Psalms 40:5 Many, O Jehovah my God, are the wonderful works which thou hast done, And thy thoughts which are to us-ward; They cannot be set in order unto thee; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered. (ASV)

How warm and fuzzy and just plain wonderful was that feeling when communication, whether intended or accidental, from that special ‘someone’ made it seem that they might actually be thinking about you? Just a simple look or word spoken can turn any day into a day of hope if it’s coming from someone who is admired and respected. That same expression, however, has little or no effect whatsoever when there is no returning thought, when the person giving it has yet to even be considered. All the winks, nods, words of adoration, and even gifts will be of no effect if there is no appreciation for the one giving them. For the thought to count, it needs positive reception in a heart that is sincerely grateful.

There is no doubt about it; a look has been given, a word has been spoken, and the most incredible gifts have been given. Still, all those expressions of thought have yet to fully impact the one’s for whom they are given. Until the Giver is considered, until His greatness is appreciated, and until there is a passion for His heart, all of His thoughts and their expressions are to no avail. It is the thought that counts, but for the development of relationship with the Father it is more about the thoughts in the heart of the ones receiving those communications. God’s incredible passion for us as His children is never ending, and, according to this passage, His thoughts are also unending, and they are thoughts of goodness. While He is uncompromisingly holy, He has made a way for our failures to be removed far from us, leaving us completely in the realm of His favorable thoughts. When our hearts lead us to a passion or pursuit that would be worthy of punishment and disfavor, the cross and the blood of Christ convert those thoughts once again to thoughts of goodness. According to His thoughts, we are continually the most wonderful offspring and the siblings of His precious firstborn.

There is a very powerful thought that will change the course of history. There is a consideration that will bring a whole new light to life and the possibilities that lie there. In this thought is the elimination of self-doubt, insecurities, hopelessness, loneliness, and despair. The Father is continually full of these thoughts towards us, so the need for them from His perspective has already been met. The only lack is in the heart of the ones for whom they are thought. As soon as there is an appreciation and passion for the Father, His thoughts are given access and His favor makes its way into life as a whole. The entrance of His Word only brings light to the one who highly honors and appreciates the Author. As His praise becomes glorious, so does the appreciation for the One who is Love. As His worship becomes intimate, so grows the realization that this incredible being who has chosen to pursue us, is thinking about us, and, oh, what thoughts. David’s statement of God’s thoughts reveals much more about his own heart than that of God. It is David’s thought that counts. Born and nurtured in a heart that reveres and requires this relationship, the thoughts of His God are not only considered, but embraced and cherished in life transformation.

Our thought will more than count when it is a passionate reception of God’s expressed favor towards us. May all the winks, nods, and ‘sweet somethings’ arrive and reside in the heart that ponders them with affection and love.

Jer 29:11 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. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14 And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

Psalms 85:6  Will You not revive us again so that Your people may rejoice in You?

You really don’t know what living is until you’ve had one true moment of rejoicing in the Lord. Yet, there is this continual embrace of things that are so far removed from the realm of the living- things that are dead and pull those who embrace them towards death. It would be like hugging a dead loved one. There may be a time when this would be appropriate during mourning, but it would be very detrimental to one’s health to hold on to that loved one, not bury them, and continue in an embrace with death.

When there is so much to be experienced in the life that God has provided through Christ, it’s so important that those dead things of the past get buried and forgotten. Each time they are exhumed in an attempt to revive old times, the new reason to rejoice in God is contaminated with that old dead man. It really is amazing how faithful is the life provided for us in Christ, though. Even though we may be drawn away to the decaying deadness of world’s cadavers, there is a renewal of life merely waiting for the adjustment of our embrace. True life comes with its spirit of rejoicing and happiness every time Jesus is chosen as the one to be embraced. Again and again He stands by patiently waiting to shine His light once more on our awareness. He will, without fail, infuse us with a life that is far removed from the depressing bondage of the death embrace. He’ll revive us again, and we’ll know what living is in moment after moment of rejoicing in Him.

If there is dissatisfaction with the present life experience, if there is a lack of joy and fulfillment in living, it is a good time to consider what is getting our attention and affection- that old dead man, or the newness and freshness that never grows stale in the life of Christ. He will revive again and replace mourning with rejoicing, sorrow with gladness, and old with new.

2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Colossians 3:1-5  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Romans 6:13  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Colossians 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Affection- phroneō
From G5424; to exercise the mind, that is, entertain or have a sentiment or opinion; by implication to be (mentally) disposed (more or less earnestly in a certain direction); intensively to interest oneself in (with concern or obedience)

I get an ever growing daily deposit of emails in my in box, and way more in my junk box. The reason it’s ever growing is largely due to my own diversions into the crafted enticement on a popup while searching on the internet- “Free X-box”, “Today Only- Get your iPhone by simply filling out this form”, “Become financially independent in two months”, etc. At some point I had to find out what this was really about and, like a lamb to the slaughter obediently filled in my name and email address to the glee of some marketing webmaster who immediately added my name to a sellable database of ‘soft’ prospects. I did, at one point create an email account that I could dispose of after it gathered too much steam, but there is still evidence to spare that I am somewhat susceptible to checking out the possibilities behind the doors. Drawn in by what sparked an interest and an apparent need of some kind, for at least a portion of my limited time on this earth, I have given my mind and my focus to the interest of the moment.

It seems that life itself is a journey through this endless display of popups. There is a relationship, a club, a toy, a taste, a buz, a feeling, a thrill, a song, a sound, a book, a movie, a game….. that is always begging for recognition and mental disposal or affection. What will occupy our thought processes and what will gain our interest and concern is given so many options, some of which may be legitimate, but most of which are much like my junk box- just affection bombs. Leading along just enough until a large portion of time or resources have been spent and lost, they blow up with disappointment and open up a vulnerability to even more shots from the list makers.

It’s good to know that there is a ‘setting’ that can be adjusted, where the spam filter is turned on and only the things from above are even allowed entrance. Our hearts and mental processes don’t have to be damaged or compromised by some powerless giving in to the affections of this world. We can go into the admin section of our heart and by ‘setting’ our minds on the incredible enticement of a heavenly kingdom, we can become invulnerable to any of the earth’s time wasters. By choosing to embrace and entertain ourselves with a hidden life in Christ, we can actually die to the meaningless as we become alive to the incredibly significant.

Jesus has become our life. This is an eternal reality that is the result of our most legitimate submission. There is no need to let an affection be set on anything that might exclude Him. Where He lives they will die, and where they live His life is snuffed. May our affection setting for this day be one that disallows the spam as it loses all other interests for the One who has taken our mind, sentiment, opinion, concern – our affection.