Seeking the Life in Christ

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Compassion

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

September 23, 2026

Compassion

Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

Luke 15:20b

Repeatedly, we read in the Gospels that Jesus had compassion for people. Compassion is at the heart of Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son. I am quite convinced that compassion is the foremost emotion Jesus has for all people.

Within the realm of our fallen sinful nature, our reaction to people who do wrong to us is revenge, retribution, punishment, and our interpretation of appropriate justice. Generally, mercy doesn’t make the list of our responsive emotions. However, Jesus models life for us as God’s new creation. Jesus’ first response is compassion.

There was a minister who encountered a crisis of faith and gave up. He left the church and abandoned his family. He ended up alone in a ramshackle old trailer in the middle of winter. His small electric heater quit. In disgust he yelled out, “God, I hate you!” then fell to the floor weeping. The minister would later testify that there in that trailer, in his darkest hour, he sensed God reply to his curse, “I know; it’s okay.” Then this shattered man heard Jesus’ weeping with him. Soon after that experience, the minister left the trailer, and the prodigal returned home.

In your brokenness, in your darkest hours, when you have sinned against God and others, what do you hear? Do you hear Jesus condemning you, or judging you, or do you experience the savior of your soul weeping with you? Whether or not you have a discernable experience of God’s presence with you, the truth is that God is always for you; the lover of your soul keeps track of all your sorrows. He has collected all your tears in His bottle, and He has recorded each one in His book. (Psalm 56:8)

My Takeaway: I am not sure which causes God’s tears to flow the most: our brokenness that causes us to do dumb and hurtful things or our deafness to His tears of compassion 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.

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.

Tuesday, September 22, 2026

Safe With One Another

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

September 22, 2026

Safe With One Another

What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.

Galatians 6:15b

One of the greatest mysteries for those seeking the life in Christ as their way of life is how we manage the inner war between our fallen sinful nature and the reality “that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The Apostle Paul was quite dramatic in his response to our dilemma. He told the Galatians that his “old self has been crucified with Christ,” and he told the Romans “Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism” (Galatians 2:20 & Romans 6:3-4).

Paul wasn’t just using hyperbole to make his point. We have been given new life by God, and we are His new creation by faith in Christ Jesus. This new life is altogether different than our old life. Our mission is to take this new life, which John Wesley called holiness of heart, and make it our way of life, which Wesley called holiness of life. There are milestones for this new life we can look for as we journey along the way with Jesus. One of the milestones is our authenticity with one another.

Someone once said, with great sadness, that if he had to write an epitaph for his parents’ tombstone, he would have to write: “Here lie two people who never knew one another.” He said his father could never share his feelings, so his mother never truly knew him. Feeling safe with God’s love for us and safe with another person so we can share our innermost feelings is one of the greatest gifts we will receive in this lifetime. When the history of the twentieth century is written, one of the greatest achievements noted will be the development of self-help groups. At the core of these self-help groups is authentic sharing, where group members own their feelings and take responsibility for their lives.

My Takeaway: A core value within every Christian small group, and within every home, should be the building of authentic community where the members learn to trust in God’s love for them and learn to feel safe so they can be real with one another.

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, September 21, 2026

You Have Prepared Praise for Yourself

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

September 21, 2026

You Have Prepared Praise for Yourself

“Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies

You have prepared praise for Yourself’”

Matthew 21:16 (NASB)

Psalm 8 is a beautiful psalm of praise for God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, who so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life.

Whenever I read this Psalm, I recall two personal experiences with its majesty. First, I remember a time when I had been visiting churches in Mexico, several miles south of Matamoros. It was late on a Sunday evening, and I had just finished preaching in the last church service for the day. My host took me to the home of one of his parishioners for supper. There was no ambient light and it was very dark. As I looked up into the night sky, I was overwhelmed with the beauty, the majesty, of countless thousands of stars. My host immediately began quoting Psalm 8:3,

“When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—

the moon and the stars you set in place—“

The second experience was my discovery of Jesus in this Psalm. The New Testament writers clearly thought Jesus was the mortal described Psalm 8: 5-8. (See 1 Corinthians 15:27; Ephesians 1:22; and Hebrews 2: 5-8) Also, Jesus quoted this psalm, but in doing so added his own interpretation. His insight has fascinated me for years.

Verse 2 of Psalm 8 states, “From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength” (NASB). At Matthew 21:16, Jesus quotes this verse saying, “Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’” (NASB).

So, which is it? Has God ordained strength, or praise, out of the mouths of infants and babes?

My Takeaway: Yes. Our strength comes from our praise of the LORD.

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, September 18, 2026

Let Us Thank the Lord for His Steadfast Love

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

September 18, 2026

Let Us Thank the Lord for His Steadfast Love

“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,”

Psalm 107:2a (NRSV)

This theme is repeated throughout Psalm 107. Four times the psalmist writes:

“Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for mankind,”

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 for ever,

find refuge under the shelter of your wings.

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 of 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: However, there is something we can do to minimize our wanderings. Every time the people of God gather, whether in small groups or Sunday Worship,

“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.)

Thursday, September 17, 2026

We Too Will Inherit God’s Care

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

September 17, 2026

We Too Will Inherit God’s Care

And a voice from heaven said,

“This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3:17

In the preceding verse, we learn that “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him” (Matthew 3:16). Jesus then heard a voice from heaven and “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” (Matthew 4:1). Sometime later, perhaps one evening when Jesus and his disciples were sitting around a fire, Jesus told his disciples what happened when he was baptized. Jesus alone saw the heavens open, he alone saw the dove, he alone heard the voice, and he alone sensed the leading of the Spirit. The others present by the river that day only saw Jesus go under the water and upon rising from the water walk away.

In the wilderness, Jesus processed all that he had experienced, heard and seen. During that time, he made his decision to trust that God was at work in him, and to accept by faith the future God had ordained for him. Jesus’ first act in ministry was accepting his identity as God’s dearly loved Son, with whom (God) was well pleased. For his act of faith, he was immediately tempted by Satan.

I think this is the model for all the followers of Jesus. Our first step as a Christian is to accept our new identity as the beloved of God with whom He is well pleased. Such a step of faith is contradictory to all our natural senses and cultural norms. It is a step of faith for which we assuredly, and repeatedly, will be challenged by the great enemy of God, the evil one, the devil. Jesus not only modeled how we will be tempted, but he also modeled how we can overcome the tempter: “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only” (Matthew 4:10).

My Takeaway: When we rely on the Word of God as our rule and guide through life, we, like Jesus, will receive God’s care: Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. (Matthew 4:11).

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.)

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

I Am ALWAYS a Winner

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

September 16, 2026

I Am ALWAYS a Winner

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.

Romans 8:18 (NRSV)

“And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory” (Colossians 1:27b NLT). These words of Paul are deeply embedded in my soul. With my faith resting on this powerful affirmation from Paul, I am a winner.

There are days after two hours on the hard tennis courts that I hobble around with sore knees and feet and feel like I am twenty years older than I am. Even so, Christ is in me, the hope of glory. There are days when depression is my closest traveling companion. Even so, Christ is in me, the hope of glory. There are days when I fail miserably to take all my thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ and instead suffer with all manner of vain imaginings. Even so, Christ is in me, the hope of glory.

Somewhere hangs a plaque in a beaten-up wooden frame: “God will not look you over for medals, diplomas, or honors, but for scars . . .” Amen, brother! Those scars are not just from persecutions suffered through service in the name of Christ. Those scars also come from our own wrestling with our flesh, our own efforts, sometimes successful, often not so much so, to crucify our flesh. Even so, Christ is in me, the hope of glory.

When we are pressed on every side by troubles, when we are perplexed, when we are hunted down, and when we get knocked down by life, it is hard to feel like a winner. (See 2 Corinthians 4:8-9) Even so, Christ is in me, the hope of glory. I have come to realize that Paul’s direction to “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” was a lot easier for him to write, than for me to implement in my life; thus, for me, the promised “peace of God, which transcends all understanding” is sometimes quite illusive (Philippians 4:6-7). Even so, Christ is in me, the hope of glory.

My Takeaway: Even so, Christ is in me, the hope of glory. With my faith resting on this powerful affirmation from Paul, I am ALWAYS a winner.

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, September 15, 2026

Tempted To Deny My Life in Christ

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

September 15, 2026

Tempted To Deny My Life in Christ

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Matthew 4:1

When Jesus was in the wilderness, he experienced the same temptations, in the same sequence, as did the people of Israel when they entered the wilderness after escaping from Egypt. Jesus was tempted regarding hunger, testing God and false worship. Unlike Israel, Jesus was faithful. (See Exodus 16, and 17:19-32)

The Apostle John tells us, “for all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from the Father but from the world” (1 John 2:16 NRSV). From the devil’s original temptation of humankind, “you will be like God,” the devil attacks the desires of our flesh (Genesis 3:5). However, the temptations are subtle. The devil didn’t tell Adam and Eve they would be better than God; rather, “you will be like God.” In the wilderness, the devil appealed to Jesus to avoid the long road of suffering and to take a short cut to gathering a following. Many of the people in Israel were hungry. If Jesus turned the stones into bread, he could feed a multitude and win the loyalty of the people. If Jesus leaped from the tower and was not injured, he would thus prove his divine nature. However, “without faith it is impossible to please God,” and faith is choosing to believe in God in the absence of proof (Hebrews 11:6). Perhaps the greatest temptation we all face is the lie that our needs for love, acceptance and a sense of self-worth are to be found in the riches of the world. Like Jesus, we are called to reject the notion that our value is in the kingdoms of this world and “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only” (Matthew 4:10).

We are called to be a part of God’s people, to do God’s work in the world. Thus, we will face the same temptations, as did Israel and Jesus when they were in the wilderness. At their core, these temptations are not about things I really want to do but know I should not. They are temptations to be someone other than the person God calls me to be. These are temptations to deny I am a child of God.

My Takeaway: I want to live my life by trusting in Jesus, who loved me and gave himself for me. Every day I am tempted to deny my life in Christ and trust in something else to meet my needs. Like Jesus, I can turn to scripture and affirm that I am a child of God. So can you. (The chorus of the song, Who I Am by Ben Fuller, resonates within me, “I am a child of the Most High God and the Most High God is for me.”)

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, September 23, 2026

Compassion

Tuesday, September 22, 2026

Safe With One Another

Monday, September 21, 2026

You Have Prepared Praise for Yourself

Friday, September 18, 2026

Let Us Thank the Lord for His Steadfast Love

Thursday, September 17, 2026

We Too Will Inherit God’s Care

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

I Am ALWAYS a Winner

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Tempted To Deny My Life in Christ

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