Power in Weakness

April 29, 2016

Power in Weakness

May God be gracious to us and bless us and

make his face to shine upon us,          Selah

Psalm 67:1 NRSV

Brennan Manning received international acclaim for his marvelous ability to communicate the incomprehensible grace of God. Near the end of his active ministry Manning was asked what he thought was his greatest contribution to the Kingdom of God. The questioner listed many of Manning’s best-selling books, his seminars and his work as a spiritual director, and asked which of these accomplished the most good? Manning replied, “Not long ago I encountered an old priest with a drinking problem. I confessed to him, “Just a few years ago, I was a hopeless alcoholic in the gutter in Ft. Lauderdale.” The old priest replied, “You? Oh thank God!”

Abba’s words to Saint Paul remind us that it is not our strength or accomplishments that do the most good, but our shared weakness: “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). In a few weeks I will have an opportunity to speak on a Walk to Emmaus spiritual retreat. When preparing my talks for the weekend I struggle with how much personal information to share. I am a very private person and sharing personal information does not come easily for me. However, without fail, I am most connected with my audience, and I am more effectively used by God as His vessel of grace, when I allow His power to work through my weakness.

The Apostle Paul learned this lesson well. In his letter to the Philippians he shared his personal history and many accomplishments and concluded they were utterly worthless compared to knowing Christ. Everything Paul said about forgetting the past and pressing on to know Christ is grounded on Jesus’ promised blessing:  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3 NRSV). We experience God being gracious to us and blessing us and making his face to shine upon us when we share with one another how God’s power is working through our weakness.

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

Life in Christ Is Not Rocket Science

April 28, 2016

Life in Christ Is Not Rocket Science

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.

This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.”

Matthew 7:12

Living life in Christ is not rocket science. Jesus did not usher in God’s New Creation that is available only to a chosen few or to those who have advanced theological degrees. Jesus was the master of applying the KISS principal: Keep It Simple, Stupid; although Jesus was never so crass as to call his disciples stupid. Well, maybe he did. Anyway, the point is that Jesus’ instructions are not complicated. In John’s Gospel, he illustrated his Golden Rule with, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: “Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other” (John 13:34).

The fact that neither the world at large nor the followers of Jesus have mastered living by the Golden Rule, or Jesus’ ‘new commandment,’ is evidence of the total depravity of humankind. Against this total incapacity of humankind to fix ourselves, God stepped forward and fixed us through His imputed righteousness: “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21). In accepting this grace from God, our responsibility is to take what He has imputed, or given to us, and allow God to transform our lives “so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh” (2 Corinthians 4:11b NRSV).

Memorizing the Golden Rule as a child doesn’t necessarily weave it into the fabric of our daily life. As we seek the life in Christ as our way of life, we need to take the road less traveled and often return to the simplicity of Jesus’ teaching. In my walk, I frequently turn to the words of Henri Nouwen for inspiration and meditation: “I am destined to step into my Father's place and offer to others the same compassion that he has offered me. The return to the Father is ultimately the challenge to become the Father. . . . Being in the Father's house requires that I make the Father's life my own and become transformed in his image." (The Return of The Prodigal Son)

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.

Am I Lost Without Him?

April 27, 2016

Am I Lost Without Him?

We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. 

The night is coming, and then no one can work.

John 9:4

Recently I read an article about Harriet Tubman, who will soon appear on the $20 bill. She was an escaped slave who rose to become a famous abolitionist, Underground Railroad leader, and social reformer. I urge you to read her story at this link:

https://juicyecumenism.com/2016/04/21/harriet-tubman-methodist/

Ms. Tubman was a deeply spiritual Methodist woman who took seriously Jesus’ call to quickly carry out the tasks assigned to her by the one who sent her. She knew the night was coming when no one can work. I pray that you will have many occasions to hold the new $20 bill, and each and every time you gaze at her face I pray you will be inspired to seize the day and work diligently at the tasks assigned to you by Jesus.

I also hope you will join me in taking time to consider just how closely we are following Jesus. We say we are seeking the life of Christ as our way of life, but are we really? Saint Paul described his life as living, moving and existing in Christ. (Acts 17:28) Is that a fair description of our lives? It is not God’s will that we would season our life with Christ, as though we were adding salt and pepper to our evening meal. It is God’s will that Christ become our life!

In contemporary worship settings, Marie Barnett’s song, Breathe, is very popular. I love the song, but today I feel pressed to ask myself, “Am I really desperate for God? Is He really the air I breathe? How lost am I?”

Breathe

This is the air I breathe

This is the air I breathe

Your holy presence living in me

This is my daily bread

This is my daily bread

Your very word spoken to me

And I I'm desperate for you

And I I'm lost without you

©1995 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing

Words and Music by Marie Barnett

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.

As Far as I Can Step

April 26, 2016

As Far as I Can Step

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

John 8:12

Our journey seeking the life in Christ as our way of life is a process to be appreciated more than principles to be mastered. Although seeking the life in Christ does involve training in the new way of living in the Spirit, ultimately we are transformed by God working in us, giving us the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Our responsibility is to let God transform us into a new person, and this is more art than mastering skills. (See Philippians 2:13 and Romans 12:2)

When I think of how I can let God transform me, I think of the TV show, “Dancing with the Stars.” Dancing with a partner involves one person leading, the other following. When two people try to lead, it doesn’t feel right to the partners and their movement doesn't flow with the music. However, when one person relaxes and lets the other lead, both partners begin to flow with the music. It's as if the two become one. Dancing with a partner takes surrendering control and attentiveness from one person, and guidance and skill from the other.

Now, stand back and look at the word guidance. Do the letters ‘dance’ at the end of the word guidance jump out at you? Next, look at the acrostic formed by the letters preceding ‘dance.’ G U I: God, U and I dance. Spiritual guidance is dancing with God as we surrender control and allow Jesus to lead us as “the light that leads to life” (John 8:12).

My metaphor of Dancing with the Stars breaks down a bit because unlike the partners on the TV show, we do not know the whole dance routine. God just gives us one step at a time. A true story I read many years ago helps me learn to rest in God arms and allow Him to lead our dance, one step at a time. Missionaries living abroad depended on older men serving as night sentries for their homes. These men were most useful in carrying notes at night between homes. One dark night with no moon or stars shining, a missionary went to her door and “could just make out the figure of Papa Jean holding out a note. There were no street lights on this isolated mission station. A small, six inch kerosene lantern with a smoky chimney in Papa Jean's hand gave the only smattering of light. “Such a pitiful little light in such a dark night I thought. “That lamp doesn't give much light, does it, Papa?" I said to him. "No, it doesn't," he answered. "But it shines as far as I can step." (As Far as I Can Step, Virginia Law, Word Books (1970))

As I dance with God, I am learning His light shines as far as I can step. 

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.