Miscellaneous thoughts today

     My mind is scattered today.  Some of my friends and relatives would suggest that's more the norm than the exception.  I don't think it's bad that my thinking is scattered here and there.  Especially if I don't have to focus on anything in particular in the first place.  There are times when my thoughts are so focused that I am consumed by them rather than they be at my beck and call.  That isn't good either.  When we think about the way we think there are some general conclusions we can draw.  First is that we may have a different way of thinking or approaching situations than other people.  I remember a bumper sticker from the 60's "Different but not wrong."  We can think differently and that's good within the body of Christ.  That thinking can open the imagination of how we approach the sharing of the Gospel in our church, home, and community.  The Bible tells us that we are to be all things to all people so that we can share the Gospel (Paul).  My way isn't the only way to reach people and neither is yours or theirs.  What may work for one community would be a turn off for another.  What's permissible in your work environment might get you fired in another.  Having the ability to think differently and even engage on different levels with different means doesn't mean it's wrong.  Being able to do so is allowing the Spirit of God to work through you in spite of you and I. 
     It's important that when we are awake that we have our minds and hearts open to the Holy Spirit and what God wants us to think, say and do.  That doesn't mean we have such open minds that our brains fall out.  Common sense is still essential even for the Christian.  Okay, I have a problem with common sense sometimes.  There, I admitted it and the world didn't end!  Being open to what God wants through us is where the differenced shows up.  When it's His way and not my way things happen in wonderful and profound ways.  People know when it's me or Thee.  They know it about you as well.  When Christians think about being and doing whatever God wants they tend to freak.  "What if He asks me to say something to so and so in the supermarket?"  "What if he tells me to confront my friend/relative about gossiping and spreading false rumors?"  "What if..." keeps us from being open to hearing what God wants.  Sometimes it's best to have a scattered mind and to follow the lead of the Spirit and let things fall where they may.  Think about who talked to you about Christ.  What did they say?  Did they have insight into your problem/life that they couldn't have known?  I know that was reality for many of the people who shared Christ to me.
     The Spirit of God wants us to have our minds stayed on Him.  We simply cannot do that if we are so inclined to run our own  lives.  The Lord himself spoke on us focusing on what's important (Him) and not being swallowed up by the cares of the world.  Our thinking gets us into trouble more often than it gets us the "Well done thou good and faithful servant."  Why?  Because we forget who we are serving.  We are serving the God of the universe who created and recreates peoples lives so that we can and will be more of his image to the world.  Get out of the way!  That's what I need to hear on a daily basis.  When I run the thinking mill I always get so busy that I can't and don't hear the voice of God.  He's in the whisper of the wind and the thunder of the sky.  It's sudden like a strike of lightening and drawn out like the labor in giving birth.  The voice of God is recognizable to those who seek Him.  When we seek him with ALL of our hearts then we will find him AND he will fill us with him.  So that, it is no longer I who live but God who lives within me.  Paul said that too.  He said that because he had emptied himself of everything so he could be poured out like a love offering for Jesus.  He said that too.  It's a simple thing to do.  We are requested to do it.  We make it so difficult and THAT is our choice.