Seeking the Life in Christ: 2026

Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Blessed Are the Pure in Heart

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

October 13, 2026

Blessed Are the Pure in Heart

“Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.”

Matthew 5:8

Jesus again turned to the psalms for his inspiration in the Beatitude, Blessed Are the Pure in Heart: “Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob.” (Psalm 24:3-6).

This Beatitude prompts us to consider our attitude about worship and to ponder just how pure are our hearts. First, what does worship mean to you? Generally, people tend to think of worship as an expression of adoration, praise and love to God. Certainly such expressions are included within worship, but does that understanding truly get to the heart of worship? Perhaps we should first ask, why do we worship, what is the purpose, or goal, of worship?

Biblical worship, especially the worship described in the Book of Psalms, has but one purpose: to enter into the presence of God. When we experience the presence of God, our lives are healed and made whole, and we experience the transformation the Apostle Paul described in 2 Corinthians 3:18: “Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so, we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him” (The Message). When the Bible describes worship, the people are bowing down; they are kneeling, in reverence and submission to God (See Psalm 95:6-7). To our great shame, the church is very casual and hardly submissive when gathering for Sunday morning worship services. Take a few minutes and ponder what it would be like if the church came together, and with hearts united with a longing to be in the presence of God, submitted to God’s righteous reign in our lives.

Secondly, take time to ponder and pray Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” We pray and ask God to change our heart because only God can give us a new heart. I love the way Bernard of Clairvaux put it, “So far from being able to answer for my sins, I cannot even answer for my righteousness!” The only answer for my sins is God’s forgiveness; the only answer for how to live my life is God’s gift of His righteousness.

My Takeaway: Jesus promises us that as we put our whole trust in him, as we allow God to transform our lives so that the things we desire, the things we do, are reflections of God’s heart for humankind, as we allow God to make our hearts pure, we will see God.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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.

Monday, October 12, 2026

Blessed Are the Merciful

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

October 12, 2026

Blessed Are the Merciful

“Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.”

Matthew 5:7

In the Beatitudes, Jesus is taking us to the place where His life becomes visible in our mortal flesh. (2 Cor. 4:10) When Jesus says God blesses the merciful, this takes us to a deeper understanding of forgiveness. There are three levels at which we can understand Christian forgiveness.

Terry Anderson, the American journalist who was captured in Lebanon in 1985 and held hostage by Hezbollah militants until 1991, models the first level of forgiveness. In an interview after his release from captivity, he was asked whether he could ever forgive his captors. He responded, “I’m a Christian, it’s required of me that I forgive, no matter how hard it may be.” (Time, December 16, 1991) Anderson’s statement seems to echo the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians: “Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13b NLT). Anderson believed he had to forgive because the Lord commanded it. This is the first level of forgiveness.

However, Jesus wants us to go deeper. As we mature in Christ, we will understand that it is in our best interest to forgive. We realize our Heavenly Father really does know best. We come to understand why mercy is an essential part of God’s triad of purpose for us: “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). We learn that in the absence of forgiveness all that is left are bitterness, anger and revenge. We learn that when we practice forgiveness, when we extend mercy, our lives physically, emotionally and spiritually are enhanced. It is in our best interest to forgive, so we think of forgiveness not as something we have to do, but as something we get to do. This is the second level of forgiveness.

An interesting dynamic of the life in Christ is that the closer we get to Christ, the more we become aware of our sin. Before we became a follower of Christ, we took no notice of even the most egregious sins. The more we are persuaded that the Father of our Lord is quite fond of us, the more we realize the furious longing of Abba for us, the more aware we are of even the slightest, unintentional sin. At the thought of Jesus’ continued love and forgiveness of us, we respond much like the beautiful woman at Simon the Pharisee’s house, “As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.” (Luke 7:38). Thus, we find ourselves in the third level of forgiveness. We become like God and extend mercy because we want to.

My Takeaway: In this third level of forgiveness, we are delighted with what God is doing in our life and the desire of our heart is to share it with others. The promise of God in 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 becomes our reality.

“Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.” (The Message)

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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, October 9, 2026

Blessed Are Those Who Hunger for Righteousness

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

October 9, 2026

Blessed Are Those Who Hunger for Righteousness

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be filled.”

Matthew 5:6

There are again echoes of Psalm 37 in this Beatitude, as well as David’s Psalm 17. David was in a right relationship with God because God called and anointed David to be King over Israel. God made David righteous: that is, in a right relationship with God.

It has been my experience that Christians fall into three basic groups about their understanding of righteousness. The first two groups constitute most all Christians. One group hasn’t yet grasped the concept of a relationship with God and thus is more focused on trying to be ‘good enough’ to please God, rather than resting in Abba’s acceptance of them. The second group just assumes righteousness comes with being saved, and they don’t spend much time thinking about righteousness, much less hungering and thirsting for righteousness. The third group is those who accept Jesus’ promise that they will be satisfied. Both Saint Paul and King David exemplify those in this third group.

In Psalm 4, we see an expression of David’s trust in God. David is not in denial; he knows he has adversaries and that his adversaries are enemies of God. However, David fully expects that God will vindicate him. He trusts God to be both the judge and the executor of divine judgment. This is the same trust the Apostle Paul proclaimed when he wrote, “for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return” (2 Timothy 1:12 NLT). Why did both David and Paul exhibit this level of trust? Because they worshipped the God of (their) righteousness!

When Jesus speaks of righteousness in this Beatitude, he is not talking about the righteousness of the world that can be earned through good works. He is saying we are called to a different kind of righteousness. This is the righteousness that comes through faith in the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us. In this righteousness, the life of Jesus becomes visible in our life as we live in a way that expresses the merciful, forgiving, reconciling will of God.

My Takeaway: Jesus is blessing those who hunger, who long, and who thirst from the depths of their souls to be made right with the God of all creation. Because of the immeasurable love of Jesus, I am now and forever more in a right relationship with God: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Therefore, I can rejoice with the psalmist in saying:

“As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;

when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.” (Psalm 17:15).

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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, October 8, 2026

Blessed Are the Meek

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

October 8, 2026

Blessed Are the Meek

“Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the earth.”

Matthew 5:5

We know from the Gospels that the Psalms had a great influence on Jesus as he quoted them often. While he does not quote a particular psalm in the Beatitudes, the influence is clear. His pronouncement, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” is an affirmation of the old and very wise teacher who crafted Psalm 37. The essential message of the psalm is in verses 5-6:

“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.”

Jesus’ reference to the meek is for those who surrender control of their lives to God. The meek are those who are willing to be an instrument of grace used by God. This is a very profound, yet simple way to pattern your life. First, you commit your life to God. Second, you exercise faith in God by trusting Him with your life. Third, God will act.

This pattern is simple in form, but very difficult to implement in our lives. We live in a culture that values strength, independence, and self-reliance; meekness and humility, not so much. Like Jesus’ first disciples, we would rather have a vision of a great army waiting for their King to lead them into battle. However, instead of a mighty King dressed in battle armor and riding a big horse, a humble shepherd walks to the head of the army. No armor. No weapon. And he expects his army to dismount, remove their armor, drop their weapons and follow him. I find my willingness to drop my armor and follow my humble Master increases the more I keep my eye on the prize. (We do keep the Armor of God. See Ephesians 6:10-17)

The psalmist is not very specific about how God will act, but the description is rather breathtaking;

“. . . your vindication like the noonday sun.”

The psalmist is trying to describe the wonder, beauty and awe associated with being in the presence of God. The reward for faithfulness to God is being in perfect peace as you rest in the presence of your Heavenly Father. Seven times the psalmist refers to the blessing of God as, “The godly will possess the land and will live there forever” (Psalm 37:29). This means the reward is eternal. This is what it means to “inherit the earth.”

My Takeaway: Our culture bombards us with messages that rewards and blessings must be tangible and received in the here and now.

But God’s blessings are His presence with us, now and forever.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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, October 7, 2026

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

October 7, 2026

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

“God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

Matthew 5:4

“God blesses those who mourn” is often quoted at funerals or when someone is going through a time of personal suffering or grief. As I noted in the preceding Beatitude, while God certainly cares deeply for all people, including those who are suffering and grieving, Jesus has in mind here those who mourn over their sins and the sins of the world.

One way to think about the core values of the life in Christ is to remember the three essential H’s:

hunger for God, heart for people, and hatred of sin.

Those who are blessed as spiritual beggars in the first Beatitude are spiritually poor because they have a hunger for God. Those who mourn in this Beatitude grieve for the way their sins have hurt God and diminished their own life. As a Christian, my life belongs to God; by creation and redemption I belong to God. My sins not only cause pain and suffering in my own life, but they are also an affront to God and to Christ Jesus, “who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20b). Jesus is pronouncing a blessing on those who are brokenhearted over the way they have allowed sin to diminish their humanity. Jesus is pronouncing a blessing on those who grieve over how their sins have insulted the character and integrity of their Abba.

These who mourn also have a heart for people and are grieving over the situation in our world. God created us to be in community, and across the world we have countless millions of neighbors who are in dire straits. Famine, oppression, poverty, war and evil of all kinds is devastating God’s world and His children who have been created in His image. The people of God mourn over the way sin has disfigured God’s creation. Those who mourn are taking up the lament of the psalmist David in Psalm 13: “How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? (Psalm 13:2 NLT).

There is no easy answer to this question; but as David noted in this psalm, the wait is not without purpose and great blessings. As David turned to God, he found God turning to him. (See also James 4:8) God restored the sparkle to David’s eyes and David sang praises to God. When our soul cries out to God, "How long,” David inspires us to turn to God and remember “God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

My Takeaway: This is the comfort received by those who mourn their sins: “So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God” (Romans 5:11 NLT).

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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, October 6, 2026

Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

October 6, 2026

Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 5:3

The Beatitudes in Matthew 5 are Jesus’ description of the life in Christ. These pronouncements by Jesus reveal the character traits of the citizens of the Kingdom of God. Each of the Beatitudes begins with the statement, “Blessed are” which can also be translated, “Happy are” or “Joyful are.” Six of the Beatitudes promise a future reward while two, “Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit” (v. 3) and “Blessed are the Persecuted” (v.10) promise a present-tense blessing.

“God blesses those who are poor” is sometimes understood as God’s concern for the economic poor. While God certainly cares deeply for all people, including the poor and the widows and orphans, Jesus has in mind here the poor in spirit. Tom Long calls Jesus’ intended audience “spiritual beggars,” and I think that is entirely appropriate (Matthew, Thomas G. Long, (Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville 1997) page 48). When we are spiritual beggars, we recognize we need help; we recognize we can’t save ourselves, no matter what we do. All we can do is plead for mercy. Jesus says this is the key to our right-standing relationship with God.

Speaking to the spiritual beggars, Jesus says the Kingdom of God is theirs. Now. This instant. No wonder these spiritual beggars are blessed, joyful and happy. Noted theologian and scholar Bishop N.T. Wright says that the heart of the gospel is the fact that “what is true for the Messiah is true of his people. Wright explains this truth this way:

“the Messiah died, so his people die in him, sharing his suffering; the Messiah rose again, so his people rise again in him, knowing the power of the resurrection to comfort and heal, already in present time, and cherishing the hope that one day they will be given new, resurrection bodies like the one the Messiah himself has now” (Tom Wright, Paul for Everyone 2 Corinthians (London, SPCK) p.4).

Spiritual beggars are given the same right standing with God as that which Jesus enjoys. Now. This instant. Again, no wonder these spiritual beggars are blessed, joyful and happy.

My Takeaway: Jesus’ people do not have some Pollyanna, head-in-the clouds, blind faith. Jesus’ people are most assuredly aware of the state of this world. We see the same abuses, oppression, war, sickness, droughts and famines as the rest of the world, but we also are convinced of the coming Kingdom of God when God will make all things right. This faith in the return of Christ brings a present experience of God “our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:3b-4 NLT).

Hallelujah and amen!

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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, October 5, 2026

Our Father

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

October 5, 2026

Our Father

Into your hand I commit my spirit;

you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

Psalm 31:5 NRSV

Sometimes, when Jesus quoted scripture, he added his own interpretation. We see this in Psalm 8:2, “From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength.” At Matthew 21:16, Jesus quotes this verse saying, “Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’”

Jesus also added his interpretation to Psalm 31. Verse five states, “Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.” In Jesus’ final cry from the Cross, he quotes this verse as, “‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.’ The expression, O LORD was a formal, very reverent, rendering of the name of God. On the Cross, Jesus changed this expression to, Father, and expressed the intimacy of parent and child.

Throughout Psalm 31, David is expressing his trust in God as he moves immediately from petition to affirmation: “Be my rock of protection, a fortress where I will be safe. You are my rock and my fortress. For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger” (Psalm 31:2b-3 NLT). David’s foundation for trust is not in his own worthiness to receive God’s care; rather, his foundation is the grace of God.

Repeatedly, David communicates the wonders of trusting in God’s care:

· “But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, “You are my God!”

· My future is in your hands.

· How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection.

· Praise the Lord, for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love. He kept me safe.

· Love the Lord, all you godly ones! For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him.

· So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!” (Psalm 31:14, 15a,19, 21, 23, 24 NLT).

My Takeaway: Jesus takes all these gracious expressions for the love and care of God and teaches us to come before God’s throne, as his children, praying,

“Our Father, who art in heaven . . .”

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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, October 2, 2026

Joy Comes with the Morning

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

October 2, 2026

Joy Comes with the Morning

“weeping may stay for the night,

but rejoicing comes in the morning.”

Psalm 30:5

The instructions for Psalm 30 refer to the dedication of the Temple. From about 160 B.C., the Jews included this Psalm in their celebration of Hanukkah. Judas Maccabaeus led Israel against a foreign army that had invaded Israel and defeated them. Maccabaeus led the people to purify the Temple and to hold a festival every year to commemorate the rededication of the Temple. This festival, Hanukkah, which means dedication, is held at a time on the Jewish calendar that is close to our December 25 date.

When David wrote this psalm, he was remembering all the suffering and the feelings of abandonment he experienced during the period King Saul was pursuing him across all of Israel. The people of Israel had very similar feelings under the oppression of the foreign invaders, so this psalm was an appropriate expression of their joy when the yoke of the oppressors was broken.

The author of the New Testament letter, Hebrews, calls us to look “unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2 KJV). When I read that verse, I recall the encouraging prose of Psalm 30:5, “Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” (NLT)

My Takeaway: David, in Psalm 30, gives us the same encouragement as the writer of Hebrews. In times of sickness or distress, we are encouraged to keep our eyes on Jesus. When we do, we can sing with the psalmist,

You turned my wailing into dancing;

you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.

LORD my God, I will praise you forever.

Psalm 30:11-12

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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, October 1, 2026

For With the Lord There Is Unfailing Love

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

October 1, 2026

For With the Lord There Is Unfailing Love

Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.

Proverbs 13:12

People often talk about being “burned-out.” It has become a bit of a cliché and almost trite to say it. However, burn-out is one of the most tragic, and at times deadliest, fruits of our society. Burn-out is more than being tired and needing a vacation, or a change of pace. Burn-out occurs when you realize that what you had hoped for in life is not going to be realized. Have you ever been to see Greyhound racing or their commercials on TV? A fake rabbit is attached to the rail of the track and always travels at a faster pace than the dogs can run. Some of the dogs eventually realize they will never catch the rabbit and just give up; they stop racing. That’s burn-out. King Solomon’s greatest understatement is “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” Hope deferred, hope lost, can kill. A person experiencing burn-out may not be dead, but their life feels dead to them.

Some people may seem to have great inward strength, great tenacity, as they seem to play the games of life endlessly. On the outside, it may appear they are juggling all the balls of life well and keeping them all in the air. The reality is an inward weariness and boredom as their life feels like drudgery. Our innate appetite for being loved, accepted and valued is insatiable. It never, ever goes away. Even when people become aware, like the Greyhound, that they are not going to catch the rabbit, the aching hunger to be loved, accepted and valued remains.

My Takeaway: There is but one, and only one cure for a heart sick because of deferred hope: Jesus.

“hope in the Lord,

for with the Lord is unfailing love

and with him is full redemption.”

Psalm 130:7

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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, September 30, 2026

The Sufficiency of Grace

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

September 30, 2026

The Sufficiency of Grace

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.

Romans 5:1-2a

When the Apostle Paul took his issue with a thorn in his flesh to God, the answer he received was, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9). While Saint Paul was writing about his particular concern at that time, he would be quick to add that God’s response to all of the issues we face in life is always, “My grace is sufficient for you.” That response leads us to ask ourselves whether God’s grace is enough for us.

Certainly, we believe in the sufficiency of God’s grace to make us right in God’s sight. We know that God saved us by his grace when we believed. And we can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God, so none of us can boast about having been made right in God’s sight. Where we question the sufficiency of God’s grace is in the everyday ebb and flow of our lives.

We share our core needs with every other human being: the need to be loved, to be accepted and to have a sense of self-worth. How do we meet our needs? The culture around us meets these needs by playing the games of life. Using manipulation, intimidation, or whatever ego strengths they have, people play the money game, the security game, the gender game, the power game, the knowledge game, the expert game, whatever games they can master to satisfy their longings to be loved, to be accepted and for self-worth.

Over and against this backdrop, we hear our Abba Father gently whisper in our soul, “My grace is sufficient for you.” Do we believe our Abba? Do we believe enough to drop out of all the games people play?

My Takeaway: When we exit the playing fields and begin to trust in the sufficiency of God’s grace to meet our needs for love, acceptance and self-worth, we will soon realize that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8: 38-39).

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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, September 29, 2026

Do You Love Me?

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

September 29, 2026

Do You Love Me?

The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

John 21:17a

The exchange between Jesus and Peter in John 21 is so very compelling. Throughout the conversation, Jesus refers to Peter by his formal name, Simon son of John, even though Jesus had changed his name to Peter. (See Matthew 16) Interestingly, the Gospel writer used the name, Peter, throughout this conversation, even though Jesus consistently called him Simon son of John. Jesus’ formality with Peter may have had to do with Jesus using this conversation to redeem Peter from his failure when he denied he even knew Jesus. Or perhaps Jesus was so formal because he was formulating the most critical question Peter, or any follower of Jesus, will ever face: “Do you love me?”

I have three thoughts to keep in mind as we consider our own response to Jesus. First, Peter was uncompromisingly honest with Jesus. When Jesus said love, he used the word agape, which is the same word for love used in John 3:16 and when Jesus gave us the Greatest Commandment (Matthew 22:38). In Peter’s response to Jesus, he used the word, philo, which is saying, “Yes Lord, I really like you a lot.” As we consider our response to Jesus’ question, let us be as honest as Peter, and remember 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)

Secondly, after each of Peter’s responses to Jesus’ three questions, Jesus gave Peter an assignment: “Jesus said, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17c). God accepts us just where we are: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,” (Matthew 12:20a). Jesus has work for us to do, just where we are, as we become co-laborers with him, building for the Kingdom of God.

Lastly, the words of Mordecai’s rhetorical question to Queen Esther are relevant to every Christian today: “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14b). God has redeemed you, and calls you His own, for just such a time as this! Your family and your neighbors, your co-workers, as well as all the people throughout your environment, are depending on you to respond to Jesus’ question: “Do you love me?”

My Takeaway: As you respond, “Yes Lord, I ______ you,” listen for the Lord to reply,

“Accept each moment as it comes to you, with faith and trust that all that happens has my mark on it. So seek me not in far-off places. I am close at hand. Your workbench, office, kitchen, these are altars where you offer love. And I am with you there. Go now! Take up your cross and with your life complete your way.”

(Adapted from, Everyman’s Way to the Cross)

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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, September 28, 2026

Abba’s Child

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

September 28, 2026

Abba’s Child

You received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.

Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

Romans 8:15b

While the 23^rd Psalm is quite helpful in grounding the children of God in the intimacy our Heavenly Father desires with us, the most compelling depiction of our intimacy with the Father is the Apostle Paul’s assertion in his letter to the Romans:

“You received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.

Now we call him, “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15b).

Let’s put this assertion into its basic context.

The average child begins to formulate words at about eighteen months of age. Imagine such a child sitting in his father’s lap and saying, “Da, da, dad, daddy.” If the child were Jewish his words would be, “Ab, Ab, Abba, Abba.” The Apostle Paul is telling us that we can express intimate love to the Creator of the Universe by calling Him, Abba, Father. This assertion helps us grasp Jesus’ meaning when he said, “For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children” (Matthew 19:14b. See also Matthew 18:3).

Throughout the Bible, as men and women encountered the presence of God, or even one of His angels, they responded with fear and foreboding. That is certainly understandable considering that man’s ability to split the atom and unleash nuclear bombs pales in comparison to the power of God who looked at a world that did not exist and spoke it into being by the power of His Word. Humanity’s loftiest achievements in the arts are incomparable to the beauty of God’s holiness. Even the splendor of nature, the majestic mountains and natural wonders, are mere shadows of the beauty and splendor that is our God. Yet, we get to know this awesome God as our Abba!

My Takeaway: If you are not yet at the place where your default position, your go-to mode is to know and relate to God as your Abba Father, what might you begin to do, or stop doing to help open your soul to an intimate, loving relationship with Abba?

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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, October 13, 2026

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Monday, October 12, 2026

Blessed Are the Merciful

Friday, October 9, 2026

Blessed Are Those Who Hunger for Righteousness

Thursday, October 8, 2026

Blessed Are the Meek

Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

Tuesday, October 6, 2026

Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit

Monday, October 5, 2026

Our Father

Friday, October 2, 2026

Joy Comes with the Morning

Thursday, October 1, 2026

For With the Lord There Is Unfailing Love

Wednesday, September 30, 2026

The Sufficiency of Grace

Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Do You Love Me?

Monday, September 28, 2026

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