Think About These Things
What She Said - Part 7
Barbaranne Kelly, Guest Writer
Today’s Treasure
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
Psalm 19:7–11
One of the themes of Philippians is the attitude of our minds—are we operating from the mindset of the world or the mindset of Christ? Paul has written much about the self-sacrificing humility which is to be the attitude and posture of every follower of Christ, and has given concrete examples to guide our manner of life in our covenant communities. Now, in the near context of conflict resolution and the peace of God guarding our hearts and minds, he gives us a very specific list of how we are to think. What is to be our mindset when faced with conflict or anxiety?
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Philippians 4:8
This is an admirable list to guide all our thoughts every day. It’s not only critical for how we think of our brothers and sisters in Christ, thinking about these noble and beautiful things serves as an antidote to anxiety generally. This antidote leads to and feeds the all-surpassing, mind and heart-guarding peace of God (4:6–7).
Our kind and gracious God has given us many ways to discover and meditate upon His goodness, from His revelation of Himself generally in nature to the special revelation of the Scriptures. One of my favorite hymns extolls God’s creative majesty as seen in the world He made:
Oh Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed 1
I love the opportunity to explore the wonders of creation, and I needn’t go far. I can sit on my back patio, watching the birds and admiring the flowers planted in the garden. Gazing upon the birds of the air and the lilies of the field is a balm to my soul. But this only calms my anxious heart when I see in them not only the hand of the mighty Creator, but the lovingkindness of my heavenly Father who values me far more than they and therefore cares for me so much more (Matt. 6:25–30). And of this, I am certain only because the Bible, God’s special revelation, tells me so.
Today’s Treasure testifies from Psalm 19 to the glory of God’s word and the blessings found by those who fill their heart and mind with the Scriptures. Without the lens of God’s word, the beauties of nature are meaningless, a striving after the wind, unable to satisfy, and providing no hope for our lost and thirsty souls (Eccl. 1:7–11). Only in the Scriptures, God’s holy word, do we find the truth, honor, justice, purity, loveliness, commendability, excellence, and praiseworthiness that gives meaning, satisfaction, life, and hope! For only in the Scriptures do we find the love of God for us in Christ.
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
In the Scriptures, we find God’s love for us in His Son Jesus Christ, Who is the embodiment of all that is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of all praise.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. . . . For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
John 1:14, 17
In Jesus the Son we find all the excellencies of the Father, for “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature (Heb. 1:3). And the excellencies of our Savior’s truth, justice, and loveliness find their pinnacle of praise-worthiness in the cross, for it’s there that we see the self-sacrificing love of God for us in Christ:
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us… In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 3:16 & 4:10
Beloved, meditate upon Christ by spending much time, thoughtful time, meditative time, in the Scriptures. He who is the glorious Word—the exact imprint of the nature of His Father, full of grace and truth and worthy of all praise, who bled and died to take away your sin—He Himself will transform your heart and mind. Practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
PRAYER
Let’s sing our prayer today, shall we?
Father,
. . . when I think that [You, Your] Son not sparing
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
1 Stuart K. Hine, How Great Thou Art, 1949
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Sharon W. Betters is author of Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, co-author of Treasures of Faith. and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace, Flourishing in an Anti-Aging Culture. She is Director of Resource Development and co-founder of MARKINC.org, a non-profit organization that offers help and hope to hurting people. Sharon enjoys quality time with her husband, children, fourteen grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.