And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” 25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. 26 For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” 28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”
29 And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.”
30 Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them. 31 And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
I’ve been thinking lately about thinking. My tendency is more toward feelings: the heart. I am quick to abandon thoughts that don’t quite add up in favor of having my heart at rest in the love of God. A simple example: the triune nature of God. It doesn’t take too long before the idea of One God, Three Persons hits the logic wall. But my heart is at rest when I abandon the need to understand God and simply trust in him.
There is, nevertheless, biblical evidence to engage our minds in our walk with Jesus. The mind is not an appendix to be removed when it becomes malignant. Our minds are to be renewed, engaged, made new, taken captive, and set on God.
- Romans 12: “…the renewing of your minds…”
- Philippians 4: “…think about these things…”
- Ephesians 4: “be made new in the attitude of your minds.”
- 2 Corinthians 10: “take captive every thought…”
- Isaiah 26: “keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast”
Paul was accused by Festus of being out of his mind. Paul defends himself: “I am not out of my mind…I am speaking true and rational words.” Paul was definitely no slouch intellectually-speaking. I recall one of my earliest sermon studies on 1 Corinthians 2, and the phrase, “My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom.” In that passage – as far as I was able to discover – Paul uses two words that are not found in Greek literature previous to his use of them. Paul coined a word!
He took on the philosophers on Mars Hill. He engaged the Jews in the synagogues. He wrote the letter to the Romans, one of the most deeply theological treatises that has shaped the theology of Augustine, Luther, Wesley, and many others. Paul was a mental heavyweight!
So I’m thinking about thinking differently and in a new way. I’m thinking about engaging and disengaging is some matters of thought. There are the obvious and ongoing battles of the mind. There are thoughts we must constantly abandon. Think lust, greed, fear, envy, and rage. There are also thoughts I need to renew. Think Bible memory, things listed in Philippians 4, pure, lovely, excellent, and praiseworthy things.
It might also mean being more mindful: Thinking about where I lay my phone. Not zoning out when I’m talking with someone who might be boring me. Being present in the moment and not trying to do two things at once. That kind of mindfulness pleases God and honors our creator who has made us and given us our reason and all our senses: our minds.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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