“How precious to me are your thoughts,
O God! How vast the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.”
Psalm 139:17-18 NIV
Recently I was enjoying a wonderful early morning at the beach. As I was walking along the North Carolina shore, I was enjoying watching the waves crash upon the beach, allowing the ocean to spill over onto the sand and splash over my bare feet. The sun was slowly rising and the morning color mix of blues, white, and sunshine yellows magnificently painted the sky! Seagulls swooped down looking for their breakfast. As I breathed in the salt air I realized that here on this earth, it really doesn’t get much better than this!
This peaceful setting always draws my thoughts to my precious family and then I begin to pray. I thank God for my wonderful husband who I love and who loves me in return. I pray that God will bless his work and be near to him and on our brief vacation that he will give him the rest and relaxation that he so desperately needs. I think of my daughter, Amy and son-in-law, Todd who are amazing parents to my two adorable grandchildren, Abigail and Joshua. I imagine them sitting around their kitchen table in Maryland having breakfast and getting ready to start their day. I pray that God will watch over them and bless them. I pray that God will continue to work in their lives drawing them closer to him this day. My thoughts then move to the west coast where my wonderful son, David lives. He has not yet awakened to the California sunshine. I imagine God standing over his bed watching him sleep and I pray the same prayer of protection, blessing, and spiritual growth for him.
The point here is that I am thinking precious thoughts of all six of my loved ones. I can’t help but recognize that no matter how much I love them, God loves them more! And because of that one fact alone I am able to trust God with their lives. This trust does not exclude trouble from their lives but it does assure me that God will be with them in their trouble and use that trouble for their eternal good.
After I finish praying I decided to set a little while on the beach. I am writing in the sand with my finger, when some water rushes over my hand. I began to examine the sand on the tip of my finger. I then make a futile attempt to count the number of grains of sand that has clung solely to one of my fingertips. There were so many grains that counting them was an impossible task.
This reminded me of today’s scripture. God’s thoughts are precious and he thinks precious thoughts regarding me. The sum of God’s thoughts of me, are so vast that they outnumber the sand. I am amazed as I ponder the fact that God thinks so many precious thoughts of me and that number outnumbers the uncountable grains of sand on my fingertip. As I looked down the shoreline as far as my eye could see, I am blown away when I think of all of the sand on the entire planet. Other beaches and shorelines full of sand. The ocean floor covered with sand. The vast deserts covered with sand. How many grains of sand have been placed by God in our world? Is it possible that God thinks precious thoughts about me and those that I love and that those thoughts really do outnumber the sand? Yes indeed, it is possible our God is awesome!
This peaceful setting always draws my thoughts to my precious family and then I begin to pray. I thank God for my wonderful husband who I love and who loves me in return. I pray that God will bless his work and be near to him and on our brief vacation that he will give him the rest and relaxation that he so desperately needs. I think of my daughter, Amy and son-in-law, Todd who are amazing parents to my two adorable grandchildren, Abigail and Joshua. I imagine them sitting around their kitchen table in Maryland having breakfast and getting ready to start their day. I pray that God will watch over them and bless them. I pray that God will continue to work in their lives drawing them closer to him this day. My thoughts then move to the west coast where my wonderful son, David lives. He has not yet awakened to the California sunshine. I imagine God standing over his bed watching him sleep and I pray the same prayer of protection, blessing, and spiritual growth for him.
The point here is that I am thinking precious thoughts of all six of my loved ones. I can’t help but recognize that no matter how much I love them, God loves them more! And because of that one fact alone I am able to trust God with their lives. This trust does not exclude trouble from their lives but it does assure me that God will be with them in their trouble and use that trouble for their eternal good.
After I finish praying I decided to set a little while on the beach. I am writing in the sand with my finger, when some water rushes over my hand. I began to examine the sand on the tip of my finger. I then make a futile attempt to count the number of grains of sand that has clung solely to one of my fingertips. There were so many grains that counting them was an impossible task.
This reminded me of today’s scripture. God’s thoughts are precious and he thinks precious thoughts regarding me. The sum of God’s thoughts of me, are so vast that they outnumber the sand. I am amazed as I ponder the fact that God thinks so many precious thoughts of me and that number outnumbers the uncountable grains of sand on my fingertip. As I looked down the shoreline as far as my eye could see, I am blown away when I think of all of the sand on the entire planet. Other beaches and shorelines full of sand. The ocean floor covered with sand. The vast deserts covered with sand. How many grains of sand have been placed by God in our world? Is it possible that God thinks precious thoughts about me and those that I love and that those thoughts really do outnumber the sand? Yes indeed, it is possible our God is awesome!
Questions:
Are you amazed that God’s thoughts of you out number the sand?
How does that make you feel?
Does this enable you to trust God more with the details of your life?
Does this allow you to trust God more completely with the lives of all those you love and cherish?
Prayer:
Dear God,
Thank you for today’s amazing lesson regarding how very much you love me and those I love. I confess to you that many times my heart is full of fear for the future and for any harm that may come to my family. I also worry about losing them. Help me God to embrace with both arms this wonderful Biblical truth that reminds me that you have your eye on all of us and no matter what happens you will be with us. Thank you for the billions of precious thoughts that you think about me and all those I love.
Are you amazed that God’s thoughts of you out number the sand?
How does that make you feel?
Does this enable you to trust God more with the details of your life?
Does this allow you to trust God more completely with the lives of all those you love and cherish?
Prayer:
Dear God,
Thank you for today’s amazing lesson regarding how very much you love me and those I love. I confess to you that many times my heart is full of fear for the future and for any harm that may come to my family. I also worry about losing them. Help me God to embrace with both arms this wonderful Biblical truth that reminds me that you have your eye on all of us and no matter what happens you will be with us. Thank you for the billions of precious thoughts that you think about me and all those I love.
In Your Son’s Name I pray. Amen
