There are times when I must do something but my body resists. That old saying, “Put your mind to it” is the only way to get going some mornings, or to get up from dinner and do dishes. My mind is also easily distracted and can think of a million things I’d rather do than the task at hand. Rather than let those “I wants” determine my day, the Lord is teaching me about being determined of MIND by taking me through the Bible to see what He says about His mind and mine..
The OT uses this word to describe several things. The most pertinent for me is a noun that is best translated “plans” or “thoughts” and can describe the plans of either individuals or God. What makes God’s mind different from mine?
For one thing, Numbers 23:19 says, “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” I’m not in a habit of lying, but can often change my mind. Also, sometimes I fail to do whatever I say I will do.
I’m not the only one. In the OT, the leaders of God’s people had trouble being true to their calling. God promised He would “raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind” making obvious that we are not capable of doing what is on His mind without His help.
The best example is Solomon. He prayed, “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” and God responded, “Behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. He gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore” so that “The whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind.”
Even though this man’s mind was blessed by God, Solomon was open to it, humble enough to realize that he could not be a good king without God’s help. God says to me to have the same determination:
1 Chronicles 22:19. “Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God . . . .”
Job 38:36. “Who has put wisdom in the inward parts or given understanding to the mind?“
Proverbs 28:26. “Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.”
Jeremiah 17:10 adds another thought, “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” God rewards those who learn to think like He thinks, but this can be a challenge. Jesus, God in human flesh, was misunderstood because His way of life was so different than anyone else. If I think (and therefore behave) like Jesus, I may not be popular!
Mark 3:20–21. "Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, 'He is out of his mind.' ”
Even His disciple struggled with it, Peter in particular. When Jesus spoke of what was going to happen to Him, Peter said, “No . . . .” and Jesus rebuked him with, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
God also says in Romans 8:6-7: “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.”
GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. Setting my mind on the things of God is impossible if I follow the whims of my self-centeredness. Instead, He says I have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) and must nurture it and obey what I do know before He will show me any more about how He thinks. Also, Romans 12:2 tells me, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Obviously, mind renewal requires keeping my thoughts on God and refusing to try and tell Him what to do, as if my plans could understand His mind without His blessing to reveal it.
No comments:
Post a Comment