Seeking the Life in Christ: February 2024

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Our Life Belongs to God

Meditations for Ragamuffins

February 29, 2024

Our Life Belongs to God

“Please, because you belong to the Lord . . .”

Philippians 4:2b (NLT)

Philippians 4: 2-9

Philippians 4 is densely packed with one gem after another. We would do well to memorize much of Paul’s wisdom. This brief passage of seven verses has three huge helps for us as we seek the life in Christ as our way of life. First, verse 2 reveals the essence of life in Christ. I believe this one simple phrase says all that needs to be said: “Please, because you belong to the Lord” (Philippians 4:2 NLT). Therein is our motivation to strive for unity in the body of Christ. Therein is our motivation to strive to be fully transformed, to seek the life in Christ as our way of life. Therein we are reminded that our life does not belong to us. Our life belongs to God. By creation and redemption, our life belongs to God. Learning to live with this phrase ringing in our ears, “I belong to the Lord,” should lead our life until our faith becomes sight, and we rest in the loving arms of Jesus.

Because we belong to the Lord, verses 6 and 7 can map out our daily life: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Paul didn’t promise all our problems will go away. He promises us that resting in the assurance of what God has done to reconcile us to Himself through faith in Christ Jesus will overcome our anxious thoughts. This opens the door to the third help: focus on God’s goodness.

Every day we have choices with what we will fill our minds. We can read Stephen King novels or watch horror movies; or we can fix our thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. We can think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:8)

My Takeaway: When our diet includes large portions of Scripture, Jesus Calling (Sarah Young), Guideposts, This Day with the Master (Dennis Kinlaw) or any of the countless devotional resources available to us, fixing our mind on what is true becomes our way of life.

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.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Resident Aliens

Meditations for Ragamuffins

February 28, 2024

Resident Aliens

But our citizenship is in heaven.

And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ

Philippians 3:20

Philippians 3: 17 - 4:1

In the closing verses of Chapter 3, Paul again refers to his vision of the future which kept Paul fighting the good fight: the victorious return of Christ Jesus the King. This vision was particularly conspicuous in Philippi which was a Roman colony and where citizenship in Rome was their paramount cultural value. In the first two chapters, Paul modeled how his allegiance to Christ Jesus called him to value the ways of Christ over and above his Roman citizenship. In today’s passage, Paul powerfully asserts this point: “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21).

When Paul says we are citizens of heaven, he is not saying heaven is our home. He is saying our churches are colonies of our King, Christ Jesus. As we are taught to pray in the Lord’s Prayer, the mission of our churches is to build for the Kingdom of God so that God’s will is fulfilled on earth as it is in heaven. As resident aliens, we are laboring for our Master here until he comes in Final Victory to fully establish his reign on earth.

Many Christians, when reciting the Apostles’ Creed, are unsure of the meaning of the phrase, “I believe in the resurrection of the body,” and assume it must be referring to the resurrection of Jesus. Paul’s assertion in verse 21 should clear up any confusion. Paul firmly believed that all the followers of Jesus who have died will be resurrected and receive glorious bodies like Jesus’ own when our Savior returns in glory.

My Takeaway: Recently I attended a dinner with a Christian group. Those in attendance were very diverse: politically, socially, and economically. They laughed and thoroughly enjoyed their table fellowship. They worshipped together and shared in Holy Communion. How is this possible for such a diverse group? They know their citizenship is in heaven!

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.)

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Pressing On

Meditations for Ragamuffins

February 27, 2024

Pressing On

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.

Philippians 3:13

Philippians 3: 12-16

In verse 12 Paul said, “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” John Wesley urged his pastors to always have the mind-set that they were ‘going on to perfection,” and that phrase is still used today when new pastors are ordained in the United Methodist Church. Wesley’s intention was rooted in his understanding of the Biblical word, holiness. John Wesley loved the word holiness. He talked about scriptural holiness, holiness of the heart and holiness of life. Many people mistakenly think holiness has to do with rigid laws, or rules, which through obedience make a person holy. Not so; holiness is a state of being. As Christians, we know that our state of being, our acceptance by God, comes as a gift of God’s grace, through faith in Jesus. The definition that best fits John Wesley’s use of the word holiness is being in a state of harmony with God. In the context of today’s passage, because we have holiness of heart as a gift of God’s grace, we, like Paul, are pressing on to make what is true in our heart, true in our way of life.

Paul’s language in verse 14 is like his pastoral letter of 2 Timothy:

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

The ground of Paul’s faith was a belief that God had a future for him. Yes, Paul believed that when he died, he would be with Jesus. (See my meditation on Philippians 1: 18b-26, February 13, 2024) However, here and in 2 Timothy, Paul sets forth that the future he is longing for is the victorious return of Christ Jesus the King. That vision of his future is what kept Paul fighting the good fight.

My Takeaway: Paul’s thoughts in today’s passage remind me of my favorite part of a Communion liturgy: “When we, by faith, partake of this bread and cup we experience anew the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in our lives as we look forward to his coming again in final victory.”

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.)

Monday, February 26, 2024

This Is Your Life

Meditations for Ragamuffins

February 26, 2024

This Is Your Life

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.

Philippians 3:7

Philippians 3: 7-11

Imagine you have a diamond and want to determine its value. You take your diamond to a jewelry store and the proprietor brings out an old-fashioned scale, one with two trays, suspended from a balance rod. When there is equal weight on each tray the rod balances perfectly. He places the diamond on the left tray and then adds weight to the other side until the scale is in balance. I can think of your personal worth, or value, in a similar way.

Imagine the scale with two trays. Now, please take a seat in the tray on your left and I will begin with a segment of This is Your Life. All your family and friends from your past and present will come across the stage and share something about your life – only the good! All their remembrances will be added to the tray on your right. Next, I’ll add all your education and business success as well as your participation in the programs and ministries of your church. The tray on the right is overflowing with all that is good and decent about you, but we notice that the scale has not moved. The left tray where you are seated is still all the way down, and all your fame and accomplishments has failed to move the right tray down so the trays will be in balance.

We are stuck for an explanation on why the trays did not balance, so we ask God for a little help. After all, He knows everything. We ask God to help us find a way to balance the scale so we will know your worth.

God asks me to remove all the stuff I had placed in the right tray, and I do. Then God places Jesus in the right tray. Now the trays begin to move until they balance. Perfectly! You are worth Jesus. Your value, to God, is the same value that God places on Jesus. God loved you so much that he gave his one and only Son for you so that when you believe in him you will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

My Takeaway: Because of this Biblical truth Paul said, “I once thought these things (all the stuff in his right tray) were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:7-8 NLT).

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.)

Friday, February 23, 2024

God’s Smile of Affection for You

Meditations for Ragamuffins

February 23, 2024

God’s Smile of Affection for You

Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord!

Philippians 3:1a

Philippians 3: 1-6

Today’s passage lays a foundation for the entirety of our life in Christ. We rejoice in the Good News that we belong to Jesus. Our relationship to Jesus is made secure not because of what we did, or we are doing, or what we have refrained from doing. Rather, we belong to Jesus because he has united us to himself in his death, burial, resurrection, and enthronement. This is our Good News. We never stop rejoicing in this Good News, because rejoicing in the goodness of Jesus safeguards our faith.

The church in Philippi was being tempted to deviate from relying solely on the goodness and faithfulness of Jesus to secure their right relationship with God. Instead, they were being urged to trust in the works of the flesh by obeying certain religious rules and doing good works. No one understood religious tradition, rules, and discipline like Paul. Paul had zealously pursued God only to come up empty-handed. Then Jesus found Paul, and everything in Paul’s life changed. Until the day he died, Paul continued to zealously pursue God, but after he encountered Jesus, his pursuit of holiness was always resting on the truth that Jesus securely had him in his grasp. Paul was always basking in God’s smile of affection for him as he journeyed to make the life in Christ his way of life.

My Takeaway: Today, with an out-stretched hand, Paul looks back toward us and says, “Come and learn to rest in God’s smile of affection for you.”

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.)

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Christian Community

Meditations for Ragamuffins

February 22, 2024

Christian Community

So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ.

Philippians 2:29-30a

Philippians 2:25-30

Jesus tells us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Jesus is saying that we should care as much for the welfare of our neighbor’s family as we do for our own household. Jesus’ words are often filed away with other Biblical platitudes because they seem rather unrealistic. However, in our passage for today, Paul’s self-disclosure gives us a real insight into what it looks like when we care deeply for our brothers and sisters in Christ. I offer three observations about Paul’s Christian community.

First, Paul makes it abundantly clear that he is no Pollyanna. Yes, Paul will tell us in Chapter 4 to rejoice in the Lord always and that we can trade our anxieties for the peace of God that passes understanding. (Philippians 4:4, 7) But he also tells us that our love for one another can be exceedingly painful. Referring to his friend and companion, Epaphroditus, Paul writes, “Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow” (Philippians 2:27). The thought that his friend Epaphroditus might die seemed unbearable to Paul. Here is the Christian life experiencing real sorrow, real pain.

Secondly, Paul’s experience with his friends in the church gives us a window into the depth and quality of life in a Christian community. This whole chapter has been about unity within the church and learning to live self-sacrificially for the sake of our brothers and sisters in Christ and for the sake of the Gospel. Is this possible for 21^st Century America? Yes, and that is my third observation.

Jesus tells us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, and he tells us that things that are impossible for us are possible for God.

My Takeaway: “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13 NLT).

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.)

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Serving Christ Jesus, The King

Meditations for Ragamuffins

February 21, 2024

Serving Christ Jesus, The King

For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:21

Philippians 2:19-24

In my meditation on Philippians 2:1-4, I emphasized verse 4, “Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others” (NRSV), and I noted that Paul urges the followers of Jesus to take seriously the self-sacrificing way of life modeled by Jesus. In today’s passage, Paul subtlety connects verse 4 with Jesus’ parable of the Last Judgment in Matthew 25. You will recall that the epicenter of that parable is Jesus’ assertion about the least of these: “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40). In verse 4, Paul urges us to “look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others,” and in verse 21 Paul contrasts Timothy’s lifestyle with that of unnamed others, “All of them are seeking their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.” (NRSV) Paul is saying that Timothy is fulfilling verse 4 by not focusing on his own self-interest, but focusing on the interests of others, which Paul says is the interest of Jesus Christ. Paul is saying that Timothy, by serving others ahead of his own self-interest, is serving Christ Jesus the King.

In the story that Jesus told, the people represented as sheep helped when they saw someone in need. They didn’t throw money at the problem. They didn’t send someone else. They offered their hand; they gave their water; they touched and bandaged the wound; they listened with compassion. They served because service was needed, not to be noticed or rewarded. They served because God created us to be in community, and when you are in community you are not seeking your own interests, but those of Jesus Christ.

Jesus’ parable is not about some people getting rewarded for good deeds, and some people getting punished because of the good deeds left undone. Ultimately, it is a parable about allegiance. At the end of time, it is not a matter of who we say we are; it is a matter of whose we are.

My Takeaway: Those who align themselves with the King will reflect the King’s goodness. Those who align themselves with the King will reflect the self-sacrificing way of life modeled by King Jesus.

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.)

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

You Are The Light Of The World

Meditations for Ragamuffins

February 20, 2024

You Are The Light Of The World

God is working in you, giving you the desire

and the power to do what pleases him

Philippians 2:13

Philippians 2:12-18

Paul has set the bar of expectations for the Christian very high. We are aiming to have all our interrelationships flow out of the life of Christ within us. Is this even possible! YES, because “God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13 NLT). However, we are not idle or passive while God is at work within us. We have a part to play, and Paul is as passionate for our participation as he is for God’s work within us: “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12b).

Paul is not suggesting that we work for our salvation; verse 13 clearly establishes that it is God who is at work within us. Our role is to passionately take responsibility for how we live our lives, to work hard to show the results of our salvation. This is what we know: God is transforming us by renewing the way we think. God is planting His holy desires within us. God has given us the power of the Holy Spirit to make Godly choices in our lives. Therefore, we can live with the real confidence that our lives are making a difference for good in the world.

Paul’s vision that our confident living will be like bright lights in the world (2:15) invokes two images for me. First, when we take responsibility for cultivating the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, when we take seriously our need to yield our life to God so that He may transform our lives to be like Jesus, we fulfill the prophecy of Daniel 12:3, “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” Secondly, Paul’s vision rings true with the words of Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount, ““You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:14).

My Takeaway: Because we have God’s light shining in our hearts, we are like bright lights in our world, and the life of Jesus is made visible in our life. (See 2 Corinthians 4:7-10)

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.)

Monday, February 19, 2024

Your Life in Christ Jesus

Meditations for Ragamuffins

February 19, 2024

Your Life in Christ Jesus

“Let your bearings towards one another arise

out of your life in Christ Jesus”

Philippians 2:5 (NEB 1961)

Philippians 2:5-11

Imagine a snobby, very socially conscious community. Everything in the community is about status, power, and honor. The word humility is literally not in their vocabulary. That was life in the Roman colony of Philippi (Home of Alexander the Great). Paul’s first visit to Philippi, where he was beaten and thrown into jail for proclaiming Jesus as Lord, is recorded in Acts 16. There we learn that only after his release from jail did Paul reveal his Roman citizenship, a status that would have prevented him being beaten and jailed. Why did he wait? What qualities of life in a Christian community was he demonstrating for the new followers of Jesus in Philippi? When we read Philippians 2: 1-11, we see that Paul was not just waxing eloquent; he was living the very life he was offering to the Philippians.

Too often we are tempted to dismiss Paul’s description of the self-sacrificing life of Christ as not a reasonable expectation for the average person in the church. Our attitude should change when we realize that Paul lived his life after Christ’s example. Verse five is the key to how Paul followed Jesus. Most translations of verse five say that we should have the same attitude or mind as Christ. Calling me to have the same attitude as Christ puts all the responsibility on me to have the power and integrity to live self-sacrificially. I believe that is both unreasonable and not possible. However, the New English Bible translates verse five to reveal the very heart of Paul’s message and sets forth the truth that enabled Paul, and that will enable you and me, to be fully devoted followers of Jesus:

“Let your bearings towards one another arise

out of your life in Christ Jesus”

Philippians 2:5 (NEB 1961)

(In the next passage we’ll see exactly how this is possible.)

My Takeaway: That verse of Scripture changed my life and gave me my life’s mission statement: Seeking the life in Christ as my way of life. It is our life in Christ that enables us to choose a self-sacrificing way of life that brings glory to our God and empowers us to be co-laborers with Christ for the Kingdom of God.

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.)

Friday, February 16, 2024

Looking to the Interests of Others

Meditations for Ragamuffins

February 16, 2024

Looking to the Interests of Others

“. . . in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.”

Philippians 2:3b-4 (NRSV)

Philippians 2:1-4

Paul begins Chapter Two with a call for unity within the church. At first glance, his call for unity may seem over the top, way too unrealistic for the diversity of people who come together as the church: “being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.” (Philippians 2:2). In the next passage, Paul will elaborate on how he believes his call is totally realistic, but in verse one, he has laid the foundation for unity within the Body of Christ: “if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion” (Philippians 2:1). This is another way to think of the fruit of the Spirit Paul described in Galatians 5:22-23. The writer of the Book of Hebrews captured this same thought when he wrote, “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:2a). When we stay completely focused on Jesus, everything will fall into its proper place.

One of the issues facing Christianity in 21^st Century America is the notion that the Christian faith is something we can add on to our existing life, fitting it in where we can without too much inconvenience. Paul completely dispels that notion in verse four: “Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.”

Paul makes clear that the claim Jesus has on his followers is total. When we take seriously the self-sacrificing way of life that Jesus sets before us, we may seek comfort in Brennan Manning’s assertion that “God loves us unconditionally, just as we are; not as we should be. Because no one is as they should be.” (All is Grace by Brennan Manning) Yes and Amen.

My Takeaway: However, we never want to lose sight of God’s goal for us, because God never, ever does: “Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.”

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.)

Thursday, February 15, 2024

The Angels Come

Meditations for Ragamuffins

February 15, 2024

The Angels Come

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Philippians 1: 27a

Read: Philippians 1: 27-30

A few years ago, a photo of professional golfer Webb Simpson and his wife was posted on social media after Simpson won a golf tournament. Both Simpson and his wife are known for their Christian faith. Below the post were several comments. Some of the comments were positive, many were like “cat-calls” directed toward Simpson’s wife and a few of the comments were demeaning Simpson’s faith. Such is our world culture. In the last paragraph of Philippians 1, Paul lifts the importance of the followers of Christ maintaining their Christian integrity in the face of such hostility.

The culture in the USA is becoming increasingly hostile to the Christian movement. The followers of Jesus had a profound influence on both the initial settlements in America and the eventual founding of the US. That influence shaped the prevailing culture in the US until the post-Civil War era. Since then, the prevailing culture has been increasingly anti-Christian. Paul’s words to his friends in Philippi are certainly apt for our times as well: “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him” (Philippians 1:29).

My Takeaway: After Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness and being tempted by the devil, Matthew tells us, “Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him” (Matthew 4:11). We too, when suffering for Christ, can expect God’s angels to attend to us. There are other times when our suffering is the result of illness, or perhaps our own wrongdoing. Then too, we experience the gracious comfort of God. (See 2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

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.)

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Our Cry of Repentance

Meditations for Ragamuffins

Ash Wednesday

February 14, 2024

Our Cry of Repentance

Psalm 51:7- 10 - Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Today is Ash Wednesday and is the beginning of the season of Lent. Lent is a 40-day season (not counting Sundays) before Easter marked by repentance, fasting, reflection, and ultimately celebration. The 40-day period represents Christ’s time of temptation in the wilderness, where he fasted and where Satan tempted him. The season of Lent calls us to set aside time for fasting and prayer to focus on Christ’s life, ministry, sacrifice, and resurrection.

Lent has been observed since apostolic times, though the practice was not formalized until the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. By the end of the fourth century, the 40-day period of Easter preparation known as Lent existed, and prayer and fasting constituted its primary spiritual exercises. I invite you to pray with me:

A Prayer for Lent

Heavenly Father, have mercy on us. We have fallen short of your glory and without your mercy and grace, we have no hope. Help us, by your Holy Spirit, to receive your conviction of our sin, and lead us to truly repent for our sin. As we journey through this Lenten season, we thank you for the words of Jesus, “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Father, many of us will receive the mark of ashes today. Thank you that these ashes do not symbolize our ultimate reality. From dust, we were formed, but our bodies, our spirits, ourselves, await beautiful redemption and Your restoration of all things. Help us to long for the return of Jesus in final victory. Marantha, come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen. (1 Corinthians 16:22)

My Takeaway: The night is dark, but there is a Light which has overcome the darkness. He is the Light of the World - he will illuminate your pathway. Place your trust in him.

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.)

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

A Room Prepared for Us

Meditations for Ragamuffins

February 13, 2024

A Room Prepared for Us

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Philippians 1:21

Read: Philippians 1: 18b-26

The Christian poet John Donne wrote that every man’s death diminished him, because he was involved with mankind. Therefore, he wrote, “send not for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.” (John Donne, Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, Meditation XVII.) In that simple phrase, Donne captures the heart of Christian community, the essence of heaven, and the highest quality in the Kingdom of God. Donne is pointing to a respect, even a reverence, for human life. This quality was sorely missing in the Roman Empire.

In Philippians 1:19-26, and in Chapter 3, Paul lays the foundation for the Christian’s understanding of life after death. Here Paul makes it abundantly clear that he does not fear death, because he knows his mortal death will transport him into the presence of Jesus. By no means is Paul cavalier about death. In places like 2 Corinthians 1: 8-11, Paul expounds on the threat of death he often faced. However, he always rested in his faith that Christ ‘loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Paul knew the Romans, with their lack of respect for human life, could easily execute him as a troublemaker. He wasn’t volunteering to go to the gallows. He was affirming that as much as he wanted to live, and proclaim the Good News, and teach his disciples, he also knew that when his work was completed, Jesus would be waiting to greet him.

This abiding faith empowered Paul to remain firm in the face of persecution. He concludes this passage with a call to the church to remain steadfast in unity, and to not be intimidated by those who oppose the Kingdom of God.

My Takeaway: I have made several visits to Hospice Houses to pray with friends and parishioners dying of cancer. In each prayer, my mind is steadfast on the promise of Jesus: “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:2) I believe it was this promise that inspired Paul to finish well.

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.)

Monday, February 12, 2024

Because Of This I Rejoice

Meditations for Ragamuffins

February 12, 2024

Because Of This I Rejoice

The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Philippians 1:18b

Read: Philippians 1: 12-18a

Whenever we are facing trying circumstances we can pray, “God, please show me your perspective in this situation.” When God reveals His perspective, it will always be consistent with His redemptive purposes for humankind. The Apostle Paul beautifully modeled this truth throughout his life. Paul teaches us that we can give thanks to God in all circumstances because we know “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28). Our passage for today is evidence of this truth.

Paul’s attitude about being in jail affirms the words of Joseph to his brothers in Egypt after their father died: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20). Paul’s jail cell became his pulpit. Paul’s congregation in jail included the whole palace guard as well as the other prisoners, and many of them came to faith in Christ. This was just part of the good God caused to come out of Paul’s circumstances. When others within the church heard how the prisoners and guards were being ministered to by Paul, they were encouraged and inspired to boldly proclaim the Gospel without fear. (Philippians 1:14) And then there were the pagans.

Paul wrote this Epistle to the church in Philippi to thank them for providing his sustenance while he was in jail in Ephesus. The local gossip was full of news about this itinerate preacher who had been jailed for claiming a dead Jew had been brought back to life by Almighty God and was now the reigning King of all the earth. Even though these gossip mongers were not followers of Jesus, Paul said the message about Christ was being proclaimed, so he could rejoice. (Philippians 1:18) What the ruling authorities intended for evil; God was using for good.

My Takeaway: From beginning to end, the Bible shows that God’s redemptive purposes cannot be denied. Because nothing is impossible for God, I would do well to be more proactive is seeking God’s perspective on all the circumstances I encounter. How about you?

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.)

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