This morning as I prayed “Your way” to my Father in heaven, my gaze landed upon the manger scene the kids and I are putting together for the season. Each night for seven nights we add a new person to the scene. As I looked upon it this morning, though, God reminded me that His way is not my way; in fact, it is almost always different than my way. As I pray “Your way” to Him, I must also recognize that His way is often in contradiction to the ways of the world and the ways of my human imagination.

God often takes the “foolish,” the “weak,” and the “despised” of this world to shame and bring to nothing those who think they are something (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).  God can make anything and anyone into a vessel of honor for His purposes.  No one expected the savior of the world to be born in a stable. But He was. No one expected the Son of God would die on the cross. But He did. Many expected Jesus to remain in the tomb.  But He didn’t.  He rose again to give us life. And the life which I now live I must live by faith, not by sight.

God’s got an amazing plan for my life. So even if it looks like a wilderness at the moment, I rest secure knowing that God’s ways are higher, greater and more awesome than mine–even when the current appearance is that of a stable manger instead of a crib fit for a king.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.