Skip to main content

A Different Sort of River Illustration

 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. (II Corinthians 10:4-6)

 

In chapter 6 of Renovation of the Heart, Prof. Willard starts talking about warfare. He doesn’t describe it as such, but he describes ideas and images as being the problems, and information and thinking as being solutions. This brings to mind self-talk and the discovery of repetition creates new neural pathways in the brain. And that brings to mind Newton’s Second Law, that an object in motion continues in the same direction at the same speed unless acted on by another force. We cannot get rid of, change, or move bad ideas or images without the use of mental force.

I’ve written before about the thought experiment of trying to swim upriver, across a river, or down river. In each instance, the swimmer is fighting against the current in some way. Usually, I use this illustration to describe peace. This time, think of the current as being ideas and images. We tend to float along with them. Even when we do try to fight the current, it’s like trying to row a canoe with a fly swatter. Information gives us a bigger paddle.

But there are two images that come to mind. The first is from The Lord of the Rings and (I believe) from The Little Mermaid. If there are two people paddling the canoe and they’re facing each other, the canoe isn’t likely to go anywhere except where the current takes it. If you’re going to have someone in your canoe, make sure you’re paddling in the same direction. I also know from experience that one needs to paddle on the left side, and the other on the right. The other image that comes to mind is from my own experience. I was alone in a 16-foot canoe, and in the back – which means the wind got into the act, pushing the bow in directions I didn’t want. I finally made it to shore by back paddling.

The application I take from both these is that God is the best other person to have in the canoe with you, but at the very least, have someone who is headed in the same direction and has a clue what he/she is doing because their added weight at the other end of the canoe, and added strength and skill is a great help. You still may have to work hard to get your mind to overcome the ideas and images that have been dragging you where you don’t want to go, but it is easier than when you’re alone.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Saved?

  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28-30) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ ” (Matthew 7:21-23) Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.” (Romans 3:4)   What conclusion do you draw when someone who was raised in a Christian family and church, perhaps even playing a significant role in a chur...
Post a Comment
Read more

Meditations of the Heart

  May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm19:14)           As I started writing this post, I noted that the meditations of my heart are all over the mental landscape, from a hub where eight superhighways come together to a lunar or nuclear landscape. Do you see my error? The moment I read the word meditation , I think about thoughts. But what’s described here is the meditations of our hearts ; our wills.           While the meditations of our minds may be all over the place, the meditations of our wills tend to be a little more stable by the time we are adults. We no longer tend to want to pursue the ten separate careers we did in any given day as children. Part of this is humble acceptance of reality. We come to understand that we can’t do it all. I think another part of it is disappointmen...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Shepherd!

                 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep . (John 10:14) God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” (Genesis 3:14) The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths     for his name’s sake. Even though I walk     through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil,     for you are with me; your rod and your staff,     they comfort me. (Psalm 23:1-4) For the Jews, it was politically incorrect to make claims about yourself as a teacher (or possibly as anything else.) Teachers were expected to take pride in the...
Post a Comment
Read more