Called To Be The Odd Voice Out

November 28, 2014

Called To Be The Odd Voice Out

Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts.

Psalm 15:1-2

This passage from Psalm 15 has both good news, and maybe not so good news. First, the good news. The Psalm provides three criteria for entering into the presence of God. The truth is that I don’t know anyone, including myself who can past this test. The good news is that Jesus’ self-sacrificing life has made it possible for us to enter into the presence of God. We are made right with God not because we have lived blameless lives, done what is right, and spoken the truth from sincere hearts, but because Jesus made us right by his life, death, resurrection and ascension.

Secondly, the maybe not so good news. God’s expectation for us, as announced by the psalmist, remains the same. However, our mission is not as seemingly impossible as it must have seemed to the psalmist’ congregation. While we can never accomplish such righteous living on our own, we have received the gift of the Holy Spirit, and we have the most wonderful promise of God on our side: “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13).

In the light of our right standing with God and with the assurance that God is indeed working within us, (He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Psalm 23:3), it is appropriate for us to examine ourselves periodically and ask, “Just how much truth am I speaking from a sincere heart?” Even though the Apostle Paul commissions us to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), many Christians are reluctant to be a voice for God in their community because, as I have previously noted, when we chose to be a voice for God in our community, we will find ourselves standing alone. It is exceedingly difficult to be the odd voice out, to be the one whose voice is an expression of the truth of who we are --- not of who we think we should be or whom others think we should be.

Speaking the truth with sincere hearts may be the most heroic act of love we can ever offer to the world.

Sē’lah

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(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. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.

A Lewis Grizzard Thanksgiving

November 27, 2014

A Lewis Grizzard Thanksgiving

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!

    His faithful love endures forever.

Psalm 107:1

In 1986, Lewis Grizzard wrote of missing the family Thanksgiving dinner. It was at an uncle's house out in the country. Country folks like to eat dinner early in the middle of the day. Grizzard slept late and missed it. At 1 P.M. that afternoon, he got a call from his friend B.A. inviting Lewis to catch a plane because one of their favorite bars in Savannah was open even if nothing else is. Lewis said he met B.A. at the Savannah airport three hours later. On their way to their favorite bar they first stopped at a little beer joint just outside the airport. I’ll let Lewis finish telling his story.

“There were a couple of pool tables inside and young men wearing hats with the names of various heavy equipment companies sewn on them were playing. Cigarettes dangled from their mouths. They were silent and expressionless. One got the idea heavy stakes were involved.

A few old men sat around the bar drinking beer. A man and a woman worked behind the bar. There was a juke box playing country music.

"Keep your mouth shut," B. A. said, "and we'll probably be OK."

"Probably..."

We had a few beers and played a few tunes of our own. Nobody had spoken to us until a graybeard sitting a few stools down looked up from his can of beer and asked, "Y'all ain't from around here, are you?"

We said we weren't.

"Y’all going to stay for supper?" the man went on.

"Stay for what? I asked.

"Supper," he said. "We have it here every year on Thanksgiving. It's mostly for the regulars who don't have nowhere else to go, but I'm sure nobody would mind if y'all stayed."

We didn't say yes. But we didn't say no, either.

A half hour later, the door to the joint opened and in walked five or six ladies bearing plates of food. Lots of food. They set up a table near the juke box. Turkey and dressing. A ham. Mashed potatoes and gravy. Green beans. Butter beans. Creamed corn. Homemade rolls. There were also cakes and pies.

The customers put down their beers and pool sticks. They lined up plates in hand for the feast in front of them.

"Y'all more than welcome to eat," said the woman behind the bar. We got in line.

The food was wonderful. We went back twice.

"You do this every year, huh?, I asked one of the ladies that brought the food.

"They's lots of people don't have nowheres to go on Thanksgiving," she said. "Some of 'em come in here to drink cause it ain't as lonely as staying home. We all live in the neighborhood and we just try to share what we got with others."

We stayed until 9 or 10. We tried to pay extra for the food, but nobody would take our money. Thanksgivings come and Thanksgivings go, and, occasionally, one comes along that is very special." (The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, November 27, 1986).

Cheryl and I, and Buster Brown and Hershey are wishing you a very special Thanksgiving.

Sē’lah

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(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. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.

Standing Up for What is Right

November 26, 2014

Standing Up for What is Right

You have taken up my cause, O Lord,

    you have redeemed my life.

Lamentations 3:58 (NRSV)

God created us to be in community. Even the greatest loners, the most introverted of us do not relish complete isolation. Within the soul of all humankind is the desire to be loved by others, to be accepted by our communities and to have a sense of self-esteem rooted in the love and acceptance of others. As much as God created us to be in community, he also created us to stand alone as a “voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord’” (John 1:23 NRSV).

Sometimes our voice in the wilderness is when we don’t go along with the crowd when their conversation becomes sexist, racist or just plain disrespectful of human dignity. Sometimes our voice in the wilderness is when we take a stand for the sanctity of life, or for care and respect for creation, or speak out against any of the myriad of affronts to the goodness of God that confront us each and every day. We can remain silent, or we can go along to get along and remain in the good graces of our community; or we can be the “voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord’.”

When we so chose to a voice for God in our community, we will find ourselves standing alone. We will not enjoy this lonely place because it cuts across the grain of God’s intended order for our lives. But even in such a lonely place, we will find we are not really alone: “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b). As we stand up for what is right, we can rest in the assurance of God’s Word, “I called on your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit; you heard my plea, “Do not close your ear to my cry for help, but give me relief!” You came near when I called on you; you said, “Do not fear!” You have taken up my cause, O Lord, you have redeemed my life” (Lamentations 3:55-58 NRSV).

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(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. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.

Satisfaction And Complacency Should Be Guarded Against At All Costs

 November 25, 2014

Satisfaction And Complacency 

Should Be Guarded Against 

At All Costs

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity,

but of power, love, and self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:7

Corporate trainers like to talk about Critical Success Factors. They will often show the WWII movie, Midway, to illustrate their point. In the movie, the Japanese Navy launched reconnaissance airplanes to search for the American Navy Aircraft Carriers. The reconnaissance mission was successful in locating the US forces, but when the aircrew tried to radio their location, they found their radio wasn’t working. Their radio was one of the critical success factors, and they had failed to check it before leaving on their mission.

In our desire to remain securely centered in God’s grace, we need to be aware of the critical success factors in our individual lives. Sometimes this is referred to as besetting sin, or the place where we are most vulnerable to drifting into a legalistic or moralistic mindset. This is where the Ancient Greek precept, know thyself, becomes essential as we seek the life in Christ as our way of life. As we learn about ourselves, we can discern what aspects of our personality are most susceptible to being tempted to turn from the matchless grace of our Abba Father and seek to meet our needs for love, acceptance and self-worth through our own self-efforts.

Peter Kassig was murdered by ISIS on November 16, 2014. Peter wrote to his to his family and friends while he was in captivity, and last week I posted some excerpts from some of his communications. One of those excerpts has been particularly haunting to me: “It is okay to be happy and content but satisfaction and complacency should be guarded against at all costs.” (Email to professors and mentors, March 2012)

I find that it is pretty easy for me to drift into a state of satisfaction and complacency, thinking that enjoying the bliss of my retirement years should be my primary goal in life. Although I am involved in several community and church related activities, I know that I am not fully engaged, I am reluctant to fully commit myself to these endeavors. Because I know myself, I know that a reason for my hesitancy lies deep within my soul where self-doubt robs me of the confidence I need to step out and launch into a new calling on my life. Allowing God to overcome my doubts, and instill a new confidence within me, is a critical success factor in my life.

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(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. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.