Pentecost 53 What in the World Were You Thinking?

[HKHaugan]

Pentecost 53 What in the World Were You Thinking?

When we lived in New Hampshire we met a couple at an estate auction (then a weekly social event in '60's' New England). The wife had come up with a slogan she sold that emblazoned bumper stickers, “Think Snow.” The idea was to see the world through the eyes of skier’s dreams, lots of snow. View everything while on the job, on the way home, off-season, with the hope of ski season arriving with lots of fresh skiable snow. You live for snow and the pleasures it would offer. If you could think it, dream it, hope for it, it would happen.

Transfer, for a moment, that dynamic into other things we try to ‘think’ into being. It could be weather, vacations, fishing, relationships, wealth, and perhaps another place to live or work. We get absorbed in the images each brings to mind. We can even fixate and become obsessed with them. It is this very dynamic in humanity that can work for good or evil depending on what motivates it. Literature, drama, art and business find their outlet through this ability of the mind.

Now suppose again we do another transfer. We shift to ‘thinking’ spiritually. We ‘think’ spiritually as we move into every next activity. Then we think specifically about spiritual things and focus in on the Holy Spirit and ‘think Holy Spirit.” Then we know from Scripture (Jn.16:5-16) that the Holy Spirit will get us to ‘think Jesus.’ Jesus in turn will get us to think the way He thinks and that is Scripturally. Now we are equipped to see the world and let the Holy Spirit do His work through us.

This can become a way to move through your daily routine. Here’s the sequence that makes every day a practical way to live.

First, think spiritually –because sin gets us so materially oriented we need to make the effort to shift our minds into the spiritual dimension. Remember, you are first a spiritual person then a physical one.

Second, think Holy Spirit---He is the One who is your personal reference point in the unseen spiritual dimension. He is the only One who can sort out the good from the bad in spiritual reality.

Third, think Jesus---The Holy Spirit will bring the person of Jesus into your consciousness. He will strengthen the reality of His presence in your mind and heart. That’s His joy. He will get you to think of Jesus as a person, as God and as your personal Savior, Lord and teacher.

Fourth, think Father---Jesus will lead you to the Father to pray to Him. The Father sees each of us as His child and has a will He reveals through Jesus. The Spirit conveys this relational bond.

Fifth, think Scripture---the Spirit will lead you to mine the Scripture for the specifics of life. There He will open you up to the spiritual insights that make sense and fill you with peace, confidence and purpose.

Sixth, think prayer---the Spirit will carry your heart to the Father through Jesus. The Spirit takes our inarticulate pleas and interprets them to the Father. He is the One who nudges us to pray and express our hearts to the Father.

Seventh, think like Jesus---the Spirit will stabilize your mind with Jesus’ words and He will act through you. All of Scripture becomes not just a written set of historic documents but a living experience as you allow the Spirit to let Scripture come alive in your mind and heart. This is how you think like Him.

So here is the sequence: think spiritually, think Holy Spirit, think Jesus, think Father, think Scripture, think prayer, think like Jesus.

Again: think spiritually, think Holy Spirit, think Jesus, think Father, think Scripture, think prayer, think like Jesus.

One more time: think spiritually, think Holy Spirit, think Jesus, think Father, think Scripture, think prayer, think like Jesus.

“Finally, my brothers and sisters, always think about what is true. Think about what is noble, right and pure. Think about what is lovely and worthy of respect. If anything is excellent or worthy of praise, think about those kinds of things. Do what you have learned or received or heard from me. Follow my example.
The God who gives peace will be with you (Phil.4:8-9).”