Our Mind’s Storehouse

Benjamin Weir, a missionary in the Middle East, was forcefully taken by terrorists who placed him in solitary confinement in an "out of the way" room. With a blindfold over his eyes, he didn't know where he was, had no one with whom to talk and had no contact with the outside world. He suffered true isolation. What was he to do? What could he do? In a way, all he had was a beating heart and a mind free to think. To keep from being bored, he tapped into the information stored in his head. Many months later, after being freed, he said, "I called up my memory bank, things that were stored in my mind."

He recalled Scripture passages he had learned years before. He thought of words from some of Shakespeare's works. He pondered the words of hymns and other musical pieces. He thought about his family, his wife and his friends. He remembered the work he loved. He thought about how the grace of God had ministered to him throughout his life.

When he was able to talk about the experience, he said that under such circumstances, "Whatever is in your mind is what you have to draw on."

Does that say anything to us about what we should let into our minds? Shouldn't we store information that is spiritually helpful?  Pure thoughts. Thoughts about the good and great things of life. Thoughts about the life of Christ and His saving grace.

I have treasured Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against You.  Psalm 119:11