More Active Posts
Front Page
Meditation 11.3
 |
 7 Comments |
On Saturdays, we consider a passage of Scripture. This is not a thread for theological debate, but for reflection on an ancient text. Here’s today’s passage:
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
(The thing I like about this verse is its emphasis on the mind as the origin of action.)
 |
Topic: WorldMagBlog |  |
Email a friend |
 |
Keywords: |  |
RSS 2.0 |
 |
Both comments and pings are currently closed. |  |
Share this: |
The race for No. 2
I read somewhere that the word used for heart means the mind & the heart together - that the Jews saw the connection between one’s mind & heart/emotions.
Can anyone more schooled in languages tell me if this is indeed true?
The longer I live & the more I experience, the more I set my hope on, & put my trust in, Jesus Christ.
Karen - is this a language question, since the same distinction between intellect and emotion or mind and soul exists in many languages? The Greek cardia or the Hebrew levav, have the same meaning as in English. But where is the soul exactly? Intellect and emotion originate in the brain (as far as we know). I think its funny though that the Hebrew speaks of ‘bowels of compassion’.
Speaking of ‘bowels of compassion’ this verse in the KJV says, ‘Gird up the loins of your mind’. Wow, what imagery!
I think there is an interesting contrast here between being sober and prepared on the one hand vs. the joy that will come when Jesus arrives.
My niece’s 10 year old friend was thrown from a horse and killed. A colleague of mine just died of cancer. Both were young and pretty and so full of life. My wife just fought a bought with breast cancer. Evil and suffering and death are practically unbearable. I hate them with a passion, with all my bowels!
And yet, even though the bitterness of death and evil sober us, we cling to the hope that Jesus will make it all right in the end. In light of the joy he has in store for us, all of the suffering of this life will seem like a pin prick, easily forgotten. This hope makes unbearable suffering bearable.
Karen, XION mentioned it, but the word “mind” in my concordance refers to intellect. Peter is referring to “gird up the loins of your mind …” just as the Hebrews girded themselves (Ex 12) to have the passover and leave Egypt. (I don’t know much Greek, just enough to understand the concordance.)
Our attitudes have a lot to do with our success or failure. Happyness depends on what we keep on our minds. Some of us (no names please.) could benefit from that as we endure frustrations.
Peter is saying, essentially, “Be committed”. This verse is a lead-in to a discussion which ultimately calls for a life of holiness (v.16).
I can see where “mind” refers to the intellect, & “heart” is a combination of thoughts & emotions.
As to the scripture - Though we often let our hearts influence our intellect, (which can be good or bad, depending on the situation), it is our minds that make our choices.
Hoping & trusting in God are indeed choices we make. The more often we choose to believe, trust, & hope in God, the more it will become a habit of the mind, & the heart.
I hate to cheapen serious scripture with baseball analogies, but Peter himself uses a running analogy here, steeling the mind to run a race. So indulge me …
Compare the Red Sox celebrations after winning the World Series with the seriousness of a pitcher’s face trying to get that next strike. Jonathan Papelbon is a goofy kid normally, but when he is on the mound his face looks like he is about to kill you. He is about to throw a spinning projectile a few inches from your body at 98MPH, nearly as fast as shooting an arrow from a bow.
1Chr 12:8 Says that some of David’s men had faces like lions, lionhearted (2Sam 17:10). 1Cor 16:13 says, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.”
The meditation here for me is to consider how wimpy I have been in my own Christian life. I do what I shouldn’t and don’t do what I should. I’ve got plenty of lame excuses to justify my wimpiness. Am I strong in faith or does sin and laziness get the best of me? Am I be strong for God or will the consequences of weakness be a wasted life paved with lame excuses? And then when Christ appears, will my joy be as full as it should be?
The baseball analogy breaks down around the word grace. The Red Sox celebrated a victory based on their own merit. Our victory is based not on our own merit, but Christ’s. This fact should cause us to want to please him all the more, being all he would have us be. I should try wearing the Papelbon pitcher’s face when confronted with my own shortcomings and press onward with a lion’s heart.
This should prepare people who have entered the ministry prematurely to see the Deity of Christ.