Isaiah 55:8-9
⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts. (NIV)

So, how high are the Heavens?

Our passage today is commonly heard in Christian circles. God’s ways are higher than ours. It is a surrender to the mystery of a God too big to be fully known. Apophatic theology suggests we can know more about God by what He is not than by trying to wrap our heads around what God is. But let’s not give up so quickly. Let’s take a moment and consider how high the Heavens are from the Earth.

The heavens can be seen. In His omniscience, God knew we would create scientific instruments to study and see beyond even what is visible of the Heavens by the naked eye. The Heavens contain a great deal of the unknown, yet they are more than partially known by those who have sought to know.

Too often, it is easier to simply lean on a partial part of this Scripture to give ourselves permission to forfeit knowledge that might be available to those who seek to know Him more.

Today’s passage clearly teaches that God’s way, His thoughts, are higher than ours. Yet, in the New Testament, we are called to have the same mindset as Christ. Paul says we have been given the mind of Christ. Jesus teaches in Matthew 11 that no one knows the Father except Himself, the Son, but also those whom the Son chooses to reveal the Father to. He then qualifies this statement so we know that He chooses to reveal the Father to those who come to Him taking upon themselves His yoke. The Spirit knows the heart and thoughts of God and God gifts us the Spirit so that we might know Him.

Moses taught us that the word of God is not beyond our reach. Instead, he teaches, “The word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart…”

A novice glance upward reveals the great distance between the Heavens and the Earth unveiling the obvious ineptitude of man to reach the Heavens. Yet, throughout history, man has diligently sought to know the Heavens and beyond. God told the prophet, Jeremiah, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

Prayer: Lord, help me to forfeit the quest of knowing You more because You have promised to reveal Yourself to those who seek You. Amen.