“…Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” – Psalm 40:5b
February is a time of year we actively try to think upon one another a little more. We give cards or flowers or chocolates to the ones we love. We do or say things we wouldn’t normally say or do. But God doesn’t need any such reminders. He is always thinking upon us, and His thoughts are beyond computation.
The Psalmist lost himself thinking about the thoughts of God. Like the stars, God’s thoughts are numberless and cannot be recounted in order. Like the stars, His thoughts are “up there” hovering over us, the blessing of their light lightyears away, but swiftly travelling toward us.
Looking up at the night sky, enthusiastic astronomers have frustrated themselves trying to catalogue the number of the stars. Hipparchus was the first, counting 850 of them with the naked eye. Then through his primitive telescope, Galileo discovered the Milky Way was a vast collection of millions and millions of stars. Now, with the help of super telescopes astronomers are realizing their cataloguing efforts are futile. There are just too many stars for human minds to comprehend.
How many more the thoughts of God! How precious and how vast are the sum of them! (Ps.139:17). When we lift our eyes heavenward, trying to count our blessings, naming them one by one, we soon find ourselves lost in His thoughts. And we can only count so many with the naked eye. Well we may ask ourselves, “Can His thoughts be catalogued, measured, or arranged in chronological order? Is it even possible? What were His thoughts toward us yesterday, today, and tomorrow? What were His thoughts toward us during childhood, our rebellious years, our selfish first years of marriage? God’s thoughts cannot be recounted in order, the Psalmist declared, completely confounded in awesome wonder.
How infinite are His thoughts of creation! The elephant and the mosquito are only two of his brilliant inventions; the orange sunrise and the ribbon of moonlight on the lake only two of His beautiful masterpieces.
How compassionate is His providence! Every day we can cast our care upon Him who intimately cares for us. Our daily bread, our daily insight and our daily strength comes from Him.
And how lofty are His thoughts of redemption! Truly His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts (Isa.55:9). Joseph’s story proves that even bad things can be used for good for those who are called.
Time would fail to recount the rest in order. To write them all, as the hymn writer said, would drain the ocean dry.
About the Author: Shane Johnson
Shane Johnson has been commended from Bethel-Park Bible Chapel since 1999. He resides in Brantford, Ontario with his wife Shelly and his five children. He has his Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a minor in History. His passions are teaching children, inspiring young people, writing, music and playing soccer.
Shane Johnson has published a number of titles with Gospel Folio Press including “31 Days at Bethlehems Manger“, “Strength for the Journey: 52 Devotions from John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress” and “Wisdom for Fools: 101 Proverbs to Live By“.