Click the social icons to share this post!

Let me lay down two axioms about relationships:

1) It is impossible to have a (good) relationship with someone that you do not understand. This is one reason why there is so much misunderstanding and conflict in our relationships. We often naively assume that everyone acts or thinks, or should act or think as we do. However, my normal is not your normal. My past is not your past. My experiences are not your experiences. Consequently, I must step outside of my frame of reference to truly understand someone else.

2) It is impossible to have a (good) relationship with someone who will not communicate. Understanding requires revelation. I cannot truly understand someone’s character, history, or motivations without their help, nor can they understand my character, history, or motivations without my help.

Both of these axioms apply not only to our relationships with other people, but also to our relationship with God. The old theologians had a latin expression to describe the dynamics of our relationship with God: fides quarens intellectum. It means “faith seeking understanding.” To have a relationship with God, I must first have faith, then I must try to understand the God who I believe in. This is not to say that we can understand God, (which is impossible), but attempt to grasp his character, history and motivations as as they are revealed in scripture.

One of the characteristics of God that is revealed in scripture is the quality of his thoughts. One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 55:8-9, which says

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

God’s thoughts are not just different, but higher!

One of the deductions that we can safely make from this statement is that in order to have a relationship with God, you’ve got to think on an entirely new level. You've got to raise your thinking about yourself, other people, and your situation.

Why? Because God’s thoughts are HIGHER than our thoughts. Ponder that for just a moment. Higher. How much higher? Higher than the heavens.

Higher than Mt Everest, which is 29,035 feet, or 5.4 miles from the surface of the earth

Higher than the height at which the Concorde jet ripped through the airways, which was a registered altitude of 60,000 feet or 11,363 miles above the surface of the earth.

Higher than Space Shuttle soared, which was 330 miles above the surface of the earth

Higher than the perigee, which is the closest point of the surface of the earth to the moon, which is 225,623 miles from the surface of the earth

Higher than the aphelion, which is the closest point of the surface of the earth to the sun, which is 94.5 million miles from the surface of the earth!

Another one of my favorite scriptures in Ephesians 3:20, which says

Now unto him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.

Care for another mind-blowing deduction? Here it is: no matter WHAT I am thinking about or asking God for, God can exceed my greatest ask AND surpass my greatest expectation.

WOW.

Poker players would call that a winning hand.

Perhaps you should raise the expectations that you have

of yourself

of your potential

of your dreams

of your family

of your career

And while you’re at it, raise the bets you are making on how things are going to turn out.

You have an ace.