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Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV):
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
A perfect example to explain the above scriptures is in how God chose David to carry out his plan.
Psalm 78:70-72 states: He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them (NIV).
David tended to his father’s sheep. The job included, among other things, keeping the sheep safe from other animals that would want to harm or kill them. And keeping them from straying away from the flock.
Out in the field, tending to his father’s sheep, David learned to be humble. David learned to trust God. David learned about God’s faithfulness.
Out in the field, tending to his father’s sheep, David was on the training ground for the day he would be “the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance” (Psalm 78:71, NIV).
Out in the field, tending to his father’s sheep, David learned the skills that prepared him to be chosen to carry out God’s purposes.
When the world looks for someone to choose, it often looks for someone who has qualifications or educational degrees. Or even someone who comes from a wealthy or influential family. This is not how God chooses someone. God looks at the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7 states: But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (NIV).
The heart is important. All our emotions. Our desires. Our will. Our spiritual lives. It all comes out of our heart. As believers, we should want to be used by God. We should want to be counted among those God chooses to carry out His plans.
Why then are we not chosen? We may need to consider two basic questions:
First, is my heart divided between God and the world? Matthew 6:24 states: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (NKJV).
And second, is my heart desirous of doing what God commands? 1 John 5:3 states: For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome (ESV).
God must be made known throughout all the earth. The Kingdom of God must be advanced. Laborers are needed for this work. To be ready, we may require preparation. Or some training.
Let us look to God for help so that we learn how to be humble. So that we learn how to trust God. So that we learn that God is faithful. So that we can learn to be fully committed and loyal to God.
Mark 12:30 states: ‘And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment (NKJV).
Except where indicated, scripture references are from the American Standard Version (ASV), Darby Translation (DARBY), or King James Version (KJV) – all public domain.
