Psalm 139: 17-18

How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! I try to count them - they are more than the sand; I come to the end - I am still with you. Psalm 139:17-18 NRSV

How often we forget that the Bible actually contains humor! Here is one of those verses that says something about the nature of God but also makes us laugh.

How weighty and vast are God's thoughts. This reminds me of a scene in the movie, Bruce Almighty, in which God gives Bruce the right to answer prayers. Bruce is completely overwhelmed - whether he is hearing these requests or sets them up in files or even tries to use post-it notes. He cannot keep up; in fact, his apartment becomes filled with any one of these. Eventually he resorts to emails which means his inbox becomes completely filled. Later he discovers that he is actually only receiving prayers from his hometown - not the entire world! Just trying to grasp all the things that God is aware of, knows, thinks of, and hears is almost impossible.

Could we count them? Here is where we all have to laugh. In fact, some translations say: "I try to count your thoughts, they are as many as there are grains of sand... when I wake up, you are still here!" Counting God's thoughts is like counting sheep - eventually we fall asleep. But, don't worry, God will remain with us, awake and aware! God doesn't sleep nor does God leave us in our attempt to grasp the whole of God's awesome power and knowledge. God's thoughts are truly vast and weighty.

God, we cannot comprehend how much you know. If we try to count all the things you are capable of or think about we would fall asleep! But we are assured of your continued presence and your care for us. Thank you. In Jesus' name. Amen.