitely more things to know and understand. The beauty and glory of heaven will certainly surpass that of earth.
The second thing I want to mention is that God thinks a lot about us.
"How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!" Ps 139:17 NIV
There are so many people on earth and yet God is interested in each one of us, especially His children. It's like thinking everyday and every moment about our own children. Well, that may be true during their formative years but as they grow older and have their own programmes and activities, it will become infrequent. Because God thinks of us, He also wants to communicate with us. He has our future in His heart: "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer 29:11 NIV. This promise was spoken to the children of Israel when they were in Babylonian captivity, punished for their sins of rebellion and idolatry.
Even though we may go through difficult times, God will see us through if we put our hope and trust in Him. We may have gone astray from God, but like the father of the prodigal son, God longs eagerly for us to return back to Him. He thinks about us everyday and the moment He sees us coming back to Him in repentance, He runs toward us to welcome us home. Let's heed the injunction of prophet Isaiah and return back to God this year.
"Seek
the Lord while he
may be found; call
on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake
their ways and the unrighteous
their thoughts. Let them turn
to the Lord, and
he will have mercy
on them, and to our God, for
he will freely pardon." Is 55:6-7 NIV
