Win/Win

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

March 10, 2026

Win/Win

Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted.

John 6:11 

Stephen Covey teaches that the core value in interpersonal relationships is to have a win/win attitude. (Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) A win/win attitude is to have an abundant mentality as opposed to a scarcity mentality. An example of both attitudes is found in the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand. (John 6:1-13) Jesus’ disciples Philip and Andrew were focused on what they did not have. Jesus focused on what he did have, gave thanks to God and distributed the five loaves and two fish to the multitude. All the people ate as much as they wanted and there were twelve baskets of leftovers.

What difference can this episode in Jesus’ life make in our lives today? In connecting these dots, I remember a story Anthony DeMello tells of a sojourner who, upon reaching the outskirts of a village, settled down under a tree for the night. Suddenly a villager came running up to him and said, “The stone! The stone! Give me the precious stone!”

“What stone?” asked the sojourner. “Last night the Lord appeared to me in a dream,” said the villager, “and told me that if I went to the outskirts of the village at dusk, I should find a sojourner who would give me a precious stone that would make me rich forever.” The sojourner rummaged in his bag and pulled out a stone. “He probably meant this one,” he said, as he handed the stone over to the villager. “I found it on a forest path some days ago. You can certainly have it.”

The villager gazed at the stone in wonder. It was a diamond; probably the largest diamond in the whole world, for it was as large as a person’s head. He took the diamond and walked away. All night he tossed about in bed, unable to sleep. The next day at the crack of dawn he returned to the sojourner and said, “Please kind sir, give me the wealth that makes it so easy for you to give this diamond away.” (Anthony De Mello, The Song of the Bird)

My Takeaway: Jesus looked at what he had, and with an attitude of win/win determined to share his wealth (five loaves and two fish), as opposed to hoarding his wealth for himself and his disciples. My wealth goes well beyond my bank account. I have my home, wisdom, friends and family and 1,440 minutes in each day. The only question is whether I believe I have enough to share.

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.

 

Copyright © 2026 by Alex M. Knight

 

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.

Will The Lord Bless This?

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

March 9, 2026

Will The Lord Bless This?

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

Romans 8:14 

Many Christians today, instead of being led by the Spirit of God, are living as functional atheists. Instead of fully relying on God, they are fully relying on themselves for guidance and direction in life. Many Christians today are living with fear and feel powerless over the circumstances in their life even though, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV)

In Romans 8, the Apostle Paul is teaching us the basic axiom of our life in Christ: The children of God are led by the Spirit of God. We need to focus our life on this axiom and remember the Spirit of God will always lead us is way that are entirely consistent with the Word of God. I find it helpful to remember that the Spirit wants to thoroughly ground my life in the Fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-24). The Spirit will also fill our hearts with the Love of God so that God’s love will flow out of our lives and into the lives of those around us. And we always want to rest in the assurance we are not on our journey alone; the Spirit is always praying and interceding for us. (Romans 8:26)

My Takeaway: As I seek to be led by the Spirit, I am learning to pause before speaking, or before any activity, and ask, “Will I ask God to bless these words, this activity?” And I am learning there are words I do not want to speak and activities I do not want to undertake.  

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.

 

Copyright © 2026 by Alex M. Knight

 

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.

Prone To Wander

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

March 6, 2026

Prone To Wander

“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,”

Psalm 107:2a (NRSV)

This theme, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,” is repeated throughout Psalm 107. Four times the psalmist writes:

“Let them praise the Lord for his great love

    and for the wonderful things he has done for them.”

Psalm 107:8, 15, 21, 31

This psalm was written as a psalm of thanksgiving for God bringing His people out of the Babylonian captivity and as a psalm of wisdom where the psalmist urges his congregation to not repeat the mistakes of their ancestors. When Israel was faithful to God, the psalmist would sing to the Lord,

for you are my refuge,

   a strong tower against the enemy. 

Let me abide in your tent forever,

   find refuge under the shelter of your wings. Selah

Psalm 61:3-4 (NRSV) 

When Israel was not faithful to God, they

wandered in desert wastes,

   finding no way to an inhabited town;

hungry and thirsty,

   their soul fainted within them.

Psalm 107:4-5 (NRSV)

While all the followers of Christ can sing,

“Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love;”

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing, Robert Robinson, 1758,

we can take comfort that

“If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NRSV).

My Takeaway: There is something we can do to minimize our wanderings as we seek to stay in God’s grace for each day. Every time the people of God gather, whether in small groups or Sunday Worship, we can proclaim:

“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,

Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,

   for his wonderful works to humankind.”

Psalm 107:2a, 8 (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.

 

Copyright © 2026 by Alex M. Knight

 

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.

Praise God for His Faithfulness

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

March 5, 2026

Praise God for His Faithfulness

Search for the Lord and for his strength;

continually seek him.

Psalm 105:4

Psalm 105 celebrates God’s Covenant faithfulness, from Abraham to the Israelites entering the land of Canaan. The Israelites included Psalm 105: 1-15 in their celebration of the Ark of the Covenant arriving in Jerusalem. (1 Chronicles 16:8-22)

The first church I served as pastor had a wonderful way of using their heritage to inspire them to faithfulness for their present-day mission. Memorials to pastoral and lay leadership were placed throughout the sanctuary. Photographs of church members called into pastoral ministry were prominently displayed in the Narthex. The original church building was a few miles away from their present sanctuary, and on the fifth Sunday of a month, the church would gather in their former sanctuary for worship. In this old church, the pulpit furniture had been crafted by one of their members, and each family had constructed their own pews, which made for an interesting display of varying shapes and sizes of the pews. Every October, Homecoming was celebrated and in alternate years the old church was their gathering place. Then in the week following Homecoming, they had revival services to draw from their heritage fresh inspiration for fulfilling God’s calling on their church.

Not every follower of Jesus has a church that celebrates their heritage leading them into their future, but every follower of Christ has their own personal heritage with God’s faithfulness. Through God's grace we are who we are, and His grace toward us has not been in vain (1 Corinthians 15:10). We praise God for his faithfulness, and we trust him to bring us through tomorrow.

My Takeaway:

“Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.

    Let the whole world know what he has done.

Praise the Lord!”

Psalm 105:1,45b

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.

 

Copyright © 2026 by Alex M. Knight

 

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.

Abundantly Clear

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

March 4, 2026

Abundantly Clear

So (Jesus) got up from the table, took off his robe,

wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin.

Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet,

drying them with the towel he had around him.

John 13:4-5

In Jerusalem two thousand years ago, a house large enough to host thirteen people for supper would have household servants. And there would have been a pecking order within the company of servants. The lowest in that order would be tasked with washing the feet of the supper guests. For this meal, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples.

Contrast our vision of Jesus, on his knees with a basin and towel, with two scripture passages:

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation. . .

 

(Colossians 1:15 – take time to read the entire exhalation of the Supremacy of Christ, v 15-20.)

 

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,

    to the glory of God the Father.

 

(Philippians 2:10-11 – take time to read the entire proclamation of the humility of Jesus, v 6-11)

The time will come when every knee should bow before Jesus. On what we call the Last Supper; it is Jesus whose knees bowed. When we see Jesus, face to face, the one for whom God, in all his fullness was pleased to live, we will recall it was this same Jesus kneeling before mortal men with a basin and towel.

My Takeaway: Yes, Jesus modeled humility before His disciples. Jesus also made it abundantly clear how much He loved His disciples. The next day, Jesus made it abundantly clear how much He loves you and me: “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.” (Romans 5:6)

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.

 

Copyright © 2026 by Alex M. Knight

 

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.

Holy Boldness

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

March 3, 2026

Holy Boldness

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.

There we will receive his mercy,

and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Hebrews 4:16 

How do we come boldly to the throne of our God? The eucharistic liturgy in my church includes the Lord’s Prayer. In this prayer we boldly pray, ‘Thy kingdom come.”  This very inclusive statement is inviting God’s Kingdom into our world, into our culture, and especially our lives. When I pray for God’s Kingdom to come, I am boldly asking God into my life and for His will to be accomplished in EVERY aspect of my life.

Another example of boldly coming to throne of God is in our asking God to trample down the foes in our life, the persistent sins, the persistent struggles we have in fulfilling our desire to make the life in Christ our way of life. This is another way of saying, “Thy Kingdom come.”

As I spend time reflecting on my spiritual condition, I am certain I will find places where my prayers are timid. Over and against this is the promise of scripture that we will find mercy and grace when we come boldly to God’s throne. I will spend time trying to discern my timidity before God, but I will not dwell there too long. I know the antidote for timidity – a determination to rain on my feelings and come boldly to the throne of my gracious God.

My Takeaway: Is it presumptuous for us to pray in this way. NO!!! Remember, we are a child of the Most High God and the Most High God is for us!

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.

 

Copyright © 2026 by Alex M. Knight

 

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.

Sometimes All Human Help Is Useless

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

March 2, 2026

Sometimes All Human Help Is Useless

Oh, please help us against our enemies,

for all human help is useless.

With God’s help we will do mighty things,

for he will trample down our foes.

Psalm 60:11-12 

The Christian Season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, forty-six days before Easter. There are forty days in Lent, not counting Sundays, that relate to the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness after His baptism. Depending on the date of Easter, the date of Ash Wednesday can range between February 4 and March 10. (Easter Sunday falls each year on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox.) During Lent, the Christian devotes time to self-reflection and appraising their spiritual condition. Psalm 60 is very useful for guidance during Lent.

In humility, King David called out to God for help. David was feeling overwhelmed by the strength of his enemies. He knew his only help was in God. In faith, maybe even in desperation, David confessed all his human strength and ingenuity were useless against his enemies. He put his trust in God to trample down his foes.

David’s faith inspires me, through my self-reflection, to identify the foes in my life. What are the persistent sins, the persistent struggles I have in fulfilling my desire to make my life in Christ my way of life each day? Once identified, I will name these ‘foes’ to my Heavenly Father and as David did, and trust God to trample down my foes.

My Takeaway: This Easter I will join with my fellow Christians and celebrate the Resurrection of my Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. And I will give thanks to God for trampling down my foes. I hope you do as well.

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.

 

Copyright © 2026 by Alex M. Knight

 

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.