The Word:
High-(er)
adjective
1a: rising or extending upward a great distance: taller than average, usual, or expected – “Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than heaven—what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?” Job 11:7-8
2: advanced in complexity, development, or elaboration
3: exalted or elevated in character : NOBLE – a higher purpose – “From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalms 61:2
4: of greater degree, amount, cost, value, or content than average, usual, or expected – “His king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted.” Numbers 24:7
5: of relatively great importance: such as
a: foremost in rank, dignity, or standing – high officials
b: SERIOUS, GRAVE – high crimes
c: observed with the utmost solemnity – high religious observances
d: CRITICAL, CLIMACTIC – the high point of the novel
e: intellectually or artistically of the first order or best quality – high culture
f: marked by sublime, heroic, or stirring events or subject matter – high tragedy – a tale of high adventure
6: FORCIBLE, STRONG – high winds
7: stressing matters of doctrine and ceremony – specifically: HIGH CHURCH
Focal Passage:
“Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says 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.
“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
Isaiah 55:7-11
Looking to God
In session 2 Henry Blackaby speaks about those who are earnestly working against the will of God, “harming the Kingdom”, as did Saul, all the while thinking they are doing God a favor. To be fair, many people who are passionate about their faith, in their zeal, run off ahead of God to prepare the way, and that is their great mistake. We are not meant to prepare the way for God in this world, as impetuous Peter thought he could. But God wants to use us to help Him build His Kingdom. When Isaiah declares in 40:3, “Prepare the way of the LORD;” he is speaking about preparing your own heart, not preparing the world in some feeble or errant way. God does not need our help. He is not needy, as we are. Rather, God offers us the privilege of joining with Him in His work on Earth by following along behind Him, and gleaning those things that he leaves for us to gather, as Ruth gleaned the fields of Boaz. There are many more examples in scripture, but, as Jesus commanded, we can prepare the way by picking up our cross, that is, to give up our plans and follow Him. “Follow“, is the operative word.
Prayer:
Father: forgive us our transgressions. Forgive us, Lord, that You are constantly in the mode of repairing the damage we’ve done to Your Kingdom and the church when we run off ahead of You to “prepare the way”. I pray Father, that Your church will fall on its knees and repent this day. That we will receive a vision of revival, that we will quiet ourselves and hear You speak, Father. Oh that Your people would Stop, Look and Listen to You, in Jesus Name. Amen.
Castaways Point 