

Devotions
THE MIND OF CHRIST (5) – Rev Mike Crockett
The Mind of Christ Seeks the Father’s Will (John 5:30)
“By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.” – John 5:30 (NIV)
To understand the mind of Christ, we must see how deeply it was anchored in the will of the Father. Again and again in the Gospels, Jesus makes it clear: He does nothing on His own. His life is not driven by personal ambition or even human wisdom. Instead, He lives in continual dependence on God.
This is not passive fatalism, but active obedience. Jesus listens, discerns, and responds—not to the noise of public opinion or the demands of the crowd, but to the quiet voice of the Father. His inner compass is unwavering: “I seek not to please myself, but Him who sent me.” read more…
THE MIND OF CHRIST (4) – Rev Mike Crockett
The Mind of Mercy and Forgiveness (Luke 23:34) “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’” – Luke 23:34 (NIV)
Much of the essence of one’s life is found in the mind. What goes on in the mind colours your outlook on life, your experience of life and your quality of relationships. Your mind holds the door to your desires and your personality.
The mind is where belief, intention, and action converge, shaping the essence of one’s life. In the mind, we wrestle with both the weight of our experiences and the possibilities of transcendence. read more…
THE MIND OF CHRIST (3) – Rev Mike Crockett
“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.” – Mark 6:34 (NIV)
The question to ask is not whether it is realistic or practical or viable but whether it is imaginable. We need to ask if our consciousness and imagination have been so assaulted and co-opted by the prevailing consciousness that we have been robbed of the courage or power to think an alternative thought … the imagination must come before the implementation.”
The Christian mind, at its heart, is called to transcend mere practicalities and embrace the vast horizons of imagination and creativity. It begins not with a blueprint for a better world but with a vision of that world seen through the lens of divine possibility. Imagination, in this sense, is not escapism but a courageous act of faith—a refusal to accept the status quo as inevitable and unchangeable.
Creativity flows from this imagination, forming the very substance of what it means to live in alignment with the Kingdom of God. It is the act of participating in the divine narrative, weaving threads of hope, mercy, and justice into the fabric of human existence. A Christian imagination does not shy away from the brokenness of the world but seeks to envision redemption within it, crafting solutions that are as inspired as they are transformative.
Without imagination, faith risks becoming containment—bound by tradition and limited by convention. But when infused with creativity, faith inspires bold action, challenging systems of oppression and envisioning communities of radical love and grace. The Christian mind must therefore be a fertile ground where imagination blooms and creativity transform, echoing the divine mandate to “make all things new.”
The big lie is to tell ourselves, “The need is too great, the areas of need are too dangerous, and I am too helpless to do anything about it.” We then excuse ourselves from doing anything. The well-known story of the good Samaritan tells us that he only helped one person, but that he helped him properly. The need in our country is great, but just helping one person properly can make a huge difference to that person.
Millions in South Africa remain the victims of injustice through forced evictions. I think of the ganglands on the Cape Flats. These were people who lived in town, in reasonable houses and with a strong community leadership. Now torn from their homes and slung out into those compound-like flats new leadership structures emerged and suddenly a violent gang culture with drugs the new currency emerged. We call them by many names, forgetting they are the victims of one of humanities greatest injustices. Right here on our doorstep.
Compassion emanates from the deepest parts of our being—from emotional responses, cognitive reasoning, and spiritual inclinations. It is not passive sentimentality; it is active engagement, a discipline that asks us to see others as they truly are and respond with love and care. To cultivate compassion is to align our minds and hearts with the profound truth that every person we encounter carries a story, a struggle, and a longing to be known. In this way, compassion reshapes both the giver and the receiver, making the world a kinder, more connected place.
This is the mind of Christ: seeing people not through the lens of performance, politics, or category—but through the lens of mercy. He doesn’t just see what people do; He sees what they carry. Their fear. Their confusion. Their longing to be known and healed.
Christ’s compassion was not sentimentality. It moved Him to action: He taught, healed, fed, and forgave. Compassion, in the mind of Christ, is never passive. It leads us to show up, to speak gently, to act justly.
To cultivate a compassionate mind, we must ask Christ to show us how to look at others as He does. Not merely with human sympathy, but with divine vision. Where we feel nothing, we ask for tenderness. Where we feel judgement, we ask for understanding.
The mind of Christ is not quick to condemn but quick to care. It recognizes that each person is fighting a battle we cannot fully see.
Michael Crockett has been working in Hanover Park since 2015, particularly among the Mongrel Gang, where he assists in feeding through the Winter, makes time for games with the children, makes use of the Early Childhood Development information. The aim is to break the chain from childhood to gangsterism.
KEEPING CHRIST IN MIND (2) – Rev Mike Crockett
“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” – Romans 8:6 (NIV)
Good news: Sin is that within you which can be forgiven; nay, that which is already forgiven. The greatest step of faith is to believe that Christ has already set you free.
Unlike John Wesley who asked of his preachers, “How goes it with your soul.?”, I am interested in your answer to the question: “How goes it with your mind?” What is it that occupies the dominant space in your mind. Around what or who revolves your thoughts, and what power do those thoughts have over you, your emotions, quality of life, and your interpretation of events?
When Paul speaks of “the mind of Christ,” he is not referring to intellect alone, but to the orientation of the heart and will. In Romans 8, he draws a stark contrast between two ways of thinking: one governed by the flesh, the other governed by the Spirit.
The “flesh” in Paul’s language refers not to our physical bodies, but to a mindset driven by self-interest, fear, pride, and earthly concerns. A mind set on the flesh lives reactively, anxiously chasing after control, validation, and comfort. It resists God’s guidance and becomes entangled in worry, comparison, and judgement.
In contrast, the “mind set on the Spirit” is marked by surrender, trust, and an inner orientation toward God. It is a mind that listens before reacting, yields before grasping, and seeks God’s presence even in the midst of uncertainty. This mind brings “life and peace”—not just eternal life in the future, but deep inner peace in the present.
This is due to the fact that the imagination is not some hypothetical faculty separate from the mind: it is the mind itself in its totality, which, applied to this or that activity, always makes use of the same procedures. And the mind is formed by struggle, not by tranquillity.
The Spirit does not merely visit us from time to time. According to Paul, the Spirit already dwells within us. (1 Cor 3 v 16-17) This means we are never left to navigate our thoughts and feelings alone. The Spirit guides us towards truth, convicts us gently when we stray, and reminds us of our identity in Christ.
But here’s the challenge: the mind does not drift naturally toward the Spirit. Left to itself, it returns to old fears and familiar patterns. We must intentionally set our minds on the things of God. This means slowing down, practicing attentiveness, meditating on Scripture, and praying with a listening heart.
Jesus lived in perfect harmony with the Spirit. He said only what He heard from the Father. He moved with a deep awareness of time, place, and purpose. His was a mind at peace, even when surrounded by chaos.
To have the mind of Christ, then, is to allow the Spirit to govern our thoughts—not through force, but through quiet influence. We begin to think differently, feel differently, act differently—not by trying harder, but by yielding more deeply.
Today, take a moment to ask: “What are the triggers that set my thoughts into a whirl of negativity?” What do I need to release? What might it mean to “set my mind” on the Spirit, right here, right now?
Mike Crockett is qualified in Mindfulness Interventions, helping people to manage their stress, anxiety, depression and grief. You are welcome to make an appointment by dialling 0813366143.
KEEPING CHRIST IN MIND (1) – Rev Mike Crockett
Keeping Christ in Mind (1)
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 2:5 (KJV)
Over the next few weeks, we are going to take a look at our minds, this marvellous gift that has so much potential within us for good and evil. We begin with this profound statement of Paul in the book of Philippians which gives us the most beautiful and challenging picture.
The Greek word used here for “mind” refers not merely to thinking, but to a whole mindset, a pattern of inner disposition. It is radically counter-cultural, especially in a world that prizes self-promotion, power, and recognition. It’s a relationship that fits in perfectly with the two hemispheres of the single brain. The left hemisphere is often associated with logical reasoning, language processing, and analytical tasks, while the right hemisphere tends to oversee creativity, spatial awareness, and emotional intuition. Despite their functional differences, both hemispheres work in harmony, interconnected by the brain’s communication bridge, ensuring an integrated experience of thought, perception, and action.
Christ comes to us by the Spirit, to live within us and bring us into a special and unique part in the whole creative passage of God’s universe.
Carl Jung (Psychiatrist and Psychoanalyst) said “Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams, who looks inside, awakes.”
To adopt the mind of Christ is to begin a lifelong journey of God-awareness, self-loving – not self-loathing, and a releasing of self- entitlement, and control. Jesus didn’t think equality with God was something to grasp. He didn’t need to prove anything. Instead, He trusted the Father’s purpose and poured Himself out in love.
This is the example he now urges us to follow,
The mind of Christ, then, is not only humble but hopeful. It knows that sacrificial love will ultimately be vindicated.
For us, this has both a personal and communal challenge. Personally, we are invited to examine where pride, fear, or self-preservation rule our thinking. What might it mean for me to “let go” today—to serve without needing recognition, to surrender without knowing the outcome?
Communally, Paul’s words are written to a church. He urges believers to be “like-minded,” sharing the same love, being united in spirit and purpose. The mind of Christ is not a private virtue but a shared culture. Imagine a church where everyone chooses humility, serves freely, and looks not to their own interests but to the interests of others. Such a church would reflect the very heart of Christ.
Let this mind be in you. Let it shape your thoughts, your actions, your relationships. We pray: “Come Spirit of the living God and live your life in me.”
The Audacity of God (10)
“Male and Female created he them.” “They were naked and unashamed”
In creating Man and Woman God is taking his creating skills to a grand finale. After Man and Woman there will be no more creating. From the first life in the sea to the man and woman a billion years later, God’s creating is finished- at least for us here on earth. God has created Creativity!!! From now on all living things will procreate according to their particular nature.
But there are some rules to be followed. And herein lies the first tragedy. And it is this tragedy, not their nakedness that leads to shame. And it is not guilt but shame that they experience as they eat the forbidden fruit.
Shame is defined as a profound and multifaceted emotion that permeates the human experience. It is often described as a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behaviour. While it shares similarities with other emotions such as guilt and embarrassment, shame is unique in its intensity and its focus on the self. In other words, shame cuts deep into the soul. In a very real sense, guilt is easier to manage and get over.
Shame is self-punishment. It is this all-loving creator God that they must hide away from. Now the God against whom they have sinned is the very one who comes to rescue them while they are in hiding and sheds the blood of animals to make them clothing. No one else can save them from themselves.
This kind of experience is so central to the human situation that it should come first at the start of our relationship with God today. This complex feeling of failure in relationship is the most primal of our human self-awareness. It is our sense of shame that keeps us from God – as the prodigal son, who, when he did return, wanted to be a servant, not a son. It is the father who takes away his shame. It is God who fully reinstates us.
WE are NOT reinstated to a system of faith, however noble that system might be. We are not freed only to be captured again by some other idol. “If the Son has set you free, you shall be free indeed.” We might choose to join a Church, as much as anything else where we might give expression to our newfound freedom.
Forgiveness, both of oneself and others, plays a crucial role in mitigating the effects of shame. By forgiving oneself, individuals can release the burden of past mistakes and move towards self-acceptance and growth. Similarly, acceptance from others, especially from those who are significant in one’s life, can provide reassurance and help rebuild a positive self-image.
Soon we will remember Calvary, Jesus dying to free us from our shame!
With Grace and Peace,
Mike Crockett
Ref. J.D.Davies “Beginning Now.”
Audacity of God (9) – Rev Mike Crockett
Thus far we have seen how God experiences some inner compulsion to share himself and his powers with created being; a different being; a being with the power to talk back, to question, and even to reject his advances.
This desire to share is out of the overflowing abundance of a loving God. In time we will see how Christ enters the world and acts out that love, firstly by behaving as God would have us behave, and then by becoming the vehicle by which we too may be adopted into the heavenly family. I know it sounds crazy – I use the word audacity!!!
I love this quotation from the work of one Werner Pelz, “Irreligious Reflections on the Christian Church”.
“God’s freedom is creation. He is free in having chosen his creative work, in continuing it and maintaining it. He is free because he has chosen, not because from moment to moment he can decide whether or not to continue with the work of his choice but because he is committed to his already established, unhurried (13.8billion years ago) choice.
Our freedom is experienced when we discover we have been called into God’s creative work, to participate with God in the ongoing work of God’s still developing creation.
God is free because he is holy, undivided and simple. “God wills what he knows and loves. He loves what he knows and wills. He knows what he wills and loves”. That is his freedom.
God is not free because He can choose between good and evil. He is free because he has chosen. We are free when we are pushed, pulled and dragged by the love of Christ into that togetherness, even with our limited understanding.
We are not free when we think we can choose between freedom and sin. We are free when we discover we are already chosen for freedom from sin. It is this freedom in Christ that we are called to live in and to proclaim.
Our calling is to live by faith in respect of those we love and with our enemies in such a manner as only one now in the Image of God should live.
Galatians 5:1 “For freedom Christ has set us free”. Take hold of your freedom and own it as life’s greatest gift to you. We are not victims, we are free, even as Viktor Frankel said: “I found true freedom in Hitler’s concentration camps – I had learned to set myself free!”
With Grace and Peace to you
Mike Crockett
References:
J.D. Davies “Beginning Now.”
W. Pelz “Irreligious Reflections on the Christian Church
Viktor Frankel “Man’s search for meaning”
Audacity of God (8) – Rev Mike Crockett
2 Corinthians 4:7 We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.
God creates humans from the dust of the earth, breakable and impoverished, then has the audacity to breath his presence into such vulnerable creatures. The contrast from dirt to that which is most sacred of all creation is profound.
That such creatures are blessed with the ability to fail most miserably yet somehow to survive is entirely attributed to God’s audacity. Looking around us, looking at ourselves, at how we treat others and our care of creation from which we are made, we hang our heads in shame.
Precisely because we have a realistic view of ourselves, Christ comes as one of us to give us a physical role model of what we were meant to be. We measure our distance from Christlikeness and must confess we have failed to be who and what we were created for. Our hope is to be found in Jesus.
We have not been given a series of absolutely fixed words by which to assess the validity of our ideas about God. But we have been given a role model in the person of Jesus who comes, not that we might go to heaven but that we might live to the full here on earth.
Belief in God is something beyond our comprehension; the presence of Christ is something tangible, someone we can model ourselves on, a way to being truly human.
The way forward: Love God and all God’s creation with your whole heart, mind and strength, and love yourself as you love your neighbour.
BECOME WHO YOU REALLY ARE!!!
With Grace and Peace all wrapped up in Love.
Contact
We are situated at 2 Union Avenue, Pinelands, Cape Town.
GPS Co-ordinates: S 33° 56′ 15.9″ E 18° 29′ 56.15″
Latitude -33.93809 Longitude 18.49967
Church office
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Office hours: Monday to Friday 08h30 to 13h00
Telephone: 021 531 8972
In case of emergencies outside of office hours please contact 021 531 2224
Banking Details
Account name: Methodist Church of SA Pinelands Society
FNB Current Acc 62076803230, Branch code 250655