Isaiah 55:8-12 -- On Thoughts, Words, and Joy

"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.
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."
Isaiah 55:8-12


I love Isaiah. And I love the message here, that God doesn't speak frivolously. He isn't waiting to see how things will work out. He knows they will, and all that he has promised will come to pass. We just have to keep his commandments and our promises to him, for example by repenting, prioritizing him in our lives, and caring for his other children as well. God can't default on our agreement... only we can, so let's stick with it and do everything we can to draw closer to God and to be better people.

The other thing I really like here is that all of the work he is talking about accomplishing... all of that is us. We are his work, to lead us to joy and peace and help us to find happiness. None of the commandments are thoughtless or cruel... all of them are designed to help us to find that eternal life that we long for. He asks us to avoid things that won't bring us joy, which he knows better than we do, as we have a tendency to make ourselves miserable and dig ourselves into pits.

Today, let's trust God and wait for the amazing day when "the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." I have no idea if that is literal, or if the idea is just that the joy will be so thick that it will seem like all of creation is participating in it, but either way it sounds awesome, and is something worth working for.