Page 58 - Living Light - A Message of Joy!

Mon February 5 - Our thoughts – garbage or good? ...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right... Philippians 4:8
Our minds are often compared to computers... mine would be a very decrepit ‘Amstrad’ these days! Computer buffs coined a word to describe the consequences of putting bad data into a computer: ‘GIGO’ – garbage in, garbage out! Now there’s an apt comparison to what Paul alludes to in our verses this week!
It's been calculated that each of us has in excess of 10,000 thoughts each day. How careful are we with our thoughts – especially about how many might be garbage, rather than good ones that nourish our souls and lives? What counts as ‘true, noble and right’, that Paul encourages us to think about?
‘Truth’ seems to be in short supply these days – especially in the political arena here and the USA! But also in so many other areas of our lives, as we listen to or watch news bulletins or follow social media.
How do we encounter the truth? Where can we find it? A good place to start is the Bible, especially the words Jesus spoke. He said of himself, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6). There’s no better place or person to start than with him! Incredibly, once we start reading his words and following his story, we also catch a glimpse of what is noble and right – in how he lived and how he treated those around him.
Dear God, help us to see in Jesus all the true, noble and right things that we so need today. Amen.
Tuesday February 6 - Lift our gaze... to Jesus
...whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable...
Philippians 4:8
Paul is encouraging us to think positively, but this isn’t ‘the power of positive thinking’ that I recall being so prevalent in my early Christian life 50+ years ago. This is different. It means to lift our gaze from the things we see or hear around us, and to think about those things that are positive rather than negative; constructive, not destructive, things that build up and don’t tear down.
As I looked at these three words today – pure, lovely, admirable – I wondered if the pure and lovely and admirable things around us are at the greatest threat of being spoiled and tainted by experiences we’ve had, or stories we’ve heard from the internet or the media. Sometimes we have to cast our minds back a long way to remember what ‘pure’ is: something undefiled, clean, holy. Can we ever imagine feeling that about ourselves, or even that we might be lovely or loveable... or even admirable?
My prayer is that, as we walk this walk with the Lord and focus our thoughts on these particular things, though sometimes it might seem impossible... if we keep close to him and follow in his steps, then we’ll not only see in him what is pure, lovely and admirable, but by his Holy Spirit we’ll be aware of them becoming part of our lives too, within us and around us.
Lord, as we walk with Jesus, please help us to know that he will keep us sure-footed on the paths ahead! Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
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PRAYER FOR TODAY