His Thoughts

Every spring we have at least one nest of robins in our yard. This year we had three--that we know of.  We have so much fun watching the babies go from bald to fluffy to flying in just a few days, and we check on them quite often to see how they’re doing.

But sometimes it’s terribly sad, too.  One afternoon, I happened upon one of the babies that had fallen from the nest and died right there in the grass.  My heart sank as I thought, “We check on them so often--how could that little one have already died and we not even know he’d fallen?"

At that very moment, the Holy Spirit reminded me of something Jesus said.  “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent?  And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.   Therefore do not fear; you are of more worth than many sparrows.”  Matthew 10:29-31

That bird lived in my yard and I didn’t know he fell.  But God did.  And He knows when a bird falls from any nest--in any yard--on the whole, entire planet.

Do you ever worry about stuff?  "How am I going to get all this done?  . . . I've got a million things on my to-do list that should have been done yesterday.  . . . How do I explain this math so my daughter will understand it?  . . . I need to do this, but I can't even start this 'til I do that first, and this other thing is in the way of that. . . .  How do I help my son survive writing and grammar?  How am I going to pay attention to my husband when I'm so tired I can't even think?"

Or how about the future?  "The children are growing so fast, how are we going to afford new clothes and shoes?  . . . What if my husband is in the next round of lay-offs?  . . . What will happen to my son if he can't ever make up his mind about an occupation?  . . . What if our new teenage driver totals the car?   . . . What if these medical tests come back with scary results?  . . . Will this child ever graduate?"  Can you hear yourself in any of those questions?  Can you hear yourself in any of the questions Jesus gave as examples in Matthew 6:31?

I confess I've spent more than one rather sleepless night thinking about things out of my control.  I was awake late one night when I found something wonderful in Psalm 40.  “Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts which are toward us cannot be recounted to you in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.   . . .But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinks upon me.  You are my help and my deliverer; . . .”  Psalm 40:5,17

This is incredible!  He’s thinking of me so much, I couldn’t even keep track of all of His thoughts of me.  What’s He thinking about?  Okay, realistically, I know He sees all my sin and knows all my thoughts (Psalm 139), so He’s definitely not thinking, “Oh, she’s such a nice person.”  So, what can He be thinking about?

Well, I looked up the meaning of the Hebrew words for His thoughts and His thinking in these verses.  And these are not just sweet, little thinking-of-you-card kind of thoughts.  These are actually intentional plans; He’s literally considering, computing, valuing, planning, devising, weaving, fabricating, inventing, . . . strategizing about me--and about you!  It’s no wonder Jesus said, “. . . Don’t worry. . .” (Would you take a moment to read Matthew 6:25-34 right here and now?)

On the night I read Psalm 40 before I went to bed, I could hardly see through my tears of relief.  We don’t need to stay awake worrying about anything.  Psalm 121:4 says He doesn’t sleep, so He’ll be awake all night, and He’s doing enough strategizing for all of us combined.

The fact is that worrying is not in our job description!  Moment by moment obedience--yes!  Trusting Him--yes!  But worry--no!   The future is His.  He's planning, inventing, and weaving it all together.  I don't know how He does it all.  I just know He is good and He is able to accomplish His plans.  As He did for Israel, He is able do for me, "Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass."  Joshua 21:45

So, this is what I now think about when I wake in the night.  God is awake and strategizing on my behalf.  Thank you, dear Father!  I can go back to sleep.  “When I remember you on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches, for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.”  Psalm 63:6-7

With Psalm 4:8 we can truly say, “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.” (NIV)

"How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust . . .Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. . .Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; let those who love your salvation say continually, 'The LORD be magnified!'"  (Psalm 40:4a; Matthew 6:33a; Psalm 40:16)