COV LIFE BLOG

Resource Highlight – Think

Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. – 2 Timothy 2:7

When it comes to Christian living, the importance of the mind is a subject too often overlooked. In a book called Think, John Piper sets the stage for the importance of this specific theme. He explores the teachings of Jesus and Paul, and borrows a good bit from Jonathan Edwards, to show the relevance to  not only feel and emotionally experience God, but also think about Him extensively.

As the book shows, “thinking and knowing are given to us by God for the purpose of loving Him and loving people”. As an exploration on the life of the mind, it gave me helpful tools to sharpen the ways I study the character of God through reading His word. I also found it incredibly effective to learn ways I can better meditate on the risen Jesus.

The book also advocates the action of reading, since reading helps introduce new facts to the brain. As the author demonstrates, the best way to improve the way we think is often by making the time to read.

The Bible is the main place that we come to know God, and the Bible is a book, and a book requires thinking.

As the Psalmist writes, “His delight is in the law of The Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night (Psalm 1:2)”. To take a step back, it is helpful to consider what it means to think. When thinking is at it’s best, the mind is used as an act of worship to love, honor and “think rightly” of God.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. – 1 Corinthians 13:11

When Paul began this letter to the Corinthians, he sought to correct errors in the church’s thinking. He certainly wasn’t making a case for anti-intellectualism. Of course, there is a clear distinction between the ways human wisdom and godly wisdom operate. Human beings cannot begin to comprehend who God is through wisdom of their own. They need the Spirit, who makes himself known in a variety of ways—and most certainly through Scripture.

The ultimate difference between God’s wisdom and man’s wisdom is how they relate to the glory of God’s grace in Christ crucified. God’s wisdom makes the glory of God’s grace our supreme treasure. But man’s wisdom delights in seeing himself as resourceful, self-sufficient, self determining, and not utterly dependent on God’s free grace.

It is a good thing that when we were redeemed God did not require us to turn off our minds. Rather, knowing Him meant we could begin to use them to their fullest potential for the very first time!

To purchase or download a free PDF of Think, visit Desiring God. For other resources to help with your daily walk, check out our Recommended Books.

Kevin Wilder