Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’"
Matthew 22:37
I used to think that loving the Lord with all my mind meant knowing about Him.
That it meant getting as much
information
as I could about who He is, what He’s done and what He plans to do.
That it meant using my mind to inquire and gather information about Him and His ways.
But the other day, as I was reading this verse again, it hit me that maybe there’s more to this
loving the Lord with all my mind
than simply knowing information.
That maybe it has to do with
how I use my mind
. Like whether I choose to take every thought captive or allow my thoughts to run wild!
What if loving the Lord with all my mind is much more connected to 2 Corinthians 10:5
(...
we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ)
than I ever realized?
What if loving the Lord with all my mind really means
all
my mind! Not just parts. Not just some days.
But
all
my mind,
every
day.
And
all
my thoughts, not just some!
Not just the thoughts that are easy to take hold of. Not just the thoughts that are easy to recognize.
But even the ones that take more effort, more discipline, to take captive.
What if loving the Lord with all my mind looks a lot less like having a ton of information about God rolling around up there and a lot more like
every thought that I think lining up with who He is!
What if loving the Lord with all my mind is much bigger, much more beautiful, than I ever imagined!
Can you imagine?
Every thought
lining up with who God is! Every thought truth-filled. Every thought hope-filled. Every thought full of peace, full of grace, full of love.
Sounds a lot like Philippians 4:8! (
Brothers and sisters, think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected.)
Yes, I’m thinking that loving God with all my mind is a lot more than I ever realized!
And a lot more effort too...at first!
But oh so worth it!
Can you imagine
thinking like Jesus?
Walking in
complete peace
because the war of thoughts has been won!
So disciplined in your thought-life that anything that even tries to enter that is against who God is and who He says you are, is automatically discarded!
Now that’s amazing!
A beautiful picture of freedom! Something to run toward and go after!
So, friends, I’m on this journey of learning to love the Lord my God with
all
my mind. Of learning to take
every
thought captive.
And whether you’ve been on this journey for awhile or you’re just starting out, I encourage you!
Choose a thought pattern. Just one.
And make it submit to Christ.
Choose to take that thought captive –
every time
it enters your mind.
Enlist friends and family who are on this same journey for help. Get connected to Holy Spirit
and stay there.
Choose to take that thought captive. And soon, it won’t be so difficult.
Soon it won’t take
quite as much
effort.
You’ll be loving the Lord your God with more and more of your mind each day.
You'll be thinking on things that are good and trustworthy and worthy of praise.
You'll be walking in a little more peace. A little more joy. A little more freedom!
And you'll be looking a little more like Jesus every day!
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.
Philippians 4:8
Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'"
Matthew 22:37
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:5
