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

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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.