May 27: When I Think About the Lord

When you think about the Lord, does your brain ever ache? Does the computer in your head ever crash because it can’t handle all the data? Or do you prefer just to think about things that are easier to understand about the Lord, the things that fit neatly into your “God box”?

Romans 11:33-36 says,

“Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out. Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen.”

Contemplate that for a moment. The mind and ways of God are vast beyond all our understanding. We are a thimble to His ocean. In fact the Lord Himself says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are . . . my thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

This means that when we think about the Lord, we need to become very comfortable with mystery. In Job, we read: “He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed . . . Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens — what can you do? They are deeper than the depths of the grave — what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea” (5:9a, 11:7-9).

It is not that faith limits our mind; faith actually takes us beyond the limits of our mind. Ecclesiastes 8:17 says, “Then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.” Or as Psalm 139:6 says, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.”

Our faith gives us spiritual eyes which enable us to say: “I know more than I understand.” This is what Paul means when he prays that we will know the love of God that “surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:19). We can apprehend with our spirits what we cannot comprehend with our minds. This is what happens when we take the time to really think about the Lord — not just a passing thought but deep, reflective, wondering thoughts.

It is vitally important that we do take the time to think about these things. In Psalm 106:7-15, we see the spiral down that begins when Israel “gave no thought” to God’s miracles, didn’t remember His kindnesses, didn’t “wait for His counsel” . . . It led to rebellion and dire consequences. All this because first “they gave no thought . . .”

This song talks about things to which we certainly can give thought: “When I think about the Lord, How He saved me, How He raised me, How He filled me with the Holy Ghost, How He healed me to the uttermost . . .” These are things we can “understand” on a level of experience. These are wonderful thoughts upon which to dwell. You can go very deep thinking about His salvation, His healing power, and His ways of blessing. But if you think in terms of His ways being greater than our ways and beyond figuring out, you do well to ask yourself: Why did He save us instead of hitting the restart button on the creation of mankind? Why did He choose to suffer and die as the means of salvation? How can the Holy Spirit stand to live within people who continue to sin? Pondering these amazing truths — things we cannot fully comprehend — draws us into deeper awe and worship. These thoughts take us beyond just the ‘whats’ of the actions to the ‘whys’ and the ‘hows,’ and our heads begin to spin with awe.

If we humans strain to understand these imponderables, think about the councils of heaven! They marvel, too, at the wonders of His love and grace directed toward those who are so unworthy. And they must be stunned that He leaves the advancement of the Kingdom in our hands. He chooses to limit much of His activity in the world to be unleashed as a response to the prayers of people — most of whom have no clue of the power they wield, the importance of prayer — who lack the persistence to hang on, the holiness to be powerful. They are in awe of how His strength is manifest in our weakness.

So think about the Lord — often and deeply. Ponder your salvation. Dwell on the wonder of what He did to draw you to Himself and what He is doing to make you like Christ. Be amazed at what He has planned for you as part of the Bride of Christ. Savor the delight of being His child. Think, about the Lord!

by Sheri Cook, Director of Special Ministries