Higher Places
By Sarah de Orlando
“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 55:8-9 NIV
Barreling down the runway, my little girl said, “Bye, bye Texas.” Her delicate curls were bathed in sunlight and silhouetted her frame. The acceleration quickened my heartbeat and we broke free from the ground. The powerful jet engines and aerodynamic wings lifted us higher and higher.
What seemed like a muggy, blue-collar neighborhood of Houston quickly transformed into a canopy of greenery, streams, lakes, with roofs dotting the landscape. Cars drove along roads smaller than ants and soon disappeared. The expanse of creation sparkled in my daughter’s eyes.
In this week’s scripture, Apostle Paul was writing to the church in Rome about a different kingdom, God’s Kingdom, and giving the Roman church a new perspective on:
The order of authority,
How to relate with one another, and
Reminding the church to live in the light of Christ.
It seems the church was having difficulty respecting the Roman government and believed they were above obeying Roman laws. But instead, Paul says these authorities were appointed by the Lord. He pulls them back from focusing on their problems and reminding them to look upward to the Lord and do the moral thing. Just like when we obey traffic laws, our pulse won’t quicken seeing a state trooper approach with flashing lights from behind. We have nothing to fear, and contribute to an orderly and safe commute for all on the road.
“Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also a matter of conscience.” Romans 13:5 NIV
Why should we obey the Lord and the authority He’s placed over us? Because He loves us, has good plans for us, and His ways are higher. We need to trust His heart is for our good and not to harm us (Jeremiah 29:11-14). He has the ultimate say in who has authority and for how long (check out Daniel 2 with King Nebuchanezzar).
One of my favorite passages is in Jeremiah 29 and it is written to the Israelites as they are exiles in Babylon. The Lord allowed hard circumstances to fall upon His people, but He also promised He would be with them and deliver them in His timing. Today, the Lord is with us in trials at personal levels and also is working for nations and generations. God is concerned about His people, wanting His kingdom to grow AND His timing is often not what our hearts want - it’s too long, too hard. That’s why we need to look up, get to higher places in our mind:
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 NIV
As we keep seeking the Lord’s heart, filling ourselves with His word, Truth, and His plan, building His Kingdom, we have a healthy perspective of God’s purposes and work in our lives.
How am I supposed to love others when I am striving in my human motives and limited understanding? I can’t. I can’t make my own righteousness and my love is limited - I need to look up to the Lord and invite His Spirit in me to process challenges and make wise decisions. I once heard a definition of righteousness like this: righteousness is simply being able to make the right choices.
“Rather clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” Romans 13:14 NIV
Paul says it this way in a letter to the church in Thessalonica:
“You are children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness… But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.” 1 Thessalonians 5:5, 8 NIV
So I challenge us today to receive afresh His Spirit, so we may walk in the light, and seek His heart. He invites us to look beyond what we can see, put aside our fleshly desires, and trust He has a plan for our circumstances and for the places we live. If we don’t take time to pray but instead plan, worry, and talk, we lose the peace the Lord offers from lifting my burdens by giving me wisdom and a fresh perspective from a 36,000-ft view.
Call to Action
Pray, read, and reflect on these scriptures this week.
Romans 13
Jeremiah 29:11-14
Ephesians 6:7-8
1 John 1:7
1 John 3:16
1 Thessalonians 5:5-9
Reflection
Where are you resisting obedience? Take time to be still with the Lord and lay down your old ways.
How can you show love to a difficult person this week?
What does it look like to clothe yourself in Jesus Christ every day? What can you practically do to
