Renewing of our minds

The phrase, “renewing of your mind” … as in Romans 12:2 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” … kept running through my mind this morning as I walked around the subdivision. It was still dark and only a few homes had lights on. There were two other walkers out and about a d a lone male riding his bike. The morning papers had already been delivered. It was quite … “by the renewing of your mind”.

The idea began to emerge, from someplace deep within my gray matter, that it takes the entire being to “renew the mind” … the entire being as in mind, body and spirit. So, my thinking began to process as to just how could I renew the mind? Well, by reading and exposing my thought processes to new ideas is but one way. Another way would be to try to learn something new as in taking classes at the local college. Here I think of Lee Taylor Stokes who was a long time educator in Hillsboro County (i.e. Tampa, FL) who, the day after retiring, registered to audit some classes at the University of South Florida, a practice he continued for the rest of his life. “Keeps you young,” he often shared. “Just being around all those young people and trying your hand and mind at something different.”

Renewing the body encompasses eating the correct foods – something that I must confess that I haven’t been doing recently – and exercise – something that I have been doing, but not like my previous regiment … just taking too many shortcuts, but expecting the same results.

Spirit renewal can include worship, reading the Bible, devotional reading, prayer, fasting, and a large score of other disciplines. Of the three – mind, body and spirit – it is usually the spirit realm that gets the “leftover” time. It is the easiest to ignore or put off to a “more convenient time” … to relegate to some of our “down time” … or simply expect the “preacher” to take care of that portion of our renewal … after all it is “his or her job” isn’t it? But, then I re-read Romans 12:1 – “Therefore, I urge you, brothers (and sisters), in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” Hmmm, but there is a problem with “living sacrifices” … they keep climbing off the altar!

Our (or at least my) body, mind and spirit don’t stay on task very well. There is always something that is getting my attention … or I allow it to get my attention … drawing me away from the task at hand. Maybe that is the problem … I view it as a task, a job, something that “has” to be done, completed, finished … instead of something that delights my soul and causes my spirit to soar on eagle’s wings …

Well, at least for today I’ve made a start at “renewing my mind”. I will concern myself with tomorrow when it arrives.

Quote for today: Dr. J. Elder Cumming contended that "in almost every case the beginning of new blessing is a new revelation of the character of God--more beautiful, more wonderful, more precious." J.O. Sanders