(Isa 55:8) "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD.
The other day some brothers and I from the church were coming back from a surf trip and we saw something quite unusual on the freeway. It was a line of four baby ducks crossing the lanes of the freeway toward the car-pool lane. Mama duck was missing, and they were headed in the wrong direction! Cars were swerving and trying not to hit them. As far as I could see they were safe across all the lanes but then went out of view. One of the brothers in the car looked back and saw a car racing across the car pool lane and four ducks became three. What happened after that is an educated guess but let’s leave it at that.
Now why in the world would I start a devo in such a depressing fashion? It’s not dark outside. I’m in a pretty good mood. And I have nothing against ducks as some men have issues with cats. It’s just that as the grimness of the experience waned a thought came to me: We talk so much about having our ducks in a row but maybe they’re headed in the wrong direction!
God’s ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. We want so much to know what our future is, and we strive to have all our ducks in a row in getting there. We get frustrated when things don’t go as planned. We get aggravated when we encounter difficulties along the way. We might even have an underlying anger at God for denying or delaying our safe arrival at our desired destination. But have we ever considered the fact that we might be heading in the wrong direction?
God’s Word says (Isa 30:21) Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left. God has a plan for us but sometimes we get a little off course and God needs to redirect us. In that redirection we can feel disappointed and even upset that things aren’t following our blueprint. But if we listen to the voice of the Spirit we will find our way back to that main path. It might not be what we originally had in mind but there would be consequences if we insisted in going our own stubborn way. And we might even be leading others into danger as well! (Luke 6:39) "Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?
We need leadership in life and God wants to be our Head (Eph 4:15). (Psa 23:3) . . . He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. How important it is to be flexible and to adapt ourselves to new and different and changing settings. (James 3:17) But the wisdom that is from above is . . . WILLING TO YIELD . . . Don’t confuse stubbornness with persistence (Psa 32:8-9). Make sure you’re using God’s map, not your own. (Pro 3:7) Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. Please join me in learning an important lesson: Don’t worry about not having your ducks in a row . . . they might be heading in the wrong direction!
Louie