God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ — everything in heaven and on earth.

— Ephesians 1:9-10

As the crew began to wander around aimlessly, missing the obvious next steps in the project, it was clear some direction was desperately needed.

OK, a LOT of direction was desperately needed.

Over the lunch break, we assigned leaders to different parts of the project. They each were given a mini crew to help them complete their section.

It was so fun to watch this group that was down and purposeless turn into an effective working force. All that was needed was a good plan.

We read above in Paul’s letter to a church in the city of Ephesus that God is working out plans, too.

Specifically, his plans. His plans, like him, are perfect and good. His plan begins with Jesus and is fulfilled by Jesus. The world God made was designed to function perfectly under Jesus’ authority.

We’ve all pushed back against that and found ourselves in need of a rescuer. It’s absolutely staggering to consider the one we rebelled against came to rescue us from the consequences of our rebellion. Thank you, Jesus!

He invites us to consider and to marvel at that which is at the core of God’s plan, his love. What a love it is!

He then tells us God alone possesses the power to make his plan a reality.

One day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of all.

We all have a decision to make. We can confess him as Lord now as a point of gratitude and worship, or we can wait until we stand before him, at which point we will have no choice.

Choose wisely.

Higher

For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

— Isaiah 55

As the little capsule-shaped elevator methodically made its way higher and higher, my lack of appreciation for confined spaces began to kick in.

I closed my eyes and started to take long, deep breaths as we gained altitude with every click of the elevator.

Finally, we made it: The top of the St. Louis arch.

It really was an amazing view from the little windows at the top. It felt so much higher than it looked from the ground, especially when I felt it sway in the wind. Yikes!

I mentally noted there was something about a higher vantage point that allowed for a clearer perspective.

God through his prophet, Isaiah, revealed so much about himself and his heart for you and me.

He invites us to come to him with our ears wide open.

The reason for this instruction is the infinite “higher than” of God.

We are simply incapable of producing his thoughts or ways. He must reveal those to us. He lets us know that our thoughts are nothing like his, his ways beyond our capacity to imagine.

When received and entered into, his word produces a joy and a peace that simply cannot be found anywhere else. He is the Rock that is higher than us.

We struggle every day with the tension between our perspective and God’s.

We’re pretty sure our assessment of the circumstances in our lives is on target.

Those are bad. These are good.

This specific change needs to be made. God needs to make it happen, and now would be a good time.

Outside of the emotion of the moment, it strikes me as supremely foolish to think I can see more clearly than he can.

An eternal perspective, complete knowledge of everything, and full sovereignty over all that is seen and unseen truly do uniquely qualify him to call the shots.

“Listen,” he says, “and you will find life.”

Wiles is senior minister of Fall Creek Christian Church in Pendleton. He can be reached at 765-778-3166.