The Ways of God Are Not my Ways

THE WAYS OF GOD ARE NOT MY WAYS!

The ways of God are not my ways, for He alone is Lord.
Really all that I can do is take Him at His word.
The thoughts of God are not my thoughts; much higher His than mine,
For He sees through all eternity while I am bound by time.

The ways of God are not my ways, for His are straight and sure.
While mine are twisted and bent by sin, His are Holy and Pure.
The thoughts of God are not my thoughts, not logical to me,
But human logic does not stand up to the God of Eternity.

The ways of God are not my ways. They are past finding out.
I need not bother to tax my strength to seek what they're about.
The thoughts of God are not my thoughts, for He is infinite.
My finite mind can't comprehend His Wisdom and His Might.

The ways of God are not my ways. He is the God of Power
While I am weak and poor and blind. I need Him every hour.
The thoughts of God are not my thoughts. He end from beginning sees
While my poor mind oft cannot discern the forest for the trees.

The ways of God are not my ways. I cannot understand
How He made the worlds and holds them up by the power of His hand.
The thoughts of God are not my thoughts. His are Holy, Righteous, Just.
Mine are weak and base and lowly. In Him alone can I trust.

The ways of God are not my ways. He's of infinite dimension,
But length and depth and width and time are all that I can mention.
The thoughts of God are not my thoughts. His Wisdom and His grace
My feeble efforts so far surpass as to make them commonplace.

The ways of God are not my ways. I see His mighty acts
And consider them as miracles. To Him they are but facts.
The thoughts of God are not my thoughts. His are the sublime.
Mine are human, shallow, earthy, confined in a span of time.

The ways of God are not my ways. He does not act in haste,
While I don't take time to smell the flowers or to savour some great taste.
The thoughts of God are not my thoughts. He is the God of love.
My thoughts are often fixed below, not on things above.

The ways of God are not my ways. My mind cannot take in
His Goodness and His Mercy, or His Judgment of man's sin.
God's thoughts are not my thoughts. I can do no more than try
To live as He directs me, and on His Grace rely.

God's ways are not my ways. I cannot understand
How He will deal eternally with those in heathen lands.
God's thoughts are not my thoughts. I can do no more
Than rest upon His promises, for they are true and sure.

a. franklin staples
1 Based on Isaiah 55:8,9

January 16, 1989

Copyright © 1989
by
A. Franklin Staples