Forget the U-Haul

Meditations on Christ in the Psalms

September 9, 2022

Forget the U-Haul

But as for me, God will redeem my life.

    He will snatch me from the power of the grave. Selah

Psalm 49:15

You have never seen a U-Haul attached to a hearse, because, as the psalmist says, when we die, we take none of our earthly wealth with us. But those who die in Christ have all that truly matters with them: eternal life. For many people, all that this mortal life offers is sufficient. These people strive to make the most of this life, because they believe there is nothing beyond the grave. Some Christians try to convince them otherwise, by scaring them with visions of eternal punishment awaiting them for their failure to serve God in their mortal life. When I read the Gospels, I don’t find Jesus scaring people into heaven. I find Jesus offering a never-ending love that surrounds a person in this life and in a new eternal life.

I have been with many people at their time of death, and I have found there is a discernible difference between those who are resting in their faith and those who have no faith in God. Jesus Christ has conquered death and has promised his followers that, “When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:3). This truth enables us to lift our voices with glad hearts and sing along with Bill and Gloria Gaither, 

Because he lives,
I can face tomorrow;
because he lives,
all fear is gone;

because I know
he holds the future,
and life is worth the living
just because he lives. 

My Takeaway: I am not at a place where I can honestly say, “all fear is gone.” However, the psalmist presents one truth that truly helps me manage my fears:

But as for me, God will redeem my life.

    He will snatch me from the power of the grave. Selah

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.)

 

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.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

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.

The City of God

Meditations on Christ in the Psalms 

September 8, 2022

The City of God

 

How great is the Lord,

how deserving of praise,

in the city of our God,

which sits on his holy mountain!

Psalm 48:1

As I read Psalm 48, I remember my visit to the Western Wall, the Wailing Wall, in Jerusalem. It was a Sabbath evening and the wall glistened like a pearl; she was exceedingly beautiful. Even today, after Jerusalem has been destroyed, rebuilt, destroyed to be rebuilt again and again, she is beautiful as the City of God.

For the followers of Christ, the City of God is the church: “You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.”

(Ephesians 2:19b-22)

The church is not a denomination, and it is not a building. The church, the bride of Christ, is the people of God when they assemble and ask God to: “Transfigure us to be your presence in the world, even as we are redeemed and reclaimed by your great love. By your Spirit, make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at the heavenly banquet.”

On our visit to Jerusalem, we gathered on the steps leading to the Temple. We could imagine Jesus teaching his disciples as he sat with them on these same steps. We could imagine the people of God gathering in the Temple as we read Psalm 122, “Let us go to the House of the Lord.” Today, as I read Psalm 48, I envision the time when all of God’s people will gather together in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21: 9-11) to sing praises to our redeeming God.

My Takeaway: Today, my prayer is a paraphrase of verses 9 and 14. Perhaps you will join me in this prayer. “O God, I meditate on your unfailing love as I worship in your Temple. You are my God forever and ever, and you will guide me until I die.” 

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.)

 

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.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

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.

Sing Praises To God

Meditations on Christ in the Psalms

September 7, 2022

Sing Praises To God

 

Sing praises to God, sing praises;

sing praises to our King, sing praises!

For God is the King over all the earth.

Praise him with a psalm.

Psalm 47:6-7

Plato said, “Only the dead have seen the end of war.” I wish that was not true, but it is and it will be, until Christ comes again in final victory over the forces of evil. The Book of Psalms presents the reality of living in a world fractured and broken by sin. The psalms do not hide or deny sin, evil and a world hostile to God. The Bible teaches us that we do not have to sink into despair in the face of this reality because, “. . . we are more than conquerors through (Christ) who loved us” (Romans 8:37).

Psalm 47 is a battle psalm written to praise God before the battle, within the battle, and after the victory. The Bible contains many examples where the Israelites put the formula of the psalmist into practice. Perhaps the classic illustration of this is the story of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20. Prior to the battle, the people went to God in a prayer of trust and praise: “O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help” (2 Chronicles 20:12).

As the King led his people into battle, they went forth “singing to the LORD and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: “Give thanks to the LORD; his faithful love endures forever!” (2 Chronicles 20:21)

Then, “On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Blessing, which got its name that day because the people praised and thanked the Lord there. It is still called the Valley of Blessing today” (2 Chronicles 20:26).

Although few of us have tasted war and we have not experienced the physical battle of the psalmist, we all experience spiritual battles. The Apostle Paul, in Ephesians 6, teaches us that the Holy Spirit has equipped us with spiritual armor for battle. With the testimony of the unseen cloud of witnesses surrounding us, (Hebrews 12) we too can go forth singing,

“Give thanks to the LORD; his faithful love endures forever!”

2 Chronicles 20:21 

My Takeaway: In addition to our spiritual battles, humankind, in their fallen state, apart from new birth in Christ, are living in total depravity and causing most of the ills we encounter each day. Even so,

“the Lord Most High is awesome.

    He is the great King of all the earth.

He subdues the nations before us,

    putting our enemies beneath our feet.” Psalm 47:2-3

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.)

 

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.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

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.

A Mighty Fortress

Meditations on Christ in the Psalms

September 6, 2022

A Mighty Fortress

God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.

“Be still, and know that I am God!”

Psalm 46:1, 10a

 

“A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;

Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:”

Martin Luther was inspired by Psalm 46 to write “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”, which has become one of the great hymns of the church. Drawing from the images of turmoil and conflict in Psalm 46, Luther affirmed with the psalmist, that “The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress” (v. 7 & 11).

I believe the writer of Psalm 46 was inspired by the account of a vast army from Edom marching against King Jehoshaphat, as recorded in Second Chronicles 20. Several passages in that account could well have inspired the psalmist, such as verse 17, “This battle is not for you to fight; take your position, stand still, and see the victory of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow, go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”

In that one passage alone is sufficient inspiration for the psalmist to write,

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble,”

“‘Be still, and know that I am God!” and

“The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;

the God of Israel is our fortress.”

Psalm 46: 1, 10a, 11 

My Takeaway: No matter the personal crisis you may be facing, what national or international event is causing you anxiety, I believe those three verses are sufficient to get you singing,

“A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;

Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:”

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.)

 

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.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

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.

The Bride of Christ

Meditations on Christ in the Psalms 

September 5, 2022

The Bride of Christ

In your majesty, ride out to victory, defending truth, humility, and justice.

Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!

Psalm 45:4

Psalm 45 was written to celebrate a royal wedding. Because Biblical metaphors often refer to Christ as the bridegroom and the church as his bride, Psalm 45 finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ. The Book of Revelation points to this truth in Revelation1:5-6 where John affirms Jesus Christ is the ruler of all the kings of the world, and “He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.”

When I read verses 14-15, I remember a wedding I performed in an outdoor setting:

“In her beautiful robes, she is led to the king,

accompanied by her bridesmaids.

What a joyful and enthusiastic procession

as they enter the king’s palace!”

As the groom and I waited under a terrace, the bride came into view, and the groom exclaimed, “She is so beautiful!” as his knees buckled. I held onto him, and he made it through the ceremony without fainting. But what a precious moment that was, and since he was wearing a microphone, it was recorded on the wedding video.

At least six times, the New Testament refers to the church as the bride of Christ. As a devotional exercise, take some time to think about your church. Let the people of your church parade across your mind. Take time to think about the various missions, ministries, and worship services in your church. After you have taken the time to gather your thoughts, think of your church as the bride of Christ. What do you think Christ will say when he sees his bride, your church, coming to him?

My Takeaway: As I read Psalm 45, I am thinking ahead to next week when our church will host a three-day denominational conference. At the center of the conference will be an evening service of Evensong, an Anglican service of prayers, psalms, and canticles. Our sanctuary will be full, in people and splendor, as we worship our Risen Lord.

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.)

 

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.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

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.

Our Enduring Hope In Christ

Meditations on Christ in the Psalms

September 2, 2022

Our Enduring Hope In Christ

Rise up! Help us!

Ransom us because of your unfailing love.

Psalm 44:26

There are three distinct characteristics of life revealed in the Bible. There is the life of tangible blessings brought through faithfulness and obedience to God; there is the life of faith where we are called to remain true to God in the face of distress (i.e., the life of Job); and there is the life of hope, where even though evil seems to have the upper hand, we trust in God’s ultimate victory. (The Book of Revelation is an example of a call to hope in the face of persecution.)

Psalm 44 is our model when we encounter times of great distress in our lives. We do not know for sure the exact circumstances that led the King of Israel to write this poem. What we can see within the psalm is that the King believed Israel was faithful, and as God’s favor had been with Israel in the past, he expected God’s favor when he led Israel into battle. The King was wrong, and Israel suffered a humiliating defeat. Even so, as was Job’s, so also was the King’s hope in God:

“Rise up! Help us! Ransom us because of your unfailing love” (v. 44).

Why didn’t Israel receive God’s favor? A likely reason is that the King had ventured off on his own initiative and not through the Lord’s leading; or perhaps Israel was not as faithful as the King presumed. This could have been an occasion when evil appears to be winning.

Psalm 44 teaches us that when we face adversity in our life, we can honestly express our emotions to God. God can handle our grief. We will face such times, as the Apostle Paul, in quoting Psalm 44, assured us. Even so, Paul points us to our enduring hope in Christ.

My Takeaway: “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”

Romans 8:35-36 

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.)

 

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.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

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.

Why Am I Discouraged?

Meditations on Christ in the Psalms

September 1, 2022

Why Am I Discouraged?

Send out your light and your truth;

let them guide me.

Let them lead me to your holy mountain,

to the place where you live.

Psalm 43:3

Occasionally, my wife Cheryl travels with friends, and leaves me home alone. I am pretty useless while she is gone. What I do accomplish requires more effort than usual. I know she will soon return. I know she is simply gone from my sight, that's all. She is just the same as when I last saw her, but things seem different.

Perhaps the psalmist had similar feelings in his relationship with Elohim. For whatever reasons, his present reality caused him to use hyperbole to express his sense of loss, his sense of longing for closeness to God. Whatever his inner turmoil, the psalmist was single-minded in his purpose:

“There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy. I will praise you with my harp, O God, my God!” (v.4).

The psalmist knows who alone can fill the God-shaped vacuum in his heart.

My Takeaway: People often have scripture passages bookmarked, taped to their walls, or attached to their refrigerators. Is verse 5 included in your collection? If not, today is a good day to add it to your collection.

Why am I discouraged?

    Why is my heart so sad?

I will put my hope in God!

    I will praise him again—

    my Savior and my God!

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.)

 

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.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

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.