Thought for the Month

The human mind is a wonderful thing. It is able to make decisions, put decisions off and change its mind. It’s more powerful than a computer and yet it’s subtle too. It is able to store a large amount of information as we have a memory. It is also the seat of our emotions even if we usually call this the heart as the heart is really just a pump.

Luke 2:19 (NRSV) says "Mary treasured all these words (principally of the shepherds) and pondered them in her heart." Or put in other words she remembered these words for decades and contemplated them.

Jesus’ disciples were able to remember the words of their Master. One occasion was when they recalled Jesus’ words "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up", which they remembered after he had risen from the dead. The holy spirit played a large part in this process as it not only taught them, it also brought to mind the words he had told them from the time when they could not make sense of Jesus’ predictions. (John 14:26)

The Old Testament prophets were able to write down predictions of things that were to happen in the medium term and in the long term including things yet to occur at the consummation of the Gospel age (Christian era). Zechariah was given prophecies of events that have now taken place and things expected to happen in this generation. These are things to keep in mind as time progresses and events transpire especially in the land of Israel.

Other minds seem to conceive plans so cruel and callous that one struggles to see how they can live with themselves. Herod the Great who killed the new‑born boys in Bethlehem was one, as was Abimelech who planned to assassinate seventy half‑brothers and whole towns in Judges 9, whereas others use their intellect to serve their communities like the Hebrew midwives in Egypt.

The memory is also able to bring people to mind in prayer. Paul writing to Timothy in his second letter stated he remembered Timothy in his prayers as many of the household of faith do for those in time of need.