For Just Such a Time As This

March 29, 2016

For Just Such a Time As This

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength”

Philippians 4:13

We are living in dark times. The carnage caused by terrorists in just the last week is incomprehensible. The danger is not only on foreign soil. On Easter Sunday, security personnel in a large church in Memphis captured a man armed with a rifle and handgun. This present darkness also covers the political realm in our country as the current campaigns keep going lower with their vulgar and degrading content. As Christians, we know God does not expect us to sit placidly on the sidelines; what are we to do? I have two suggestions.

First, I draw strength from the witness of those who have gone before us, such as John Wilberforce, the English politician and leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade in Great Britain. Wilberforce faced seemingly impossible odds for success, yet successful he was because he relied on God’s strength and wisdom. Our greatest need is to be as sure of our mission as was Wilberforce of his. When we are so persuaded of our cause, we can consider the Apostle Paul’s assertion, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength,” in a slightly different way. Perhaps a better way of making that statement is, “I can do everything God wants me to do, through Christ who gives me strength.”

Secondly, let us daily reaffirm the message of Easter. Remember, while it was still dark, God rolled away the stone. While the disciples were still wrapped in the darkness of their despair, God was at work. At daybreak the disciples witnessed what God had done in darkness: the Resurrection of Jesus. Yes, we are living in very dark times; even so, this present darkness is not greater than God. In these dark times, let us hold close to our calling to be co-laborers with Christ as we build for the Kingdom of God.

For just such a time as this, the world desperately needs to see fully-devoted followers of Christ, in whom the life of Jesus is made visible in their mortal flesh. (2 Corinthians 4:11) Could it be that you and I are called to be these faithful witnesses for Christ?

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, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.