Wednesday, March 6, 2019

Righteous Desires

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten Season:

Romans 8:5 – “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.”
       My mom and aunts often spoke about wise words from my maternal grandmother. Among her favorite wisdom quotes was for her children to ‘never desire for something so badly that it causes you to deny your character’. In essence if we think or dwell on anything so profusely that it consumes us to the point where we will do anything to have or get it…it becomes an idol and separates us from our true source, which is God. Conversely, as we think on and abide in the things of the spirit, we are drawn into closer relationship with God. The bottom line is… what do we have our minds set on?
       Do we spend too much time wrestling with earthly concerns and not on kingdom aspirations? Do we tend to worry about the here and now so much we forget God is the author and finisher of everything? The time we waste dwelling on temporal problems, tangible goods and things that will rust or rot away, we could and should be spending perfecting our love relationship with our Creator. As we do this, He provides for all of our daily needs and grants the peace that will allow us the freedom to wait and not fret.
       Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven; but to do that our minds must be set on what the Spirit desires. What are your chief desires? Do you need a mind ‘re’-set? We all do from time to time. Our minds must continually be trained to focus on what is good, and lovely and not succumb to the world’s desires.
      Every day is a good day; it is up to us to make it a GREAT day! Be blessed! Rev. Dr. JoAnn

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