God's Hugs

 David Wilkerson, World Challenge Pulpit Series (January 24, 2011)
"Do you believe God is interpreting every thought you think, as a father does with his ponderous child? Do you believe he is at work as your loving, caring Father-bottling every tear, hearing every sigh, hovering over you?

" That is exactly the way the Bible describes him: Ps. 103:13 'Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.' The Hebrew word for "pity" here means "to fondle, cuddle, love, be compassionate." Scripture is saying God cuddles in his arms those who fear (believe) him. He puts his arms around you, strokes your cheeks, holds you to his breast. And he tells you, "I know all your thoughts, all your concerns. I know every battle you must face. And I care about it all."

" David wrote a famous passage about this very subject. He said, "O Lord...thou hast known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and my uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art aquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before...How precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: When I awake, I am still with thee." Ps. 139:1-5, 17-18

" David is saying, "God knows all about me. He sees my every move, even my thoughts. Everywhere I turn, there he is."

Think of it. No matter what you are going through, no matter how you feel, the Lord sees it all-and he cares."

 "Many Christians go through life thinking God is angry with them. They think they can never please him. How wrong they are. David was not a perfect man. He sinned more grossly than most Christians ever will. Yet David was able to testify, "How precious are your thoughts unto me, O God!"

 "God is not mad at you right now. He is thinking precious, loving thoughts about you. He is even cuddling you in his arms at this very moment. He knows the way you feel. And he cares. He wants to tell you, "Yes, you are going through a great trial. You're being tempted and tossed. But you are my child-and I will never allow the enemy to ensnare you. I'm going to bring you through."

 "David held onto his faith-and God met him. "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles" (Ps. 34:6)

"The Lord will do the same for you."

And me.