Seeking the Life in Christ

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

An Eternal Perspective

Meditations on Christ in the Psalms

November 9, 2022

An Eternal Perspective

But the godly will flourish like palm trees

and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.

For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house.

They flourish in the courts of our God.

Psalm 92:12-13

Psalm 92 is a call to worship God. In verse 5, the psalmist extols the virtues of God’s wisdom and power: “O Lord, what great works you do! And how deep are your thoughts.” As followers of Christ, the Apostle Paul teaches us that these virtues are fulfilled in Christ:

“(God) is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 1:7-8,19-20).

Our understanding of the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him is so very necessary in this present age when it seems as though the forces of evil have the upper hand. Almost daily, the terrorists strike at the innocent, and our civil society is becoming more and more hostile and angry. Against this backdrop, it is helpful for me to remember this is not the first time in history that societies have gone off the rails. History teaches us we can recover, and more importantly, history teaches us that God is faithful, and His church will prevail.

Psalm 92 is a reminder to us that our life in Christ, made possible by the grace of God, is eternal and can never be diminished or destroyed. God views our lives from an eternal perspective, and those workers of iniquity, who seem to be prospering now, while denying God, will be held accountable when Christ comes to judge the world:

My Takeaway:

“But you, O Lord, will be exalted forever.

Your enemies, Lord, will surely perish;

all evildoers will be scattered.”

Psalm 92:8-9

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.

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

My Sheep Listen To My Voice

Meditations on Christ in the Psalms

November 8, 2022

My Sheep Listen To My Voice

“You who live in the shelter of the Most High,

who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,

will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress;

my God, in whom I trust.’

Psalm 91:1-2 (NRSV)

Psalm 91 contains some of the most beautiful prose in the psalter. While the prose is beautiful, it may not always reflect our personal experience. Try to think of one person in the Bible, or in the history of the church, who has literally experienced the Godly protection enumerated in this psalm. How then can we embrace the prose of “You who live in the shelter of the Most High” as we seek the life in Christ as our way of life?

When Jesus went into the wilderness after his baptism, he was tempted by Satan. For his second temptation, Satan quoted verses 11-12 of Psalm 91,

“Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say,

‘He will order his angels to protect you.

And they will hold you up with their hands

so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’”

(Psalm 91 quoted in Matthew 4:5-6).

The angels didn’t protect Jesus from death on the cross. However, the cross didn’t end Jesus’ life; he arose from the grave! This truth that the grave didn’t conquer Jesus’ life points us to the eternal significance Psalm 91 has for our lives as well. We need to always remember Jesus’ discussion of the vine and branches. He said, “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5b). The Apostle Paul referred to our remaining in Christ, or being “in Christ,” over and over in his epistles. For the followers of Jesus, the opening line of Psalm 91, “You who live in the shelter of the Most High” refers to our new life in Christ: “For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Because our life is in Christ, we can rest in His promise:

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” (John 10:27-30)

My Takeaway: Yes, there are most certainly many dangers, toils, and snares in life. It is God’s grace that has kept us in Christ thus far, and God’s grace will lead us all the way home.

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, November 7, 2022

Be Steadfast, Immovable

Meditations on Christ in the Psalms

November 7, 2022

Be Steadfast, Immovable

“Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,

and prosper for us the work of our hands—

O prosper the work of our hands!”

Psalm 90:17 (NRSV)

Psalm 90 has long been a source of inspiration to the people of God. The hymn writer Isaac Watts drew inspiration from this psalm for one of our most beloved hymns, O God, Our Help in Ages Past. After the English Parliament passed the Schism Act, which was designed to severely limit religious freedom, Watts responded by writing this reassuring hymn.

Saint Peter turned to this psalm to help him express our need for patience as we wait for the coming again of Jesus,

“But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:8-9).

The structure of the psalm is a short course in the history of humankind’s relationship with God: God is eternal, infinite; humankind is weak, frail, finite. God’s judgment is upon the sins of humankind; nevertheless, God is merciful and extends His favor to His children.

For me, verse 17 is most compelling. It has been a tradition in monasteries for the Monks to pray this verse each morning before they begin their daily labors. St. Paul, encourages us in 1 Corinthians 15:58, to always remember the value of our work in God’s Kingdom: “Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (NRSV)

My Takeaway: Verse 17 is a good way for the followers of Christ to begin their day:

“Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,

and prosper for us the work of our hands—

O prosper the work of our hands!”

Psalm 90:17 (NRSV)

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.)

Friday, November 4, 2022

An Appropriate Foundation for Our Faith

Meditations on Christ in the Psalms

November 4, 2022

An Appropriate Foundation for Our Faith

I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever!

Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.

Your unfailing love will last forever.

Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.

Psalm 89:1-2

The author of Psalm 89 had a crisis of belief. Henry Blackby’s small group study, Experiencing God, teaches that whenever we face a crisis, what we do next reveals what we believe about God. In matters of faith, the crisis can be like an earthquake rupturing the foundations of our beliefs. In the time of Jesus’ life on earth, Israel faced such a crisis of belief. The people longed for the Messiah to come, but Jesus did not fit their expectations of the Messiah. Some of the people resolved their crisis by giving their life to Christ; others crucified Jesus.

This psalm was probably written after the fall of Jerusalem (586 B.C.) when the Jews were taken away to captivity in Babylon. (2 Kings 24) The psalmist, in remembering God’s covenant, includes God’s warning that if the descendants of King David forsake their covenant responsibility, God would punish their sins. (Psalm 89: 30-37) The psalmist’s lament is not ‘why?’ --- It’s ‘how long?’

Because Jesus has already been punished for our sins (Isaiah 53:5), we need not fear God. But God will discipline His children. Sometimes our crisis is brought on by our own willful disobedience; sometimes our crisis is the result of the sins of others. Whatever the cause, our times of crisis are always an invitation to plumb the depths of our faith, to make sure we are resting our faith on the bedrock of God’s Word.

The psalmist ended the psalm at verse 51, while he was still in the depths of despair. Later, an editor added verse 52 as a benediction to mark the end of Book Three of the Psalms.

My Takeaway: I receive this benediction as an appropriate foundation for my faith,

“Praise the Lord forever!

Amen and amen!”

Psalm 89:52

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, November 3, 2022

We Are Never Without Our Hallelujahs

Meditations on Christ in the Psalms

November 3, 2022

We Are Never Without Our Hallelujahs

O Lord, God of my salvation,

I cry out to you by day.

I come to you at night.

Now hear my prayer;

listen to my cry.

Psalm 88:1-2

Images of Jerusalem again flooded my mind as I read Psalm 88 this morning.

The Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu is a Roman Catholic church located on the eastern slope of Mount Zion, just outside the walls of Old Jerusalem. This is believed to be the site of the house of the High Priest, Caiaphas, where Jesus was taken after his arrest. It is also the place where Peter denied Jesus. (Gallicantu in Latin means “rooster crows.”) Adjacent to the church there is a dungeon where a deep pit was hewed into the rock. It is believed this may the pit where Jesus was kept overnight. When we visited the site, our group gathered in the darkness of the pit, and with help from my iPhone flashlight, I read Psalm 88:

“You have thrown me into the lowest pit,

into the darkest depths.

Your anger weighs me down;

with wave after wave you have engulfed me.”

Psalm 88: 6-7

There are no hallelujahs at the end of this psalm. This is a prayer of one who is in great despair. In Mark’s Gospel, the only words spoken by Jesus from the cross were “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Mark 15:34) In this fallen world, people face sickness and tragedies every day. There is a longing for closure, vindication, and justice. For some people, their longing will not be satisfied on this side of the grave.

But the psalmist begins his prayer with, “O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you . . .”, and Jesus’ first words on the cross were, “My God, my God.” These salutations evidence a faith that justice denied in this life will be received beyond the grave.

During suffering and loneliness, the followers of Christ can remember that our Jesus is the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

Because of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we can rest in the assurance,

“But he was wounded for our transgressions,

crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the punishment that made us whole,

and by his bruises we are healed.”

(Isaiah 53:5 NRSV)

My Takeaway: Because of God’s love for us in Christ Jesus, we are never without our hallelujahs.

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, November 2, 2022

The Source Of My Life

Meditations on Christ in the Psalms

November 2, 2022

The Source Of My Life

On the holy mount stands the city he founded;

the Lord loves the gates of Zion

more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

Glorious things are spoken of you,

O city of God. Selah

Psalm 87:1-3 (NRSV)

When you arrive in Israel at the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, you are greeted with a huge sign, “Welcome Home.” As I passed underneath the sign, I assumed it was meant for the Jews who were returning to their homeland. Ten days later, as I again passed under that sign, I realized I too had been welcomed home. One of the enduring images from my trip was on the Friday evening we drove into Jerusalem. As our bus topped a hill, the gleaming walls of Old Jerusalem, high on Mount Moriah, came into our view. The stereo on the bus began playing The Holy City Hymn and we all sang, “Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Hark! How the angels sing, Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna to your King!” (The Holy City Hymn. Lyrics: Frederick Weatherly, 1892. Composer: Michael Maybrick.)

In the Apostles’ Creed, when we affirm our belief in “the holy catholic church,” we are affirming the universal Body of Christ. In Psalm 87, the psalmist was looking into God’s future when all people will live in the presence of God:

“Regarding Jerusalem it will be said,

“Everyone enjoys the rights of citizenship there.”

And the Most High will personally bless this city.

When the Lord registers the nations, he will say,

“They have all become citizens of Jerusalem.”

Psalm 87:5-6

My Takeaway: It has been twelve years (this month!) since my visit to Jerusalem, and I still gladly sing with the psalmist,

“The source of my life springs from Jerusalem!”

Psalm 87:7

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.)

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Teach Me Your Ways

Meditations on Christ in the Psalms

November 1, 2022

Teach Me Your Ways

Teach me your ways, O Lord,

that I may live according to your truth!

Grant me purity of heart,

so that I may honor you.

Psalm 86:11

As I read Psalm 86 my mind is flooded with thoughts of our new life in Christ: “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The Apostle Paul instructed the church to “Let your bearing towards one another arise out of your life in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5 NEB). When he was in Athens, Paul described his life in Christ this way: “For in him we live and move and exist” (Acts 17:28a). Paul expounded on this theme to the church in Colossae, “For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory” (Colossians 3:3-4). These passages are my inspiration to seek the life in Christ as my way of life. I believe they make clear that the Christian faith is so much more than a system of morality. Being a Christian is not only about believing in Jesus; it is also about our allowing Jesus to live his life through us. All Christians join with the Apostle Paul as we make our affirmation of faith: “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

How did I make such a leap of faith from Psalm 86 to the Christ life? Because Psalm 86 is an affirmation, a prayer of David, that expresses a life totally devoted to God. David’s life was immersed in God. David affirms God’s faithfulness and unfailing love. He praises God, “For you are great and perform wonderful deeds” (v.10a); and David prays to God, “Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth!” (v.11a) All of this, and more, causes David to proclaim, “With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever” (v.12).

My Takeaway: As I ponder this beautiful prose of David in Psalm 86, I am inspired to make his prayer, my prayer:

“Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you” (Psalm 86:11b).

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.)

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

An Eternal Perspective

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

My Sheep Listen To My Voice

Monday, November 7, 2022

Be Steadfast, Immovable

Friday, November 4, 2022

An Appropriate Foundation for Our Faith

Thursday, November 3, 2022

We Are Never Without Our Hallelujahs

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

The Source Of My Life

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Teach Me Your Ways

Seeking the Life in Christ

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