God's Ways

Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

 neither are your ways my ways,” saith the Lord.

   The rest of the story...and one you won't want to pass by. Yesterday I told you only part of the perilous trip down the mountain. Today I want to tell you the ways of the Lord on that mountain.

   Let's continue the story from leaving the village to God's perfect ways that led to praise and thanksgiving. Remember the whole group left the village on foot in pouring rain, and slippery paths; it was too dangerous to get a truck or bus up the mountain.

    The group walked three hours and decided it would be best to send a group of teens with one adult ahead, hoping they would find a bus along the way, they never did. It took 7 hours by foot for them to reach the main highway and three buses to get them to the church. Thankfully they made the journey with no injuries or accidents.

      Meanwhile, the remaining group prayed about their next step. It was decided the men would return up the mountain to recover the equipment and pray for a bus to get them up and back. I covered that story in yesterday's blog, now let me tell you about the group who waited midway for the men to return from the mountain.

      In this group was the pastor's wife, the ladies, and teen girls. After the men left the rains poured. A vehicle passed by and they flagged it down. The driver agreed to take them as far as he was going. Reaching that point they exited the vehicle and were standing in torrential rains with no covering to protect them. One of the ladies had a baby who hadn't had milk for two days. They knew they needed to seek shelter and food, at least milk for the baby. Looking around they saw a house down the road and ran towards it; soaked and out of breath they knocked on the door.

     Psalm 61:2 "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I."

    A man answered and invited them in out of the rain, a blessing more than they were expecting. Their thoughts were to hover under a roof till the men returned, thinking it would be soon; it wasn't till the next day. God's thoughts were higher than theirs.

    They were fed and warmed by a fire. And yes, milk for the baby, lots of milk from their cow. Then the man and his wife began to tell of their life and leading of the Lord, yes, believers with a vision. I am sure if these ladies had socks on they were knocked off as they continued to listen intently to what the man said next.

     Led of the Lord, this man and wife built a big room to serve as a church, there is no church yet, YET. He isn't a pastor, just obeyed and did what he thought God wanted him to do. You might say, God's thoughts, not his thoughts. He was thrilled to hear what our group is doing on the mountain. Then came his request.

     "I am not asking your church to come here and bring food and gifts. What I am asking is for you to come and teach us from the Bible. We have a place, we just need someone to teach us more of God's Word, so we can go into the mountains and take the Good News. There are 40 families who live nearby and some come now, but many more will come to hear what you will teach."

     A building already in place, a man who will then reach out to the villages higher in the mountain and the road to this location is passible even in the rainy season. Chuck would have no problem with his back on this road to reach this far up the mountain, and neither would our young guys from the church on their motorcycles.

     So they wait...an open home of a believer, a room to hold meetings, and people waiting to hear and be taught God's Word, high on this mountain.

     If the group had returned as scheduled we wouldn't have met this man. God's ways are higher than our ways.

       Philippians 1:12 "But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,"

     We want you to know, brethren, we are ready to follow the way God has opened to reach this mountain for Him.