Seeking the Life in Christ

Thursday, November 12, 2026

God’s Smile of Affection for You

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

November 12, 2026

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

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.

Wednesday, November 11, 2026

Christian Community

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

November 11, 2026

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). Paul’s sorrow was that he was hindered from proclaiming the Gospel, and he was separated from the people of the church. 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

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, November 10, 2026

Serving Christ Jesus, The King

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

November 10, 2026

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

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, November 9, 2026

You Are the Light of the World

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

November 9, 2026

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 (NLT)

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 about 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

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, November 6, 2026

Your Life in Christ Jesus

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

November 6, 2026

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)

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

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, November 5, 2026

Looking to the Interests of Others

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

November 5, 2026

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 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

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, November 4, 2026

The Angels Come

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

November 4, 2026

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 “catcalls” 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 stresses the importance for the followers of Christ to maintain 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 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

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, November 3, 2026

A Room Prepared for Us

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

November 3, 2026

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 remember making several visits to the Hospice House to pray with a dear friend dying of cancer. In each prayer with my friend, my mind was 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

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, November 2, 2026

Because Of This I Rejoice

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

November 2, 2026

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. (Philippians 1:13) 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 in seeking God’s perspective on all the circumstances I encounter. How about you?

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 30, 2026

Finishing Well

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

October 30, 2026

Finishing Well

“. . . that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:6

As I seek to make the Life in Christ my way of Life, I will be writing these mediations over the next several weeks as I read the book of Philippians. One of my favorite verses in this epistle is Philippians 2:13 where Paul affirms that God is at work in me. (And you!) That verse is made even more powerful for me by verse six in today’s reading:

“God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

Finishing what he started was very important for the apostle Paul as he affirmed in 2 Timothy 4:7, where he wrote, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” We live in an era where going the distance is not the norm. There was a time when professional athletes were expected to finish the race, but no more. We have relief pitchers in baseball, and all manner of specialists in football and other team sports, making it unnecessary for many athletes to go the distance to finish the race.

Of course, life doesn't work that way. Our goal for life is not about how we start; it’s about finishing well. I know we all have experienced things in our lives that we did not finish. However, that wasn’t our goal when we began. Our goal was to finish what we started.

In the Gospel of Mark, the young man at the tomb instructed the women to go and tell Peter that Jesus would be waiting for him in Galilee. (Mark 16:7) Why? Because God wasn’t through with Peter. God isn’t through with me either, or you!

My Takeaway: I am both comforted and cautioned by today’s text. Comforted to know God is continuing to form Christ in me until He completes His work. Cautioned to stay alert to God’s work within me. Frequently, each day, I want to ask, “How am I experiencing God at work in me?”

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 29, 2026

Your Own Divine Revelation

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

October 29, 2026

Your Own Divine Revelation

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Matthew 16:15

When Jesus was in Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” The town had a Roman name because it had a temple built to the Roman god, the Emperor. Jesus asked that question as he was surrounded by idols to the Roman gods. Jesus’ question and Peter’s answer are meaningful to the followers of Jesus today from two perspectives.

First, our relationship with God is inherently personal. Each of us has the responsibility of responding to the message of Christ and committing our lives to him fully and without reservation. No other person can make this decision for us. In making our decision, we ultimately are responsible for responding to Jesus’ question, “But who do you say I am?” I have been blessed to have studied under great teachers and pastors. I’ve had good friends to encourage me along my journey. Even so, Jesus doesn’t ask me who Brennan Manning or Fred Craddock says that he is; he asks me, “Who do you say I am?”

Jesus’ question is almost a Catch-22, since the question is beyond any human’s capacity to correctly answer. As soon as “Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” Jesus made it clear that Peter’s response was one of divine revelation: “Jesus came back, “God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn’t get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am” (Matthew 16: 17 MSG).

As we journey through life, seeking to make the life in Christ our way of life, we can rest in the sure knowledge that God will take all the bits and pieces of information we have received about Jesus, and transform them into a divine revelation for us. Just as God authored Peter’s confession, so also will God reveal to us the rock of our salvation: Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God.

My Takeaway: Six verses after Peter affirmed Jesus as The Messiah, Peter began reprimanding Jesus for predicting His coming death. Remember our quest to guard against satisfaction and complacency? We must focus on this quest, 24/7, lest we too hear Jesus say to us: “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” (Matthew 16:23)

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 28, 2026

Satisfaction And Complacency Should Be Guarded Against At All Costs

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

October 28, 2026

Satisfaction And Complacency

Should Be Guarded Against

At All Costs

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,

but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:7

Corporate trainers like to talk about Critical Success Factors. They will often show the WWII movie, Midway, to illustrate their point. In the movie, the Japanese Navy launched reconnaissance airplanes to search for the American Navy Aircraft Carriers. The reconnaissance mission was successful in locating the US forces, but when the aircrew tried to radio their location, they found their radio wasn’t working. Their radio was one of the critical success factors, and they had failed to check it before leaving on their mission.

In our desire to remain securely centered in God’s grace, we need to be aware of the critical success factors in our individual lives. Sometimes this is referred to as besetting sin, or the place where we are most vulnerable to drifting into a legalistic or moralistic mindset. This is where the Ancient Greek precept, know thyself, becomes essential as we seek the life in Christ as our way of life. As we learn about ourselves, we can discern what aspects of our personality are most susceptible to being tempted to turn from the matchless grace of our Abba Father and seek to meet our needs for love, acceptance and self-worth through our own self-efforts.

Peter Kassig was murdered by ISIS on November 16, 2014. Peter wrote an email to his family and friends while he was in captivity. One of those excerpts has been particularly haunting to me: “It is okay to be happy and content, but satisfaction and complacency should be guarded against at all costs.” (Email to professors and mentors, March 2012)

I am involved in several community and church-related activities. However, I find that it is easy for me to drift into a state of satisfaction and complacency, thinking that enjoying the bliss of my retirement years should be my primary goal in life. I know that I need to guard against complacency lest I miss God calling me into new adventures.

My Takeaway: I find this prayer helpful in guarding against satisfaction and complacency:

"Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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.)

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

If God Stopped Thinking of Me, God Would Cease to Exis

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

October 27, 2026

If God Stopped Thinking of Me,

God Would Cease to Exist

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.

You believe in God; believe also in me.”

John 14:1

Sometimes our adversary, the enemy of God, confuses us into thinking Christian faith is about believing in certain doctrines such as incarnation, salvation, atonement and redemption. Those doctrines can be quite helpful to grasp the immense love that is God, but they are not the essence of biblical faith. Biblical faith is all about trusting God. Our Abba’s will for us is for us to respond to His unconditional love for us by unconditionally trusting Him. The foundation for such trust lies in our awareness of this truth spoken by the Seventeenth Century priest and mystic, Angelus Silesius, “If God stopped thinking of me, he would cease to exist.” I believe those words were true for Silesius, they are true for me, and they are true for you! When you trust your Abba Father, who is always thinking of you, the following statement is also true.

Because of Christ's redemption, you are a new creation of infinite worth. You are deeply loved, you are completely forgiven, you are fully pleasing to your Abba, and you are totally accepted by Him. You are absolutely complete in Christ. When your performance reflects your core identity in Christ, that reflection is dynamically unique. There has never been another person like you in the history of humankind, nor will there ever be. God has made you an original, one of a kind, a special person.

Wait! There’s more.

Because Christ is your life, God, your Abba Father, declares that you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Abba further attests that this righteousness, since it was given to you as a gift, is not based on your behavior. You are not his righteousness or new creation because of what you did, or what you are doing, or what you have refrained from doing. Rather, it is because of what Abba has done in uniting you to Christ in death, burial, resurrection, and enthronement.

My Takeaway: Go and trust in who you are in the eyes of your Abba Father.

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, November 12, 2026

God’s Smile of Affection for You

Wednesday, November 11, 2026

Christian Community

Tuesday, November 10, 2026

Serving Christ Jesus, The King

Monday, November 9, 2026

You Are the Light of the World

Friday, November 6, 2026

Your Life in Christ Jesus

Thursday, November 5, 2026

Looking to the Interests of Others

Wednesday, November 4, 2026

The Angels Come

Tuesday, November 3, 2026

A Room Prepared for Us

Monday, November 2, 2026

Because Of This I Rejoice

Friday, October 30, 2026

Finishing Well

Thursday, October 29, 2026

Your Own Divine Revelation

Wednesday, October 28, 2026

Satisfaction And Complacency Should Be Guarded Against At All Costs

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

If God Stopped Thinking of Me, God Would Cease to Exis

Seeking the Life in Christ

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