Single-Minded part 4
Here's the key to the Kingdom, if I can put it that bluntly: Romans 12:2, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." The way to not be conformed... is to be transformed. That transformation took place on the cross. We were sinners... then we got saved by grace... and now we're something different. Something new. We have been transformed. From sinner to saint. From unbeliever to, well, believer. And the way we experience that transformation--the way we BE transformed into what we've already BEEN transformed INTO--is by the renewing of our minds. By letting the mind of Christ (that is already in us) BE in us. By using the mind we've been given. Remember that verse in Jeremiah chapter 32 about God giving us ONE heart? It's HIS heart. His Spirit. His mind. The only way to be single-minded is for the eye to be single. To make sure that love is our priority by focusing on... love. That's what comes out of His heart anyway, isn't it? What else could? Genesis 6:5 says, "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Which, of course, is why we needed that new heart. David was a man after God's own heart, not because he never did anything wrong... but because he wanted to do right. It was David who cried out, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10). He was after God's heart. He wanted it. He knew there was something better than just what the world had to offer. His eyes were on the prize, if I can say it that way. And because of that, God gave it to him. Maybe not in the fulness that we have on this side of the cross--there are arguments on both sides about that, and I'm not trying to get into it here and now--but certainly Jesus said ask and it shall be given unto you. Seek and ye shall find. God is always in the answering business. And, by the way, "no answer" IS an answer. Maybe not the one you were hoping for, but still. So we need to come to a place where we can understand the bigger picture. And the only way to do that is by letting the mind of Christ (again, that's already in us) BE in us. By USING what we've got. By BEING who we are. BEING transformed by the renewing of our minds. Letting go of old things that we have learned. Just because you learned it, doesn't mean it's right. People learned that the earth was flat for a long time. Until someone came along and proved it wasn't. When you know better, you can do better. If you want to. It's easy to stay stuck in that rut. Easy to continue on doing things the way you've always done them. But, again, that doesn't make it right. And if there is a more excellent way available to you... why wouldn't you grab it? Especially when it's being freely given. It is for you. It's at hard. Within reach. All you have to do is respond to the gift you've been given by receiving it and releasing it. Focus on what matters. Focus on love!