Monday, April 27, 2015

Afterthought


Go into a random store the day before a major holiday like Christmas or Easter, or days set aside to remember and honor those we love -- Valentine's Day, Mothers' Day and Fathers' Day -- and you’ll no doubt find a shelf filled with dubious looking items for sale (like a scented candle in the shape of a mini cupcake or a necktie sporting a pheasant) underneath a sign touting them as ‘Last Minute Gift Ideas.’ I’ve even seen one that read 


‘Last Minute Gifts for that Special Someone’ 

Listen – if that someone was THAT special, why would you wait until the dead last minute to buy them a gift (limited incomes and off pay weeks notwithstanding)? Yes, nothing says ‘I Love You’ like a tiny lump of wax resembling pastry, a gaudy tie, or some other lame item from the Clearance section of your local WalMart.

Or how about this one? Have you ever been told by someone:




“I asked all my other friends if they wanted to come with me to ­­_____  (fill in the blank here with some event or destination) but they all said ‘No’....and then I remembered YOU!”

Wow. Gee, thanks. Really, I'm honored.

Over the years, I’ve been the recipient of last minute gifts and invites; sometimes even left out entirely (intentionally or unintentionally) of one get-together or another. And sad to say, I’ve done the same to others.

It’s an awful thing to come face-to-face with the reality of being someone’s afterthought. Or even worse – realizing that you weren’t even thought about at all. As in totally off the radar. Not even on the list. Forgotten.

Thankfully, this isn’t how God operates. You’re not an afterthought to Him. In fact, the psalmist has this to say:

How precious it is, Lord, to realize that You are thinking about me constantly! I can't even count how many times a day Your thoughts turn toward me. And when I waken in the morning, You are still thinking of me! (Psalm 139:17-18, TLB)

And in Isaiah 49:15-16, God says, Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the palms of My hands.


I like the Amplified Bible version of verse 16 even better: Behold, I have indelibly imprinted (tattooed a picture of) you on the palm of each of My hands.

Today and every day, grab on and hold tightly to this awesome, wonderful and comforting TRUTH that you are always on God's mind, that you are ever in His thoughts. You are never His last pick for the team; you aren't the recipient of some thoughtless, last minute gift; you are not a postscript to a letter written long ago but never mailed; nor a forgotten child left home alone. 

Instead, know that you are chosen, holy and dearly loved by the Father, Who is Love.


You are NOT forgotten. 

5 comments:

  1. Thank you Pam, this is so true. Isn't our God amazing? I am so thankful we are no on his "forgotten" list. None of us have to be.....thank you for this good word today! Lori

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  2. You are SO welcome, Lori. Many times, I write these posts as reminders to and encouragement for myself on my 'not so good' days. If they bless someone else, that's just icing on the cake!

    Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment, too. :)

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  3. Thank you for this reminder today. There are times that we all wonder if God has forgotten us, and it is so good to know that He will NEVER forget us...He CAN'T forget His precious children. We are always on His mind. Thank you for reminding me. This was so good. Thank you.

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  4. These scriptures are good, good reminders of our importance. Another idea from the bible that helps me in a similar way is in 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (it shows up in a couple of other places too:

    "Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."

    That idea of the Spirit as our deposit and guarantee that God will keep his promises for us is very powerful for me -- that nothing short of God's own Spirit, living right inside my own life, is sufficient to demonstrate how serious he is about loving and taking care of me.

    Thanks for your post :)

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