December 2019
God’s Garbage Disposal
Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things (Philippians 4:8, NIVB).
Friend to Friend
Have you ever watched an icicle as it is formed? Several years ago, we joined our best friends, Michelle and Jay Johnson, for a winter vacation in Vermont where a heavy snowstorm had arrived just ahead of us, dumping several inches of snow.
Everything was covered in a rolling, soft blanket of white. Icicles hung like fragile crystal ornaments from tree limbs and rooftops. One morning, I decided to be lazy. It was delicious to just sit, curled up in front of a crackling fire, gazing out at the beautiful postcard scene before me.
I watched the softly falling rain gradually turn to long strands of ice. The icicles formed one drop at a time until they were a foot long or more. An interesting process unfolded before me. If the water was clean and pure, the icicle was formed clear and sparkling like a finely cut diamond in the sun. But if the water was unclean and impure, the icicle looked muddy and its beauty was spoiled!
Our lives are formed…one thought at a time...one attitude at a time...one choice at a time. The purity of our thoughts determines the purity of our lives. Darkness feeds on impure thoughts. The battle plan against the darkness must include a direct assault on impure thoughts.
In Psalm 101:33, David issues this challenge: “I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar.” Notice the word “refuse.” It indicates an action or a choice on our part. We can refuse dark thoughts. We can choose against negative attitudes. This standard needs to be the ongoing commitment of our thought life. To keep this commitment, to control our thoughts requires us to control all outside influences.
- Movies
- Books
- Television
- Music
- Relationships
- Conversations
Our prayer should be like David’s in Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a new, clean heart, O God, filled with clean thoughts and right desires” (The Message).
A clean mind will produce right desires. Right desires will produce right habits! And right habits produce a life of power and joy, a life that is pleasing to God…a life that is right and lived out in the light of His power and purpose for each one of us. The old adage is true: “Sow a thought, reap an action. Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny!”
Think pure thoughts! The Truth for Today is not only God’s standard for our thought life, it is His garbage disposal for the mind.
It is so easy to let impurity creep into our thought life through a word of gossip, a trashy novel, movies that exalt everything that opposes God, and our own deliberate choice to think thoughts we know dishonor God. I can only imagine what those choices do to the heart of God.
I know it is hard to take a stand for purity. But remember - silence is agreement. I encourage you to join me this week in choosing to be a woman of integrity by choosing to think pure thoughts.
Let’s Pray
Father, I come to you today with one thing on my mind – obedience. My thought life has become so hard to control. But today I am choosing to get in the Word and set my mind on Your things. Please help me guard my mind so that my thoughts are pleasing to you.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Consider the statement that our thought life “should be a sacrifice acceptable to God and fit to be brought into His presence as part of our worship to Him.” Have you ever considered your thought life to be part of your worship?
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Originally published Monday, 16 December 2019.
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