Seeking the Life in Christ

Thursday, July 16, 2026

The Better Righteousness

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

July 16, 2026

The Better Righteousness

“But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!”

Matthew 5:20

I imagine the disciples recoiled at these words of Jesus, much the same as they did that time when Jesus had the encounter with the Rich Man and Jesus said, “In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked” (Matthew 10:25-26). The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees were well known for their passion in keeping the laws of God. How could the mortal disciples ever imagine their righteousness being better than the Pharisees? However, oftentimes the passion of the Pharisees resulted in absurdities such as when they failed to aid the wounded man in Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan, or the many times they railed against Jesus for healing a person on the Sabbath. The danger in the law is the temptation to be so focused on the law, you lose sight of God, or as Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27).

Some people today are polarized and miss Jesus’ point about better righteousness. As they emphasize keeping the law, they can be tempted to rationalize about how far they can push the boundaries without ‘actually’ breaking the law. Other people may have great debates about the fine points of the liturgy used in worship, while remaining silent on countless incidents of racism and oppression in their own community. Neither of these groups can see the forest for the trees.

My Takeaway: “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs” (Matthew 5:3). We enter the Kingdom of God on the back of Jesus, not on our resume of good works or law-keeping. The better righteousness is the righteousness of Jesus: “For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4 NRSV).

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life. The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, July 15, 2026

Chosen To Become the Child of God

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

July 15, 2026

Chosen To Become the Child of God

You didn’t choose me. I chose you.

John 15:16a

Those of us with a Wesleyan background will recognize prevenient grace in this statement of Jesus. Prevenient grace is divine grace that precedes human decision. Before we have the capacity to choose God, God chose to reveal himself to us, thus enabling within us an awareness of the love of God and God’s offer of forgiveness through faith in Jesus. We could spend a lot of time pondering the depths of this theological concept, but instead of taking that road, let us back up and ponder the depths of just what it means to be chosen by Jesus.

Sometimes the enormity of scriptural revelation overwhelms us. Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16 NRSV). That passage is so familiar it may have lost some power in our lives. This passage is only true if God loves us one at a time, so change the text a bit to make it personal to you:

For God so loved me that he gave his only Son, so that by my believing in him, I will not perish; I have eternal life.

Read this personal version of John 3:16 a time or two and let it sink deep in your spirit. Own it! With the passage in John 15, no editing is required, but you do need to stand back and let the truth wash over you.

“You didn’t choose me. I chose you.”

What a phenomenal statement Jesus made. I am not aware of any of the other religions of the world that have anything that remotely compares to the tenderness, the intimacy, the indomitable power in Jesus’ words: “You didn’t choose me. I chose you.”

Because of the tenderness, intimacy and power in these words of Jesus, we know Saint Paul was absolutely speaking the mind of Christ when he wrote, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:14,16 NRSV).

My Takeaway: You were chosen by Jesus to become the child of God the Father Almighty.

Have a nice day!

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Tuesday, July 14, 2026

To Make the Father's Life My Own

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

July 14, 2026

To Make the Father's Life My Own

“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.”

Luke 15:20

Henri Nouwen, in his book, The Return of The Prodigal Son, says,

"If the only meaning of the story (Luke 15, The Prodigal Son) were that people sin but God forgives, I could easily begin to think of my sins as a fine occasion for God to show me forgiveness. There would be no challenge in such an interpretation. I would resign myself to my weaknesses and keep hoping that eventually God would close his eyes to them and let me come home, whatever I did. Such romanticism is not the message of the Gospels. What I am called to make true is that whether I am the younger or elder son, I am the son of my compassionate Father. I am an heir. . . . as son and heir I am to become successor. I am destined to step into my Father's place and offer to others the same compassion that he has offered me. The return to the Father is ultimately the challenge to become the Father. Being in the Father's house requires that I make the Father's life my own and become transformed in his image."

How many times do you think his disciples disappointed Jesus? Just about every day they did something or said something that revealed they were yet to grasp that Jesus was the Messiah. Sometimes their transgressions were absurd, such as wanting to rain down judgment on others, or seeking places of honor at Jesus’ right hand. Sometimes their transgressions were heart-breaking, such as sleeping instead of praying for Jesus, or their abandonment of Jesus in his hour of need. Even so, it was to these disciples that Jesus went immediately after his resurrection. Despite his many disappointments, Jesus never lost hope in his disciples.

My Takeaway: Henri Nouwen’s insight into the parable of the Prodigal Son, and Jesus’ relationship with his disciples helps us discern what it means to become the Father, to make the Father's life our own and become transformed in His image. Those that we love and care for may well disappoint us as often as Jesus’ disciples disappointed him, and in ways like the father’s prodigal son disappointed him. Even so, through the power of Christ flowing within us, we can be ever ready, with love and compassion, to run to our prodigals and embrace them.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Monday, July 13, 2026

The Pearl of Great Value

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

July 13, 2026

The Pearl of Great Value

“God’s will is for you to be holy”

1 Thessalonians 4:3a

To be holy is to be in harmony with God. Harmony with God is summarized by God himself: “the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8). Our experience in life reveals that this understanding of harmony with God can be easily stated, but it is much harder to realize in our day-to-day lives. To walk in harmony with God requires an unwavering dedication to spiritual growth.

One of the passages of scripture that inspires me toward spiritual growth is the parable of the pearl of great value. First, I stumbled over this parable because I couldn’t imagine placing myself in the position of the merchant: “When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!” (Matthew 13:46). The parable began to captivate me when I realized that in this parable, the merchant Jesus was talking about is God. God is the merchant in the parable! You and I are pearls. God discovered me and you and valued us so highly that He gave his one and only Son, so that we will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) God gave all He had. He gave Himself for our salvation.

Understanding the parable from the perspective of God as the merchant enables me to draw on it for the inspiration for an unwavering dedication to spiritual growth. My goal is to become like the pearl merchant and be willing to submit everything in my life to God as I enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

My Takeaway: The economy of the Kingdom of Heaven does not measure everything I have submitted to God or count that which remains un-yielded to God. The Kingdom’s economy looks at our heart. We have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) countless times, but God sees how we, His pearl of great value, keep getting up and moving toward Him.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Friday, July 10, 2026

Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

July 10, 2026

Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

“. . . giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Ephesians 5:20 (NRSV)

Many years ago, when I was on a spiritual retreat, I had an encounter with God that profoundly changed the course of my life. I was in a Chapel service singing the praise song, Give Thanks, the moment when I sensed God speaking to me. Since that moment, 99.9% of all my prayers begin with, “Thank you.” I am sincerely and intentionally implementing Saint Paul’s direction to give thanks “to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

This spiritual discipline is much more substance than it is form. For me, it is the evidence of a perception, a world view that my life does not belong to me. My life belongs to God. By creation and redemption my life belongs to God. My way of praying is also my personal affirmation that I trust that God is working all things together for His good in my life. (Romans 8:28-29)

My faithful Springer Spaniels, Buster Brown and Hershey, modeled how I choose to live my life as a follower of Jesus. On the mornings when Cheryl and I were gathering our gym bags, Buster and Hershey remained at rest in their usual places. They knew they were not going with us. Then there were other times during the day when they saw me grabbing my hat and car keys, and I found them waiting for me by the door to the garage. They didn’t have a clue where I was going, and they didn’t care; they just wanted to go with me.

There are times in my life when I sense God wants me to stay put and practice Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God!” I am learning to sit quietly and give thanks to God for these special times alone with Abba. Then there are times when I sense God calling me to get up and follow Him. I’ve long ago given up the notion that I need all the specifics of where we are going and what we are going to do. Sometimes I am like Buster, asleep in the back seat of the car, content to be close to his master. Sometimes I am like Hershey, rejoicing as he sticks his nose out of the sunroof. Always, I am delighted to give “thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

My Takeaway: The hymn, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, calls us to “raise my Ebenezer.” That phrase is a reference to when Samuel set up a large stone and named it Ebenezer because the Lord has helped him. (1 Samuel 7:12) Our Ebenezer’s are monuments in our memories for those times when the Lord has helped us. That moment thirty-six years ago singing, Give Thanks, when the Lord spoke to me and called me by name is a HUGE Ebenezer in my life.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Thursday, July 9, 2026

The Eyes of Jesus

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

July 9, 2026

The Eyes of Jesus

At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

Luke 22:61

In the next verse, Luke tells us that “Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly” (Luke 22:62). I believe Peter’s tears flowed not because of what he saw in Jesus’ eyes, but because of what Peter saw in himself. In time, what Peter saw in the eyes of Jesus gave him the courage to face his own insecurities, fears and failures. What do you think Peter saw in Jesus’ eyes?

I suspect Peter caught the pure essence of Brennan Manning’s description of God’s love for us:

“God loves us unconditionally, just as we are; not as we should be. Because no one is as they should be.” (All is Grace by Brennan Manning)

As we allow God to draw us closer to His heart where we experience His unconditional love for us, just as we are, we are empowered by His grace to live out his primary commandment for our lives: “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:34-35).

The hardest task for a follower of Jesus is to become willing to let go of our fears, our insecurities, our need to be in control, and submit our lives wholly and without reservation to God. The only way we can do this is to trust God with our lives, and our trusting God is preceded by our loving God. Our loving God is preceded by God first loving us and touching us with his redeeming grace. When God touches us, we look into the eyes of Jesus and behold Peter’s vision of God’s unconditional love.

My Takeaway: Peter may have run from the courtyard weeping, but several days later his recollection of what he saw in the eyes of Jesus would cause him to jump into the water and swim to Jesus when he saw the Lord on the beach. (John 21) As we allow God to touch our lives, we will behold love and acceptance in the eyes of Jesus. The more we look into the eyes of Jesus, the more we become willing to surrender control of our lives to the One who loves us so completely.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Alas Babylon

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

July 8, 2026

Alas Babylon

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Jeremiah 29:11

The Israelites received this promise from God while they were in captivity in Babylon. The word from God also told them they would remain in captivity for another seventy years before God would bring them home again. In the meantime, they were told to plant gardens, marry and have children and grandchildren. They were also told to “work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare” (Jeremiah 29:7).

Our experience has proven the poet Robert Burns correct when he noted that the “best-laid plans of mice and men oft go astray.” No matter how well we plan and prepare -- things happen, and we end up facing unintended consequences. Then there are times in our lives where we, like the Israelites, face the consequences of our willful disobedience of God. Regardless of how we end up in the Babylon’s of life, the words of Jeremiah provide comfort and guidance.

For the followers of Jesus, one constant truth guides us: we are the children of our loving Abba. As heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus, we have abundant blessings we can bring to whatever situation or circumstance we face. Whether we are resting securely in God’s place of blessing for us, or we find ourselves in a Babylon of our own making, or we are forced into a Babylon by the actions of others, we are not alone; God is with us, God is for us and God will provide for us.

My Takeaway: When we find ourselves in unintended places because our best-laid plans have gone astray, we can work for the peace and prosperity of the people around us. As we seek to be a blessing to others, we can also hold dearly to God’s promise, “I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:10b-11).

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Thursday, July 16, 2026

The Better Righteousness

Wednesday, July 15, 2026

Chosen To Become the Child of God

Tuesday, July 14, 2026

To Make the Father's Life My Own

Monday, July 13, 2026

The Pearl of Great Value

Friday, July 10, 2026

Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

Thursday, July 9, 2026

The Eyes of Jesus

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Alas Babylon

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