faithing it ...

i suffer from a particular malady
the belief that life should be fair and just

i think
you get what you deserve
it'll all come around in the end
what goes around comes around

when you think about that kind of think
you come up with something akin to karma

Messiah Jesus is not much about karma
he is totally about love
and forgiveness
and longsufferingness
and such

selah ..~

a friend recently asked friends what it means to them
to renew the mind
as in Romans 12

the answer is really in the passage that follows -
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, 
so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. 
Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one. ....
(i omit the next section)
...
Love must be without hypocrisy. 
Detest evil; cling to what is good. 
Show family affection to one another with brotherly love. 
Outdo one another in showing honor. 
Do not lack diligence; be fervent in spirit; serve the Lord. 
Rejoice in hope; 
be patient in affliction; 
be persistent in prayer. 
Share with the saints in their needs; 
pursue hospitality. 
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 
Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 
Be in agreement with one another. 
Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. 
Do not be wise in your own estimation. 
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. 
Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. 
If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone. 
Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath, for it is written: 'Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord'.
But if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head.
Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

in my mind
renewing my mind
entails doing what apostle paul points out here

in the doing of it
my mind is made over
taught to do these things
instead of the things i used to do
taught to unconform to the things of this world system
and to transform
by the doing

the faith Jesus teaches
is a verbed noun
it is in the doing
that we express our 'belief'

i am transformed
when i bring my mind into subjection to my spirit
when i faith my belief in God
living the heart-change

................ i think

selah ..~

shalom