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by Robin McKinley
Narrated by Artificial Intelligence. Christopher.
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Most of us are familiar with the verse in Isaiah that says, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” Isaiah 55:8
What exactly does that look like, and how does that verse affect us? Let’s look at the lives of two biblical figures, starting with Daniel.
Daniel.
When we consider the beginning of Daniel’s story, we would never imagine how it would unfold. But then, God’s ways are not our ways.
During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s reign in Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. The Lord gave him victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah. Daniel 1:1–2
Young Daniel stood among those described as healthy, good-looking, and smart. Those features mattered to the Babylonians, especially for those who would serve in the palace.
“Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.” Daniel 1:4
The Lord’s criteria for choosing someone has nothing to do with outward appearance but everything to do with the condition of the heart. Unbeknown to Daniel and his friends, God was working behind the scenes.
God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams. Daniel 1:17
Daniel served at least four, and likely as many as six to eight, distinct Babylonian and Medo-Persian rulers over roughly 70 years. Only God’s ways—far different from ours—made that possible.
Joseph.
We get another glimpse of how God’s ways differ from ours by observing Joseph’s life. He became very unpopular with his brothers after he shared a couple of his dreams with his family.
They disliked him so much they wanted to kill him. Instead, they sold him as a slave and got rid of him for good, or at least they thought they did.
So when the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, came by, Joseph’s brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to them for twenty pieces of silver. And the traders took him to Egypt. Genesis 37:28
On the surface, Joseph’s life was over. He went on the auction block and into the hands of Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. But God blessed him.
The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. Genesis 39:2, 6
Potiphar’s wife falsely accused Joseph of making advances toward her, and her husband believed her. As a result, Joseph moved from the head of the house to prison. Remember, God’s ways are different.
After Joseph interpreted a couple of dreams for fellow inmates, he eventually moved from his prison cell to the palace to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. Through God’s grace, Joseph explained them.
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are. You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours.” Genesis 41:39–40
Only God could take a captive and make him an influencer over his captors. Only God could take a slave and place him second in command over the known world.
Trust God.
If things aren’t going well for you, trust God, because His ways are not our ways. You never know what He has in store for you. Follow the advice Paul gave us.
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18
About the Author:
Robin, with his wife Cindy, became children’s evangelists early in their ministry. They ministered to children full-time for eight years. They developed several children’s stories, which they told using visuals and puppets during that time.
Robin turned two of those stories into children’s books. One is called “The Contest,” a book about the Fruit of the Spirit, and the other is called “Twas the Night of Christmas,” with new artwork. He has also recently released his latest devotional book, titled “Great Stories in the Bible.”
Over 300 of his devotional writings are available on his Christian Perspectives website at www.ramckinley.com. When you visit this site, you can sign up to receive newly written devotions emailed twice a week.
Robin is the pastor of Calvary Christian Center in Pottstown, PA. He is an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God. He and his wife make their home in Birdsboro, Pa. He also serves as the president of the local Ministerium. He and Cindy have two married sons and four grandchildren.
Now, a word for our sponsor –
The Contest
“The Contest” is an illustrated children’s book teaching children what the Fruit of the Spirit is in a story about a farmer who wants to have the biggest, the juiciest, the plumpest, and the sweetest grapes in the whole county. Each grape has its own captivating personality which depicts a different fruit of the Spirit that your children will fall in love with. The unpredictable twist at the end teaches the most valuable lesson of all. It will allow children of all ages grow to be what God wants them to be. “The Contest” has been a favorite for countless children throughout the years.
The story line is easy to follow and can be read aloud to a child, grandchild, or a bunch of kids in a church setting. The artwork is wonderful, colorful and will capture the child’s imagination. I recommend The Contest for any parent, grandparent, or leader who loves children and wants God’s good fruit to grow in their lives.
