He Still Hadn’t Found What He Was Looking For

December 3, 2015

He Still Hadn’t Found What He Was Looking For

“I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”

Matthew 19:20

Matthew’s Gospel doesn’t give us many details about this young man. All we know is that he was searching for eternal life, and was acutely aware that even though he had kept all the commandments of God, he still hadn’t found what he was looking for. Have you ever been there? I have, and I remember the time Jesus set me free as though it were yesterday, when in fact it was almost twenty-six years ago.

I knew I was in a state of burn-out because I was convinced that no matter how hard I tried, for me the Christian life was impossible to live. I wasn’t as bold as the young man in Matthew’s Gospel; I knew I had tried to keep the commandments but I knew perfectly well that I had fallen short. Jesus’ prescription for the young man was simple: “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). Regrettably, the young man was too attached to his way of living, and would not surrender to Jesus’ offer of new life.

As for me, on that Sunday morning in chapel at my Tres Dias weekend, almost twenty-six years ago, I said yes to Jesus and accepted his offer to join him on the adventure of a lifetime as I seek the life in Christ as my way of life. Jesus’ way of life is all about grace as we learn to trust that God is working in us, giving us the desire and the power to do what pleases him. (Philippians 2:13)

“Let the redeemed of the lord say so” (Psalm 107:2). It has been about 9,490 days since I found what I was looking for, and I continue to rejoice and give thanks to God for His faithfulness; I continue to say so!

How about you? Have you found what (who) you are looking for?

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.