Devotion:
For an audio version of this devotion, click here.
Read Philippians 4:8.
This week we are focusing on paying attention to self-care, so that we are better equipped to continue the mission of our Lord. Jesus instructed his disciples that the first commandment is “to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and the second is to love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Then Jesus added, “this sums up all the law and the prophets.”
Sometimes we speak of our faith as a “heart language” and we leave out the parts about loving God with our minds and letting God work with the “thinking and mental health parts of our minds”.
Paul doesn’t forget this part in his letter to the new believers in Philippi. There is so much encouragement from Paul to the people in this chapter: encouragement to not worry and to pray; to experience God’s peace; to rejoice; to be strengthened through Christ….AND to keep your MIND set on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy!
Part of our self-care is paying attention to what we allow into our mind; what we think about. I like the way Eugene Peterson begins this verse in The Message, “Summing it all up friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse."
Personal Worship Option:
Eugene Peterson concludes verse 9 with, “Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” Yes, Lord, fill and lead my mind to be in harmony with yours today. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment