God’s Thoughts

What does God think about? What are His thoughts? What does He think of mankind? Does the Bible tell us what God thinks?

Most of us probably think of God as being extremely powerful and incredibly intelligent on a scale that is incomprehensible for mortal man to conceive. Through the prophet Isaiah, God simply says, “‘My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways.… For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8–9). That should be very comforting for us to know! Can you imagine how it would be if God thought on mankind’s level?

God’s works are great, and His thoughts are very deep (Psalm 92:5). And His thoughts are not just deep, but also wide and long and high (Ephesians 3:19). Ephesians 3:10 also speaks of the “manifold wisdom of God.” The Greek word translated manifold, which is polupoikilos, means “manifesting itself in a great variety of forms” (“4182. Polupoikilos,” BibleHub.com). There are no limits to God’s thoughts and wisdom.

God thinks about us—and He thinks about us a lot. As King David of Israel wrote, “Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered…. But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinks upon me” (Psalm 40:5, 17).

In Psalm 139, David again talks about God’s interest in us, saying, “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether” (vv. 1–4). David describes God forming him in his mother’s womb and planning to do so before David’s days began. David then declares, “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand” (vv. 17–18).

God is also interested in what we do and what we think. As a loving Father, He is observing our behavior, listening to our words, and examining our thoughts. David explained this to Solomon when he was preparing him to become the king of Israel, saying, “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever” (1 Chronicles 28:9).

Since our Father cares about what is in our hearts and minds, we need to guard them “with all diligence” (Proverbs 4:23) and meditate on—that is, think deeply about—things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, “of good report,” virtuous, and praiseworthy (v. 8). As we do, Christ Jesus Himself will guard our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7).

God tells us, “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11, cf. John 10:10). If we are striving to obey His commandments, proclaim His true Gospel, and seek His righteousness, we can be confident that God’s thoughts about us are wonderful indeed!

Many people wonder what the future holds for mankind and for us individually. What is that future and hope God has for us? So many have wondered about the meaning of life, not realizing that God’s word reveals it. The free booklet What Is the Meaning of Life? can aid you in your Bible study on this topic.