Where did I set my mind? - Devotion for 9/11/08

Where did I set my mind? - Devotion for 9/11/08

A few weeks ago I found myself sitting at the pharmacy waiting to pick up some prescriptions. As I sat there and waited, I decided to make use of my time and started checking email on my BlackBerry (yes – it is an addiction), and then when I was finished checking, I started surfing the net. As I was being pretty self-absorbed in my own world, I did notice out that I was not sitting and waiting alone. To my right was a young guy who obviously was a member of the United States Air Force. Instead of checking his email or checking the scores from the games the night before, he was simply sitting there staring off into space. As I turned to back check the scores from the games the night before, the thought crossed my mind that I should talk to this guy. Why would I talk to him when I could instead be checking my scores, I thought to myself. But I kept having this feeling that I should talk to him, so I took my mind away from my own preoccupation, and I turned my attention to him. I turned to him and I asked, “Do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?” OK – no, I didn’t ask that (but that’s probably where you thought it was going, right?). I simply asked him about what he did in the Air Force. From there it went to where were all the different locations he had served, where he was originally from, what does he want to do when he gets out, and so on. Only after we had been talking about 10 minutes (and I was really getting curious what in the world was taking so long for my prescriptions to get filled), did I casually mention that I am a minister. That’s not usually one of the first things out of my mouth, because as soon as I mention it, many people begin to get this scared look on their face like, “Oh no, he’s going to ask me if I know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior!” It wasn’t too much later that finally my name was called and my meds were filled, but before I left, this young airman asked me for my card and what church I was a minister at. We shook hands (which probably wasn’t a wise thing since we were both sick), and I left.

I began that time waiting on my prescriptions focusing on me – Adam-centric. I left that time focusing of the people of God – God-centric. Sometimes we need those reminders to wake up and realize that not everything is about us. Instead of setting our minds always on us and our own needs, we need to remember Romans 8:5, which states, “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” Today, set your minds on the things of the Spirit – the people of God. Find at least one way we can take the focus off of ourselves, and set our minds somewhere else. Now, where did I set my mind?