Have It Your Way

We've all heard the Burger King Jingle, "Have it your way." You can special order your burger with as many ingredients as you want, or as few as you want.  Having it your way can be very accommodating.

Or not.

Sometimes getting what we want isn't what's best for us.  I think of the children of Israel whining in the desert for meat because they were getting sick of eating Manna.  Can you imagine?  Getting sick of eating Angel's Food?  But they did.  So, they asked God for meat, and God gave them exactly what they wanted, and yet many choked on it while it was still in their mouths.  Numbers 11:33

Or what about the time when Israel didn't want Judges to have the rule over them, instead they wanted a King?  No matter the warning from Samuel, they were determined to have a King rule over them.  1 Samuel 8

We all know how well that went!

Have you ever asked God for something....and then as time passed, praised Him for not giving you what you asked for?

I have.

God showered His mercy and His grace on me by NOT giving me what I asked for.  He spared me from the heartache and consequences of a prayer request prayed for in the flesh, and not in the Spirit according to His Will.

I was reading Isaiah 55:8-9 the other day and the Lord allowed me to learn something new.  I love it when that happens!  It says: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

We may think we know what we want or what we need, but God knows exactly what we need or don't need.  When I read these verses, I couldn't help but think that when we compare our thoughts to those of God, we are actually bringing Him down to our level.  We try to place God into a contained box, but nothing and no one can contain God.  He permeates every space.  To think that we can identify or figure out the thoughts of God is prideful on our part.  How could we possibly understand His way of thinking when He is a Holy God, Creator God, and we are His creation? How can the clay question the potter?  (Jeremiah 18:6, Isaiah 64:8)    Our thoughts aren't even close to God's thoughts.  So, why do we second guess how God fulfills His purpose in our lives when we know that He works everything out for our own good?  Romans 8:28

How can God speak to me through a verse I've read a thousand times over, and show me something new?  Hmm?  I wonder how He does that?  (wink, wink)

It's not for me to figure out why God is allowing or not allowing something in my life...

    I am to trust Him and know that He knows best...

        But that's just me!