Our Thoughts!

Francis Bourdillon, 1873

We do not know one another's thoughts. We walk along the street and meet a new person at every step; we look at their faces and perhaps hear their voices—but what is passing within them we cannot tell. Why this man is hurrying along, why another looks anxious, why a smile is on the face of a third—all this is hidden from us.

We do not know all the thoughts even of those who live in the same house with us. There are still secrets in each person's heart. Without meaning to keep back anything—we do keep back much from each other. Each person's thoughts are his own.

Yet there is One who sees them all—whether we tell Him or not. He has no need to ask us what we are thinking—He knows without asking. Every moment He sees our thoughts. You know whom I mean—Almighty God.

He sees the crowd in the street, but not as we do. We can see only their faces—God sees their hearts. He knows where each one is going, and why. He knows what they are all thinking about, as they go along the streets. He reads their thoughts more easily than we look into their faces. But far more than this.

There are about nine hundred million people in the world. Now, at this very moment, each one of them who is awake has some thought in his mind. Good or bad, true or false, wise or foolish, as it may be—everybody is thinking of something. God knows the thoughts of every one! At one glance, He takes in all. There is not a person in the world at this moment, whose thoughts are hidden from Him. He knows my thoughts—and He knows yours.

Do you like to think about this?

If you love God, then doubtless you like Him to know your thoughts. Not that they are all good. Far from it. Often you have to ask God to forgive you for your thoughts. Still you like Him to know all. You wish to have no secrets from Him. For He is your Father—your reconciled Father. You look to Him as your best friend. You love Him. You place your trust in your Savior Jesus Christ; and you believe that for His sake, God has mercy on you and forgives you and watches over you for good. You love to think that His eye is always upon you.

But if you do not love God—then you do not like for Him to know your thoughts. You would keep them from Him, if you could. Is not this true? You cannot keep them from Him. He sees you wherever you are, hears every word you speak, and knows every thought you think. You may hide your thoughts from man—but you cannot hide them from God.

Seek him as your Friend; pray that your sins may be washed away in the blood of Jesus; ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit. When your sins are gone—you will be in dread of God no more, but will learn to love Him. And then, far from disliking that He should read your heart, you will yourself take every thought and feeling to Him in prayer—and thus find pardon, peace, and blessing!