God's thoughts toward us

This morning I was reminded in a powerful way of just how close God is to me and how much he cares for each one of us. Last Tuesday evening my dad gave me a check from some friends who wanted to help with this trip to Ecuador. I had been out of town all day and had a lot of things on my mind and much to accomplish before catching a few hours sleep in order to leave at 4am on Wednesday to celebrate Thanksgiving with family in Chicago. I slipped the check in my pocket and went on with my evening. The next day, about half way to Chicago, I remembered that I had forgotten what I had done with that check. Had I put it on my dresser? My desk? Had I left it in my pocket? I had washed those pants later on that evening...had it gone through the wash? Realizing that I couldn't do anything about it until I got home I soon put it from my mind. Soon I had completely forgotten it.

This morning while I was spending some time in prayer the thought suddenly flashed through my mind that I'd better get up and look for that check! I jumped up not really knowing where to start but as I passed my sister's bed I noticed a folded piece of paper on the floor...it was the check!

While I had completely forgotten about it, my father in heaven had remembered and brought it back to my memory and restored the check to me. He is so gracious and kind. It was something just like my earthly father might do, just taking care of me and covering me with grace and protection.

Our heavenly father loves each one of us so much and thinks of each on of us every day. Psalm 40:5 gives us a glimpse of just how much God cares for us.

"Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count."

The God of the universe to whom none can be compared thinks about me! Isn't that amazing? His thoughts about us are to numerous to count, and they are good thoughts! Jeremiah 29:11 tells us:

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

A couple of Sundays ago I heard a pastor say that God doesn't ask us to do anything he doesn't do himself, and that in the realm of thoughts God's thinks about the same things that he tells us to think about. In Philipians 4:8 Paul says;

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

These are the kinds of thoughts that God thinks towards us! Wow. What an awesome God we serve!

Oh, another thought. Last night we had some friends over and one of them mentioned how "fun" it is to serve the Lord. I had never really thought about it in those terms but you know serving God is a wonderful, awesome, holy privilege because we are serving GOD. The GOD. But although his standards are high, his calling holy, and he is so righteous...it is grand, and fun, to serve him because his love covers all, his righteousness makes us pure, and his joy fills our hearts!