FOUR LITTLE WORDS
Today's devotional came from pastor Tom Rakow and Christian Deer Hunters Association
Isaiah 55:8-9
"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts"
The little four-word phrase was spoken with child-like faith. Our family was fishing for trout in Wyoming's Big Horn Mountains. Three of our four girls had all caught trout — in fact, some caught several. Only our 8-year-old daughter, Mercy, had yet to land one. Try as she might, it just wasn't happening. She was passionate, and we were inwardly hoping and praying that she would catch just one.
We went from one stream to another. She kept trying and faithfully watched her line. To me it just didn't seem fair.
Dark clouds began covering the surrounding mountains. Then it started to rain. Although I resisted, eventually I insisted that we quit and get into the car for cover.
We knew she was disappointed — so we said something like, "Sorry Mercy — but you sure tried."
That is when (despite the discouraging circumstances) she declared those four little words, "God has a plan!" I could tell she believed what she said. Nevertheless, at that moment I inwardly doubted. Furthermore, it looked to me like rain had closed the window on any further fishing that day.
However, the rain quickly passed and within a few minutes Mercy managed to catch the biggest trout of the day. We all rejoiced! She had persevered.
Eventually the church puppet group of which Mercy was a part selected her words as a sort of motto. Printed on each of the puppet team T-shirts were the words, "God has a plan!"
Later I related this story to my good friend Gerry Caillouet. Gerry (who has since gone to be with the Lord) hosted a national radio broadcast encouraging listeners to use their outdoor activities for sharing Christ. He regularly interviewed professional anglers and ball players, leaders in the hunting industry, as well as other celebrities.
Nevertheless, he told me how powerfully God had used Mercy's little fishing story in his own life. He had been going through a difficult time. Mercy's confidence expressed by those words, "God has a plan!" served as a big encouragement to him.
How about you? Do you sometimes wonder if God has a plan for your life? The people in Jeremiah's day needed to be reminded that the Lord was not finished with them. Due to disobedience, they had been carried off to a foreign land. Loved ones had been slaughtered. All seemed lost.
Yet the Lord wanted them to know that He had a plan for their lives. He said, "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" (Jeremiah 29:11).
The fact is, God has a plan for your life. He has a great plan. He said, "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"(Isaiah 55:8-9). Friend, trust Him.
Thank you, Pastor Tom Rakow and Christian Deer Hunters Association
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