Until I was in my mid-thirties, there was no law requiring drivers and passengers to wear seatbelts. In fact, until the late 60’s, most car did not even have them. So when the “mandatory seatbelt law” came into effect in 1984, I had to start buckling up. I resisted at first. Wearing a seatbelt made me feel constricted. But of course now, after 27 years of buckling up, I feel ‘vulnerable’ without one.
The e-dictionary defines the word “belt” as “that which restrains or confines. It is usually worn around the waist to support clothing, but certain belts are employed to secure tools or weapons.” Sounds like a good defintion for "truth."
The Scripture says the Messiah will wear a belt of “righteousness and faithfulness around His waist” (Is. 11:5). In other words, He will be constrained by truth. Paul also uses the ‘belt’ theme: “Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness” (Eph. 6:14, NLT).
We are living in an age of relativity where there is an aversion to ‘tightly’ defined truth. Finding, knowing and believing God’s “truth” is our work mandate (John 6:29) because our lives are defined by truth. During Isaiah’s day, when the people had departed from truth, the Prophet says: “truth has stumbled in the streets” (Is. 59:14). I’ll bet it wasn’t wearing a seat belt.
Showing posts with label loins of your mind. Show all posts
Showing posts with label loins of your mind. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
If You don’t Tie Up Loose Ends, You’ll Tie Yourself in Knots
To “tie up loose ends” is a familiar idiom, meaning “to deal with the minor consequences of a previous action; to tidy up, finish, or complete.”
"Tying up looses ends" will keep your past from hindering you presently. Loose ends can be distracting, and sometimes, paralyzing. Loose ends steal your mental concentration as they occupy your mind. You are unable to focus as you want to on more important things.
“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind” (1 Peter 1:13).
When Paul wrote these words, men didn’t wear pants; they wore tunics—skirts. To “gird your loins” meant to draw-up and tie your skirt into your belt so you could walk or run. This prevented the “loose ends” of the tunic from becoming snagged on something or entangled with your feet which would cause you to stumble or fall. No solider would consider going into battle without first ‘girding his loins.”
Spiritually, it means: don't let your loose thinking and undisciplined thoughts cause you to stumble into a wrong attitude. If you don’t tie up loose ends and tighten up your thinking, you will not be ready to respond to the need of the moment. Rather, you'll find yourself tied up in knots.
"Tying up looses ends" will keep your past from hindering you presently. Loose ends can be distracting, and sometimes, paralyzing. Loose ends steal your mental concentration as they occupy your mind. You are unable to focus as you want to on more important things.
“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind” (1 Peter 1:13).
When Paul wrote these words, men didn’t wear pants; they wore tunics—skirts. To “gird your loins” meant to draw-up and tie your skirt into your belt so you could walk or run. This prevented the “loose ends” of the tunic from becoming snagged on something or entangled with your feet which would cause you to stumble or fall. No solider would consider going into battle without first ‘girding his loins.”
Spiritually, it means: don't let your loose thinking and undisciplined thoughts cause you to stumble into a wrong attitude. If you don’t tie up loose ends and tighten up your thinking, you will not be ready to respond to the need of the moment. Rather, you'll find yourself tied up in knots.
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