When Jesus said that I should repent (Mark 1:15), He used a word that means “to think again”, “to change the way I think and what I think about”. The most powerful tool for this deep transformation is prayer. When I say “Father”, I take a new focus into my mind and receive a new sense of belonging. When I say “forgive me”, I shift from making excuses to asking for help. When I say “daily bread”, I stop thinking about “more” and start thinking about “enough”. Every sentence of His prayer is a door to a new way of thinking. It is also a warning. Unless I embrace this new life with my mind, I will forever be trapped in the old life. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). When Christ teaches me to pray, He teaches me to think. When He teaches me to think, a new life is the result.
