Triumphal Procession

April 6, 2016

Triumphal Procession

“For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh.”

2 Corinthians 4:11 NRSV

The Apostle Paul confirms that God is working in us to give us “the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13). Paul also confirms that God is using everything in our lives so that we are transformed to become like Christ. (Romans 8:28-29) All of this work by God leads us to a place of brokenness, just as Jesus’ spirit was broken in the Garden of Gethsemane. From this place of brokenness, Jesus make a triumphal victory over sin and death through his resurrection from the grave. From our place of brokenness we also rise in triumph: “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him” (2 Corinthians 2:14 NRSV).

It is hard for me to accept my brokenness as good. I’d rather forget it and wish I hadn’t made the mistakes, suffered the rejection and abuse from others, or any of the seemingly myriad of ghosts that arise from my past. But embracing my brokenness is only hard until I remember that I belong to Christ, and in Christ I am a new person; “The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

When I read Paul’s magnificent prose through the lens of my new life in Christ,

“But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh.  So death is at work in us, but life in you” (2 Corinthians 4:7-12 NRSV),

I experience the promise of peace beyond my understanding. (Philippians 4:7)

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.