Mind the Gap

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Isaiah 55:7–9 (KJV) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 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.

What it is speaking to me:

I am a planner. Just kidding, I am not by nature a planner. But by function of aging and job description I have learned to be a better planner than I am naturally. I even enjoy the occasional spreadsheet, bullet-pointed checklist, a good timeline, and some productivity apps. You know, like the rest of you planning types. I will admit that even as a non planner there is a specific kind of satisfaction in mapping out how something is going to go — step one leads to step two, step two leads to the goal, and the goal leads to the victory lap. And even more satisfaction when the plan works out exactly like that. Which is the dangerous part.

Because the more the plan works, the more I trust the planner...me.

Here's the thing about Isaiah 55:8–9 that can sneak past me. God doesn't just say "my thoughts are different from yours." He says the gap between His ways and mine is the same as the gap between the sky and the ground. That is not a small gap. That is not a "you're close but let me just adjust a few things" gap. That is an astronomically vast, incalculable, completely humbling gap.

And yet I can remember times I have shown up in prayer with my plan already written, essentially asking God to sign off on it. It is treating Him less like The Shepherd and more like a co-signer.

Notice that verse 7 comes before the gap is described. Before He talks about how far above our ways His ways are, He says: return to the Lord. Our humility has to come first. Acknowledging the gap is not just a theological fact, it is an invitation to actually reorient ourselves with reality. That reality is that our plan may be good. It may even be wise. But it is still drawn with finite hands.

Mind the Gap.

What is it saying to you?

Where are you asking God to bless a plan instead of asking Him to give you one?Is there an area in your life right now where your grip is a little too tight?

What are we going to do about it?

Before you pray about your biggest current plan today, sit quietly for two minutes first. Not to present it but to remember who you are talking to and how vast the gap actually is. Then ask Him what He thinks.