by Doug Bing, Washington Conference president
The expression “a penny for your thoughts” dates all the way back to around 1535, when Sir Thomas More used those words in one of his written works. It has been used throughout the centuries as a question for someone who appears to be deep in thought. If a person is silent or pensive for a period of time, they might be asked, “A penny for your thoughts?”
Of course, a penny was worth far more in 1535 than it is today, especially now that pennies are no longer being produced for circulation in the United States. The phrase is really just a symbolic monetary offer intended to get someone to reveal their inner thoughts.
Wives the world over have asked their husbands another question: “What are you thinking?” Of course, they are frustrated the world over when the most common answer is, “Nothing.” Wives truly wonder how in the world their husbands can have nothing going through their minds. For men, it is entirely possible.
If one were to ask God this question, you might be surprised by His answer. The Bible says the number of His thoughts toward us cannot be counted. Psalm 40:5 states:
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.
(Psalm 40:5, NKJV)
Isn’t that amazing? The Creator of the massive universe has more thoughts about this little speck in His creation than can be numbered. God has been thinking about you.
Frankly, those thoughts cost far more than a penny. His thoughts toward us led Him to die on the cross so that we could be cleansed from sin and stand before Him. The psalmist goes on to say in verse 17:
But I am poor and needy;
Yet the Lord thinks upon me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God.
(Psalm 40:17, NKJV)
While we were poor sinners facing extinction, God thought of us and became our Deliverer. That cost far more than a penny, and it was all because God thinks about you.