Think!

The news along with other observations of human behavior seem to reveal that the practice of thinking is being abandoned. Much of what is called ‘news’ contains speculation rather than facts. Pundits debate the future in sports, politics, and other areas. Not only that, logic is often missing. How many times does someone say, “What were they thinking?” A rhetorical question for the obvious — “Nothing!” 

AI is tempting. No one has to think when technology will do it for them. Cause and effect are less of an issue with a population that continually blames others for the results of their own bad choices. We say “You make me angry” to others, relinquishing our ability to control our own emotions. Logic is replaced by opinion and thinking through many issues is given to search engines or not bothered with at all.

Today, Piper points to a NT challenge: 

Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. (2 Timothy 2:7)

Yesterday I was thinking how hard it is to listen to the Lord when I am praying. I know He knows my thoughts, and His will is often in my heart. The Bible does say: “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16)

But then there is that old mind, the way of thinking that comes from the flesh, the selfish and sinful old nature that Jesus replaced. He is at work to renew my mind so that I understand His will:

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. (Romans 12:2)

This does not say I will be able to understand all things (like medical terms, engineering, the game of Cricket, or if crabs have eyebrows) but He will let me in on His will. This comes with grace yet requires something from me:

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:17–24)

Putting off the old self requires the ability to recognize the old self. It requires humility and thinking, not assuming all I do is fine with God. I need to feed the new nature by reading God’s will in His Word, not only to grow but also to survive the battle against those sins that keep me thinking only about myself and what I want… 

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Peter 2:1–3)

The Bible says that knowledge puffs up. Jesus told of the prideful Pharisee who considered himself better than the humble publican, but was not thinking biblically. That kind of thinking is summed up even in the OT:

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 1:18–20)

PRAY: This is a big topic for those who don’t think deeply, or don’t reason together with God. It is a challenge to grasp the reality of redemption for sinners by grace through faith yet You have given us a great gift — a new mind, Your mind. Being willing to use it, and being obedient to what You say, is the challenge when You tell me to think and to rely on Your understanding. I have a book called, “How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci” yet You tell me I can think with Your mind. Jesus, increase my ability to think as You think. Oh my, what a wonder that this is even possible!