“God’s Way or Our Way?” – Isaiah 55:1-9 – March 11, 2007

For me, at the heart of this passage from Isaiah 55 are the words; “My thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are not your ways.” To know what God is thinking or to know how God works is impossible for us to understand. We like to live in control of our lives, immune from surprises and totally protected. When things happen beyond our control we feel helpless and forsaken.

It wasn’t logical that God would forgive Israel. They had frequently turned away from God, not listening and not following. There were times when God’s chosen people wanted things their way, times when they thought they didn’t need God and times when life became so overwhelming that they fell into despair. Here they are in exile. Many of the older generation had passed on and they were living in a fertile and cultured country. They were safe and many had obtained wealth.

Isaiah’s task what to get them to return to Jerusalem, their homeland, and rebuild their city and the temple. They had become settled and forgotten their purpose, which was “being servants” and being “faithful” to God. Upon their return, however they will be forgiven. “Let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon,” Isaiah said. Here we have an example of a God whose ways are not our ways. God was willing to forgive them for their rebelliousness. It would be difficult for us to forgive someone who is rebellious, but God’s ways are not our ways.

Just how were the Israelites rebelling against God? According to Isaiah, they were “Seeking that which does not satisfy.” They had been acquiring material security, in other words primarily consumed with their physical needs. Consequently they had neglected their faith. They were consumed with “their” way, not “God’s” way.

It seems to me we are no different then our Hebrew ancestors. People are constantly seeking what they think will satisfy them, but they come up empty again and again. We consume great quantities of stuff, but we are never full. We fill our lives with frantic schedules, running errands, chaperoning children, shopping, and all kinds of entertainment. We also live in a technological frenzy, our lives paralyzed by television, mesmerized by the internet, talking constantly on our cell phones and consumed by video games, I-Pods and DVD players. We go from one thing to the next, barely taking a breath between, eating on the run, taking as much in as humanly possible, believing that we will find happiness. Instead we find ourselves living frantically, running in many directions, exhausted, depressed and lost.

One evening my wife was reading and I was flipping channels. About all I could find interesting was the movie, Home Alone. My wife said, “Are you watching that again? Wasn’t it on yesterday?” As a matter of fact it had been on several days in a row and several times each day. It seems the networks run hit movies over and over. Just about anytime you turn on your television you notice that Home Alone, Back to the Future, Ms. Congeniality and Toy Story are on all the time. The reason is that television marketing experts have learned that we watch our favorite movies for about fifteen minutes, tuning in a favorite scene. It might take us several days to complete a movie. Our attention spans have become quite short. We are virtually in the habit of going from one thing to another, our lives much like the television remote.

We can give fifteen minutes to go back to the future but nowhere in our busy lives are we able to go back to God and give God any of our precious time. “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and you labor for that which does not satisfy?” This is not to say that we don’t need to include some fun time in our lives, and that is not Isaiah’s point. When our lives are completely full of activities and our busy agendas, there is no room for the Lord.

We live in a society that rewards people who are driven. Consider the New show featuring Donald Trump. If you don’t work fast enough, hard enough and make the company profitable, you are fired. This life of “workaholicism” is exactly what Isaiah is calling us away from. We need to clear our calendars, pull the plug on our audio-video equipment, get out of the fast lane and give time to God. Like the people of Isaiah’s day we have lost sight of what truly matters. Unfortunately we are seeking fulfillment in the wrong places.

Earlier I stated that Isaiah was reminding his people of their calling. They were called to be “servants.” Rather than be self-serving they were to be “A light to the nations.”

Sadhu Sundar Singh and a companion were traveling through a pass high in the Himalayan Mountains when they came across a body lying in the snow. They checked for vital signs and discovered the man was still alive, but barely. Sundar Singh prepared to stop and help this unfortunate traveler, but his companion objected, saying, “We shall lose our lives if we burden ourselves with him.” Sundar Singh, however, could not think of leaving the man to die in the snow without an attempted rescue. His companion quickly bade him farewell and walked on.

Sundar lifted the poor traveler on his back. With great exertion on his part he carried the man and moved ahead. The task was challenging because of the high altitudes and snowy conditions. As he walked, the heat from his body began to warm the frozen man. He revived, and soon both were walking together side by side, each holding the other up, and in turn, each giving body heat to the other. Before long they came upon yet another traveler’s body lying in the snow. Upon closer inspection, they discovered him to be dead, frozen by the cold. He was Sundar Singh’s original traveling companion. (from: God’s Devotional Book, Honor Books, Motivation)

“Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast. My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways.”

God wanted his people to return to him by remembering why they were chosen. They were being called away from their frantic lives to lives filled with purpose and love. It was not too late. There was still time and they would be forgiven. Turning to God makes us refreshed and renewed. It gives us the opportunity to get a new perspective on life, reorder our lives and focus on that which is worthwhile.

It is not too late for us either. God is calling us too, away from a life that does not satisfy to a life that does. Our ways can be God’s ways. Our thoughts can be God’s thoughts when find respite and security in the ways of the Lord. It’s not that we have to drop everything we are doing and go be missionaries in a foreign land. What Isaiah meant was for his listener’s to abandon our hectic lifestyles and do what we can where we can. Unfortunately our faith has become so much like the TV remote we just push a button and pick a channel. When it comes to our faith the “mute” button seems to be stuck.

Our faith can be lived out in all areas of our lives. It is a matter of being who we are, and letting our lights shine. One time, Fritz Freisler, a 20th century violin virtuoso, set out for Hamburg, Germany to give a concert in London. Violinist Fritz Kreisler had an hour before his boat sailed. He wandered into a music shop, where the proprietor asked if he might look at the violin Kreisler was carrying. He then vanished and returned with two policemen, one of whom told the violinist, “You are under arrest.” “What for?” asked Kreisler. “You have Fritz Kreisler’s violin.” “I am Fritz Kreisler,” protested the musician. “No you’re not. Come along.” As Kreisler’s boat was sailing soon, there was no time for prolonged explanations. Kreisler asked for his violin and played a piece he was well known for. “Now are you satisfied?” he asked. The policemen let the musician go because he had done what only Fritz Kreisler could do. Disciples need to do what they are known for doing, and when they do, God will be glorified. (From Homiletics, March 2004)

When we read the remaining verses in Chapter 55, we notice that the chapter ends in promise. “For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”

Just as Isaiah was calling Israel to turn to God and “seek God’s ways” through service and discipleship, he is calling us as well. But, he also makes a promise. He said, “I will make with you an everlasting covenant.” He promised “rich food” and “water and milk” for thirsty souls. He also promised that other nations would look up to them. In other words, following the ways of God leads to joy.

The greatest feeling at the end of the day is to be at peace with your self. It’s a feeling that comes after we have resolved that “God’s ways are not our ways.” We discover that peace after we have made room in our lives for God. We have to do some letting go, perhaps eliminate some activity, or downsize. They say that a sailor has two happy days in his life; “The day he buys his new boat and the day he sells it.” When we are able to do that with the things in our lives that consume us, we have found peace.

Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio