by David Scott Robertson
I don’t know about you, but I enjoy getting emails, cards, calls, and visits from good friends. I like it when they let me know that they have been thinking about me and have taken the time to encourage and bless me.
Did you know that God has been thinking about you, too? For a very long time now you have been on His mind. He had you in mind before there ever was a you; before you were born, God was thinking about you. As a matter of fact, there are seven times that God was thinking about you that I’d like for you to think about today:
1. GOD WAS THINKING ABOUT YOU IN THE ETERNAL PAST
Before the world began, you were on God’s heart. If that were not so, then why was Jesus called “the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world” (Revelation 13:8)?
You see, before God formed Adam out of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the first man became a living being (Genesis 2:7), God absolutely knew that Adam would sin. Adam and Eve’s offspring all the way down the timeline of history to you and me would also sin, and God knew all this in advance.
Nevertheless, He created us and provided a way of escape from the sinful condition that we would eventually find ourselves in. Make no mistake, God was seriously thinking about you, yes you specifically, before the creation of the world.
2. GOD WAS THINKING ABOUT YOU IN THE FIRST BOOK OF THE BIBLE
You and I were formed to be part of God’s family. He has always desired fellowship with human beings created in His image and in His likeness. This is easily shown by seeing God reaching out to man in the first book of the Bible – Genesis.
After God created thousands of species of beasts and birds, He brought each one to Adam to see what he would name them (Genesis 2:19). God was allowing man to actually partner with God in establishing order on the earth.
Apparently God’s custom was to walk in the cool of the day in the Garden of Eden with Adam and talk and enjoy each other’s company (Genesis 3:8). The Lord still desires to walk and talk with us in covenant friendship to this very hour.
3. GOD WAS THINKING ABOUT YOU THROUGHOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT TIMES
Moses and Abraham were both consider “friends” with God (Exodus 33:11; James 2:23 respectively). I see them as types of God’s great desire to have close friendship with those who are willing to believe in Him.
Thousands of years ago, God (who plays no favorites) was setting the stage for men to have communion with Him on a regular basis.
4. GOD IS THINKING ABOUT YOU THROUGHOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT TIMES
God has always wanted to reveal Himself to mankind. He has always desired to make the revelation His love known to mankind. This is best illustrated through God’s gift of Jesus Christ to the world. Jesus spoke this plainly when He said:
“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him…Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:21;23)
Jesus painstakingly took the time to reassure His followers of how very much He and the Father long to be with us.
“In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:2-3).
When you and I are separated from a loved one, we use photographs, personal notes, memories, and other things to remind us of how much we love that person. God said through the prophet Isaiah: “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me” (Isaiah 49:16). I think the Lord’s ugly crucifixion scars are one of the most beautiful reminders in the whole world that we have been on His mind for a very long time. The old hymn rightly says it: “when He was on the cross, I was on His mind.”
5. GOD IS THINKING ABOUT YOU IN THE LAST BOOK OF THE BIBLE
From Genesis to Revelation, you have been on God’s mind. When Christ-followers die now, the Bible teaches that they go to a place called heaven. I don’t know where it is but it’s sure not here on earth as we know it. One day, however, instead of us going to His actual location, He is moving His actual location to where we are!
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God” (Revelation 21:3).
Think about it! God, who wrote the end from the beginning was thinking about setting up His kingdom not only in your hearts but ultimately setting up His permanent dwelling place in your midst!
6. GOD WILL BE THINKING ABOUT YOU IN THE ETERNAL FUTURE
God’s experience with you (and to some extent your experience with God) is not limited to your life span from cradle to grave. For God it began before your birth and for us it never ends, even outliving our deaths.
The scriptures foretell of a time when we time shall become obsolete and transition into forever, infinity, eternity. When Jesus Christ returns to earth to claim His Bride, the Church, living or dead, from that point forward, we shall live forever with God in glorified bodies:
“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
It’s no wonder the Bible says: “Therefore encourage each other with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:18)!
Forever with God! Truly, God had you and me in mind when He created creation and laid out His plan for the ages.
7. GOD IS THINKING ABOUT YOU RIGHT NOW
Finally, I believe God is thinking about you right now, as you read these words. I believe this because His Word says:
“Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:25).
I think it would make God smile if you were to think of Him right now too.
DSR
11/8/04