Treasured Thoughts

Driving alone down a long straight road, the brain ponders things. For us women, the brain never seems to quit. It just goes and goes. For example, along a ten-minute drive we probably think about many of the following things:

• The beautiful scenery or city traffic
• The children and all their issues good and bad
• The husband and his issues good and bad
• The shopping that has been done or still to be done
• The repairs on things needed
• The job, boss, work load
• The housecleaning
• The lack of a vacation or the impending stress of the upcoming one
• The menu for this week and how many days can the family afford to eat out
• The clothing that needs to be purchased for the family
• The laundry
• The sales at the local stores this week
• The sports activities for the family
• The hours of sleep that have been attained or will be attained
• The mail and bills, which need to be paid, which can be put off

All the above thoughts can go through our minds in a ten-minute drive. If we have an hour long drive, “Look out brain!” We will probably be in an emotional overload by the time we get to our destination.

Well, God notices every little thing also – even our thoughts! He knows all our thoughts. I believe sometimes we tend to forget this, but we need to remember it daily. Along with all the other things we constantly have on our minds. Every little thing I say, do, and think – the Lord knows. He is omniscient – all knowing. That is truly amazing and definitely something no one else can do. Truly an awesome attribute of God alone.

John 2:4 “For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret…”

Our thoughts are such a precious area; we have to guard them constantly. They can bring us happiness, sorrow, peace, anger, love, sadness, etc. I have heard it said over the years, “Be careful what you do and say, because Satan knows only what he sees us do and say. He cannot know our thoughts.” He is not omniscient. Remember that is only an attribute of God alone. See the verse below. Notice the last part, “for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men.”

I Kings 8:39 “Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)”

So some things are best left unsaid and keep in our special prayer times with the Lord – since only God can know our thoughts.

Here are a few things to remember about our thoughts:

1. We have to take tremendous care to defend our mind and thoughts. With so much evil in the world in the news, magazines, internet, phones, social media, and the list goes on and on. I believe it is extremely hard today to guard our thoughts.

Psalm 94:11 “The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.”

God tells us to think on good things.

Philippians 4:8 “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.”

Since God wants us to guard our thoughts like prized treasures, he will give us the ability to do his will.

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

2. Our thoughts can bring comfort. If we rest in the Lord, study his Word, go to church and glean from the messages, sing hymns, and think on the Lord, then our thoughts can be of comfort.

Psalm 94:18-19 “When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.”

3. It is of great encouragement to me to know that God thinks of me! Yes, me! His thoughts of us are so great the Bible cannot give us a number of the times God thinks of us.

Psalm 139:17 “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!”

So while the brain is bogged down with so many thoughts, I believe we women can cram in a few more to help us stay focused in our thoughts. In short summary:

1. Guard our Thoughts
2. Our thoughts can bring comfort
3. God has an unlimited number of thoughts of us because he cares so deeply for us.

Each of our thoughts is a precious treasure. What are we doing with our treasures?