In Christ - I am always in God's thoughts

I am always in God's thoughts...

Psalms 139:17,18 How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with You.

Isaiah 49:15-16 "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before Me."
Jeremiah 29:4-13 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon; "Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters - that you may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace. For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the LORD. For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
KPRZ - Encouragement for TodayJuly 5, 2012

My Name is on God's Hand
by Shaunti Feldhahn
"See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands." Isaiah 49:16 (NLT)
How can we know for sure God is thinking about us today? There are so many people in this world, why would He be personally interested in us?

"Not so long ago I was affected by something a pastor and his wife shared with me as we drove through the neighborhoods where they do inner-city missions work. Old cars littered the streets; warehouses with windows broken out were slashed by obscene graffiti, while unemployed men and women sat around lifelessly. The air was heavy with a lack of hope.

"The pastor told me stories of his ministry in this area, working with the homeless and those with mental illness. One day, after he had preached a short sermon in a park about God's great love, a woman named Mae came up to him with drug-deadened eyes that couldn't hide her anguish. From Mae's story, it was clear she had been looking for love her whole life and had never found it.

"She was abandoned by her father, had lived in poverty, been surrounded by drugs and alcohol from the earliest age, dropped out of school when she had several children by different fathers, and was now probably in her thirties with no life or hope.

"She told the pastor, 'I just don't know how God can love me.' She felt small, lost in a sea of despair. How could God ever see her, know her, love her?

"The pastor noticed she had written many notes to herself on the palm of her left hand and asked,

"'Why do you do that?'

"'So I can remember things. I have such a hard time remembering things.'

"'Does that help?'

"'Yes. If I have it on a piece of paper, I'll probably forget to look at it. But with the really important things, when it's written there, it's right in front of me so I see it and remember. I can't lose it or forget it.'

"The pastor looked at her with compassion. 'Sister, that is what God says about you in the Bible. 'See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.' Mae, that means He's written your name on His hands. You are the really important thing to Him.'

"He took her hand and pointed to line after line of notes on her palm. 'Just like these notes are right in front of you, God has your name always in front of Him. He is always thinking about you. Mae, an image of you is always on His mind. He loves you that much.'

"Mae burst into tears; great sobs released as she grasped the concept of how much God adored her.
"Not because she had done anything good, and in spite of everything she had done wrong. God had written her name on His hand.

"We can hold onto that promise too.

"Isn't it an amazing, glorious, freeing thing to realize God has our name engraved on His hand? He really sees us, cares about us, and knows us by name!

"Dear Lord, I am constantly amazed at how great You are and yet still You remember me. It is amazing that You not only remember me, but You have engraved me on Your hand. Thank You for that assurance. Help me remember this truth on the days where I feel forgotten and unloved. In Jesus' Name, Amen."

WOW. What an awesome VISUAL of this truth! I love having visuals to remind me of God’s promises. I don’t think I’ll tattoo my hand – but if it works for you, go for it! There are other ways to remind you of this promise that’s not so painful and/or permanent – I have a vial of sand that reminds me that God’s thoughts towards me outnumber the grains of sand – ON THE PLANET! You can get something like that – put it on your desk – kitchen counter – wherever you know you’ll see it often – and remember every time you see just how VERY much you are thought of by your loving and caring Heavenly Father! YOU are important to Him! When Jesus looks at His nail-pierced hands He remembers YOU – and it brings Him joy to know that you will be with Him forever! Sharon