“How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, 0 God! how great is the sum of them!” (Psalm 139:17).

Isaiah has taught us that there is a great difference between man’s thinking and God’s: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8,9). Not only are the thoughts of God (which are wholly true and pure) different from man’s thinking that is often corrupted by wrong motivations, God’s thoughts and plans are divine and, as such, set in motion effects that cannot he changed or stopped unless their Divine Cause chooses otherwise. Zechariah testifies: “Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us . . . so hath He dealt with us” (Zechariah 1:6).

The word for “thought” in the Old Testament is a word that means to “associate.” Thinking is an association of ideas. When one plans, one tries to have all the facts in order to make wise decisions. Only the Creator God of the universe knows everything and, therefore, is wise enough to associate all knowledge together for His glory and man’s good. God speaking through Jeremiah said, “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” (Jeremiah 29:11).

In order to give our best in trying to do God’s will, we must follow the instruction of Solomon: “Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established” (Proverbs 16:3), always praying that “thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10) and studying God’s word that is a “discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). “0 LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep” (Psalm 92:5). CJH