Life #10 - A Song of Freedom

Paddling on dangerous waters, Makapu`u 2011

Perhaps, when Marcus Garvey gave his speech, he may not have realized how closely and wonderfully united a life of Redemption was to the next step, a life of Freedom.

If we are indeed prisoners of our unruly minds’ constructions, then mental health professionals will counsel us to stop construction every time. But, just like running on a treadmill, even that gets exhausting, doesn’t it? 

The alternative is to transform ourselves by “renewing” our “mind” (Romans 12:2). In this verse, “mind” is intellect. To “renew” is to renovate, remodel, repair, restore, mend, and fix up.

Through redemptive mental actions based on love, we begin to make renovations toward how we think and feel about ourselves and others. Forgiveness is a good place to start—and remain—because we all make mistakes! Added to that we re-train the intellect to consciously reflect upon “…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Phillippians 4:8 NIV).

Gradually, our mind will form new perceptions and understandings about ourselves and others. Our intellect re-sets to a new standard of feeling, judging, and determining. Now, we think and feel as Jesus did because we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).

We are transformed people with renovated intellects. At last, our emancipated minds are free to love, to hope, to have faith. Free to embrace life (John 11:26 NIV). We are a Song of Freedom!

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Scripture quotations from New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted; Greek definition from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible: mind - #3563; renew – 341; renewing - #342 This blog addresses Life #4 – To Live is Christ, items 3 and 4; source on Garvey from Wikipedia; excerpts from our book to be released next year.