The Challenge

 

Psalm 19:14 -- "May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to You,  my Rock and My Redeemer."

  The first part, about my words (all of them?) seems really hard. But the second part seems almost impossible -- my secret thoughts, casual wonderings, mental impulses - how can we make them acceptable to our holy Father God? 

   I remember once someone shared a brilliant thought: 'You can't keep birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building nests in your hair'! 

   So simple! Yes, sinful thoughts, fueled by envy, anger, hatred and pride, can assault our thoughts. But we can stop them at their first appearance by immediately turning our thoughts to honor and glorify God. 

   Turn to Him with words and thoughts of praise and gratitude. Thank Him for His forgiveness, for His Spirit that is re-creating us into His image, for His righteousness that now covers us because of what Jesus did. (We can tell Satan to shut up and we can start talking to God!)

  Turn the negative unholy thoughts that dishonor God into positive holy thoughts that glorify Him!

   It works -- for sure -- but we have to be vigilant and move fast!