Loins of My Mind?

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ  --1 Peter 1:13

"Loins of my mind" seems like an odd phrase.  What gave Peter the idea to put those two areas of the body together in one metaphor?  The Bible often uses "loins" like we use "private parts"--it's a polite way to talk about genitals.  Jews thought of "loins" as the place semen resided.  

So what are the "loins of my mind"?  Nothing quite like digging into a metaphor early Saturday morning.

What makes the most sense is that the loins of my mind is my creative thinking--my imagination. Sometimes my imagination can run like a mustang through the sagebrush--wild and free.  It's difficult to reign in.

Worry is when my imagination runs through bad areas partnered with "what if".  Mark Twain said, "I've lived through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened."

Rest, hope and grace are what help me gird up the loins of my mind.  The Spirit has been speaking to me this year about grace.  The revelation of Jesus Christ is letting my imagination run down paths of rest and grace.  No more striving to be good enough.  No more imagining I must earn favour. 

My imagination brings rest to me when it runs in the paths of grace and hope.