Isaiah 55:8-11

"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.  As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My word that goes out from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."  Isaiah 55:8-11

My Bible opened to these precious words that are underlined and marked with a sticky-note this morning.  I was discouraged and anxious yesterday.  I listened to the lies of the enemy whose purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy.  This morning, I am listening to my loving Father whose words bring life, and hope, and possibility into impossible situations.  God does not speak empty words.  He speaks words of substance and importance.  He speaks words that we need to hold on to and stand on and fight for.  The enemy will do everything he can to convince us to let go and give up.  He whispers to me, "Did God really say...?"  And suddenly, my thoughts and my feelings and the things I see around me become larger than God's thoughts and God's words and God's ways.

John 10:27 says, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow Me."  Today, I'm choosing again to listen to the voice of my Shepherd, convinced that His thoughts and His ways are higher than mine and convinced that His word will accomplish what He desires and will achieve the purpose for which He sent it!