God’s ways are higher than ours

God is transcendent and exists beyond the physical universe we live in. His ways are higher than ours and his thoughts are high above ours. But in what way are his thoughts and ways higher? Can we ever hope to understand him? Do his ways even make any sense to us? Or does he operate by a completely different logic as some Bible teachers claim?

In Isaiah we find the following familiar verse:

‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)

Misusing God’s Word

Sadly, some preachers abuse this passage to teach spurious and illogical ideas not found in the Bible. They say the most outrageous things and then try to back them up with this verse. Or they might use it try to advance a theological system that’s inherently contradictory. Or they use this verse to support a doctrine or theology that paints God as cruel or unloving. In some circles “God’s ways” even mean ideas that are inherently foolish. In their minds, the more illogical a doctrine, the more spiritual it is. But if a Bible teaching is illogical, contradictory, unintelligible, or paints God in a negative light, we’re not obligated to believe it just because it sounds spiritual.

Isaiah 55:9 has also been used to write off passages that can’t easily be reconciled with the rest of Scripture. If we can’t understand a difficult passage or it doesn’t fit with our theology, we can just say that “God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours” and we label it a mystery. But it’s entirely possible that the passage that seems illogical and mysterious to us is because our understanding of it is incomplete or even completely wrong.

Is God’s form of logic different than ours?

God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours, but that doesn’t mean his form of logic is completely different than ours. In fact, we are logical creatures by God’s design. He himself is a God of reason, and he created us like him in this respect, in his image. The system of logic we have is his since it originated in him.

This doesn’t mean that human reasoning is always right. But God has given us the tool of logical thought and the capacity to use it. When we identify something as wrong and illogical, it’s because God has given us that ability.

So, God’s ways and thoughts are not based on a totally foreign system of logic. He is the source of all reason and logic, and he imparts wisdom to those who seek it.

God’s thoughts and ways

People also use Isaiah 55:9 to deal with things in life that are difficult to accept or understand, such as loss of a job or a loved one, or a diagnosis of cancer. In those times, we like to say: “God’s ways are higher than ours, though we don’t understand our situation, we just need to accept it.” It is true that life can be very hard. God allows difficult things to happen to us, and his reasons for allowing them are often hidden from us. But as we will see, God’s thoughts and ways concern our well-being, as he really does love us. But they also concern his long-term plans and how we play a part in those plans.

So, what did God mean when he said that his thoughts and ways are higher than ours? Let’s read the whole Isaiah passage in context, where the thoughts and ways of the wicked are contrasted with those of God.

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. “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 55:6-9)

Seek the Lord while he may be found

In this passage God is making an appeal to us. He is offering us great blessings if we seek him.

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. (Isaiah 55:6)

In fact, God makes it easy to find him, because he is near to those who call on him. But we need to seek him while he is near because that window of opportunity will not last forever. Though God is always near to us, our attention toward God is not. The problem is not with him, but with us.

There are times when we have good opportunities to seek God, focus on him, and receive from him. We may have some extra time free of responsibilities. Or we may find ourselves in a restful natural setting far from worldly distractions. Or we may even be in bed because of illness. These are opportune times when God “may be found.”

But many other times opportunities are not available. Life gets hectic, we start rushing from one responsibility to another, or we just overcommit ourselves so we don’t allow time or space for God in our lives. And as we all know, there will be a time when God closes off all opportunities—when we die. He limits our time on this earth and has determined the number of our days. So, we should do well to take every opportunity to respond to his grace and love while we are able.

God’s invitation

In this passage, the Lord is commanding us to repent of our evil thoughts and ways:

Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. (verse 7)

But this is also an invitation. God longs for us to receive his mercy and forgiveness. He created us for a relationship with him, and he offers us forgiveness so we can experience that relationship. This promise is for anyone who turns to God in repentance—they will receive mercy. So, Isaiah 55:9 is really about God’s forgiveness to those who seek him, who call on him and repent of their sin.

The thoughts of God

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.  (Isaiah 55:8)

What occupies the thoughts of God? What concerns him the most? According to this passage, the thoughts of God concern those entrapped and condemned by sin. His heart is inclined toward the lost. He grieves over their condition and wants to see them redeemed and restored. And he wants to fill them with all the good things he promises to those who love him. The subsequent verses 10 and 11 of Isaiah 55 describe God’s Word coming down from heaven and producing spiritual blessings, like the rain and snow that fall down from above, blessing the earth and producing fruit.

As we can see, these concepts are really not difficult to understand. They’re not rooted in some alien form of logic. It’s just that God is concerned with things that we normally don’t think much about. In our natural selves, we don’t concern ourselves with the things of God, but the things of the world.

How can we connect with the thoughts of God? By believing in and walking with the One whom God has sent: Jesus Christ. He is the One who has shown us the thoughts and concerns of God. And by receiving God’s Son, we receive his Spirit who instructs us and illuminates our minds as we walk in his presence.

The ways of God

What are the ways of God? What actions and activities does he concern himself with? The ways of God are mercy, forgiveness, and restoration of the lost. He’s not happy when humans go the wrong way, but delights when they seek him and find the right path. And he’s near and available to all who call on him.

Think of how the Father sent his Son into the world, the greatest and most costly rescue mission ever accomplished. And Jesus told us what the main purpose of that mission was:

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”  (Luke 19:10)

He is the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep (John 10:11). And as Jesus was being nailed to the cross, he uttered these words concerning those who were doing this to him:

“Father forgive them for they don’t know what they’re doing.”  (Luke 23:34)

At a most critical time in his earthly life, this was what he was concerned about: forgiving his persecutors. Shortly after being crucified, one of the thieves implored Jesus as they both hung there dying:

“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  (Luke 23:42)

And Jesus answered him:

“Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

This is what Jesus was thinking about before he was about to die—the salvation of the condemned. These are the ways of God and the thoughts of God. This is what concerns him the most.

The thoughts and ways of the wicked

Conversely, the thoughts and ways of the wicked are opposite those of God. But it’s not because they lost their capacity for logic. It’s because their heart is wrong—they have chosen to ignore and reject God and his commands. They don’t concern themselves with the good of others but delight in seeing the downfall and punishment of other people. They especially like to see their enemies suffer and fail.

And it’s not just the irreligious and atheists who think and live this way. It’s common among religious people to miss the thoughts and ways of God because they think reading and knowing the Bible is enough. The Pharisees of Jesus’ time focused on a knowledge of God’s laws yet didn’t know the heart of God. They condemned the innocent who performed minor tasks on the Sabbath, while Jesus taught that God gave the Sabbath for our benefit (Mark 2:27). And they condemned the woman caught in adultery, while Jesus sought her forgiveness and restoration (John 8:3-11).

The wicked don’t seek mercy and forgiveness. They instead prefer condemnation, vengeance, and payback. Every human has acted in this way at one time or another, and some have made it a lifestyle. This proves that God’s ways are higher—indeed much higher than ours.

Understanding God’s great love

God’s ways are higher than ours because he is motivated by his divine and selfless love which we clearly don’t have in ourselves. In our natural state, we are not loving and compassionate as he is. But God is love and is the source of love (1 John 4:7-8).

So, God’s ways are based in love, which is the supreme and the highest expression of his character toward us. He offers his blessings to all and promises them to any who will come to him in repentance and faith.

We can’t imagine the depth of God’s love for us. Humans have no words that can accurately describe it. And we can’t fabricate it—only by being connected to God and filled with his Spirit can we begin to love like God loves.

What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.  (1 Corinthians 2:12)

So, we can indeed find and understand God’s ways and thoughts because he reveals them to those who seek him.

Our response  

The thoughts and ways of God are not difficult to understand. God has gone to great lengths to show his kindness and compassion, and he has commanded us to be like him in every way possible. We know what God’s ways are and how they relate to us. The problem is not that we can’t understand them, it’s that we don’t want to understand them or put them into practice.

But God promises great riches for those who love and serve him. May he help us to give up our wicked ways and accept his ways and think his thoughts, and not just as concepts, but in word and deed.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him. (Psalm 103:11)

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