{"id":6480,"date":"2018-01-03T14:06:27","date_gmt":"2018-01-03T22:06:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cslewis.org\/blog\/?p=6480"},"modified":"2018-01-03T14:06:27","modified_gmt":"2018-01-03T22:06:27","slug":"word-grace-january-3-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cslewis.org\/blog\/word-grace-january-3-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"A Word of Grace – January 3, 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Dear Friends,<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
\nand do not lean on your own understanding.
\nIn all your ways acknowledge him,
\nand he will make your paths straight.
\nBe not wise in your own eyes;
\nfear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
\nIt will be healing to your flesh
\nand refreshment to your bones.
\n(Prov 3:5-8)<\/p>\n

I was praying for wisdom on New Year\u2019s Day and this text came to mind.<\/p>\n

Solomon\u2019s words here are some of the best known in all of Scripture. They are recounted on posters, plates and wall plaques. My wife and son had them inscribed on the case of a compass they gave me. I have given a similar gift to others.<\/p>\n

Are they merely words of aspiration for a best practice for living, or are they God\u2019s rule of life? How many of us trust God completely with the direction of our life?<\/p>\n

We think we understand what needs to be done because many are taking a certain course of action. We don\u2019t want to look foolish by waiting to ask God who we can\u2019t see what he wants us to do.<\/p>\n

There are plenty of experts, consultants, celebrities, and professionals urging us to \u201cact now, while there is still time!\u201d Is this not like Jesus\u2019 brothers who urged him to take his ministry public in order to gain a wider acceptance and popularity?<\/p>\n

John says Jesus\u2019 own brothers didn\u2019t believe in him as Messiah (John 7:5). They wanted him to follow conventional wisdom in gaining a wider following the way any human leader would. Specifically, they wanted him to leave rural Galilee for the more urban Judea for publicity and religious market share.<\/p>\n

Jesus said, \u201cMy time has not yet come, but any time works for you\u201d (John 7:6). He said this because he was listening for his Father\u2019s instruction, rather than doing what seemed \u201cwise\u201d from a human standpoint. \u201cThe Son only does what the Father tells him to do,\u201d Jesus said.<\/p>\n

\u201cGod calls us to faithfulness, not to be successful,\u201d Mother Teresa famously observed. That\u2019s why God told the prophet Ezekiel, \u201cMan, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart and hear with your ears; then go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them. Say to them, \u2018Thus says the Lord God\u2019; whether they hear or refuse to hear\u201d (Ez 3:10). Ezekiel was called to proclaim God\u2019s word to his people, not to make them accept it.<\/p>\n

What does it mean to me to be faithful to God and his word? Prayer has become central to me in this. Believing that the Lord Jesus Christ lives in me through the Holy Spirit, I seek to bring every situation before him.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s what Solomon meant when he said, \u201cIn all your ways acknowledge him\u201d (Pr 3:6). This does not mean falling to my knees in the middle of business meetings, lying down prostrate in hallways, or shouting \u201cGlory to God\u201d during conference calls.<\/p>\n

On the recommendation of Paul in Philippians 4:6, I seek to place every agenda item, transaction, problem, relationship, conversation, confrontation and action before God in my heart, \u201cLord, do as you will with me and through me in this situation. Be glorified. Thank you.\u201d I read Scripture for itself to have a working knowledge of God\u2019s principles and dealings with his people.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve heard the arguments that some matters are too small and inconsequential to bother God about. I\u2019ve heard and even made the claim that a problem is so large and difficult that I will work to solve it myself to clear the way to come to God. Neither position is correct.<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t \u201cout-small\u201d the power of God. Nor is any problem too big for him. It is perversely arrogant to think we can escape his notice or overwhelm him. Peter says, \u201cHumble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your cares upon him for he cares about you\u201d (1 Pet 5:6-7). Here again, the phrase \u201call your cares\u201d omits nothing too small or too large. Real humility is putting everything in the mighty hand of God in faithful prayer.<\/p>\n

Faithful prayer is not uninformed prayer. On my desk at home, I have several volumes of scriptural reference. Twenty-years ago, a hospital system CEO gave me a slender leather bound book, God\u2019s Wisdom for Your Business Success,\u201d that has Bible verses arranged topically by issue and problem. An attorney friend gave me a similar book called The Businessman\u2019s Topical Bible. I consult these volumes frequently to point me to relevant scriptures for the problems I face. (Unfortunately, neither book is still in print.)<\/p>\n

It is also important for me to review data and information and to stay current on publications regarding legal and business developments. No one ever served God by burying their head in the sand and claiming ignorance of the world around them.<\/p>\n

In all these things I\u2019ve learned to follow Paul\u2019s counsel to let \u201cthe peace of God rule and reign in your heart . . . and be thankful (Col 3:15). Sometimes, the Holy Spirit stirs in my heart to tell me there will be no peace without some action. More often, the Holy Spirit indicates the peace of God will be found in leaving things with him to sort out.<\/p>\n

Where does this leave us in the equation? I hope it leaves us focused and thinking about God. Paul says, \u201cFor me, to live is Christ\u201d (Phil 1:21). Read Proverbs 3:5-8 again and consider what action of ours is called for \u2013 \u201ctrust the Lord at all times \u2026 in all your ways acknowledge the Lord \u2026 fear the Lord \u2026 turn away from evil.\u201d Everything heads toward God, that\u2019s how he makes our paths straight . . . and heals and renews us as the Scripture promises.<\/p>\n

Recently, there was a staggering problem regarding the release of a large sum to which the Children\u2019s Hospital was due for capital reimbursement. The administration and our legal team had done everything possible to resolve the blocking issues. But there was no movement.<\/p>\n

Finally, I reached out to forty key administrators and clinical leaders and requested their prayers. \u201cAs your general counsel, my best advice is to pray,\u201d I said. We continued to work, argue and cajole the other side even while the prayers were going up. Slowly, but definitely we began to make progress where there had been none for eighteen months.<\/p>\n

Our CEO did a stellar job pleading our case and there was some excellent work done by our administrative and legal teams. Did prayer really make a difference? Yes, because my plea was not the first time our people had prayed about it. We had placed this matter in God\u2019s hands as we do most everything from the beginning. Life and mission involve processes, not one time events.<\/p>\n

Coming together at this point to pray allowed God to renew us in purpose, heart and spirit and make sure we were pointed in his direction and dependent upon his grace. Nothing signifies whole hearted devotion to God and reliance on his providence like prayer and obedience to his word.<\/p>\n

Do you need straight paths and healing in 2018? Let go of your anxious thoughts, impulses, and instincts to act on your own. Even let go of what you think you understand, and submit everything to God in prayerful trust and obedient action. It\u2019s always been that way, and it always will be that way. I rest in the assurance of that thought.<\/p>\n

\n

“O taste and see that the Lord is good. Happy are those who take refuge in him” (Ps. 34:8).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Under the mercy of Christ,<\/p>\n

Kent<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2013<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Please note that the content and viewpoints of Mr. Hansen are his own and are not necessarily those of the C.S. Lewis Foundation. We have not edited his writing in any substantial way and have permission from him to post his content.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2013<\/p>\n

\"KentKent Hansen is a Christian attorney, author and speaker. He practices corporate law and is the managing attorney of the firm of Clayson, Mann, Yaeger & Hansen in Corona, California. Kent also serves as the general counsel of Loma Linda University and Medical Center in Loma Linda, California.<\/p>\n

Finding God\u2019s grace revealed in the ordinary experiences of life, spiritual renewal in Christ and prayer are Kent\u2019s passions. He has written two books,\u00a0Grace at 30,000 Feet and Other Unexpected Places<\/em>\u00a0published by Review & Herald in 2002 and\u00a0Cleansing Fire, Healing Streams: Experiencing God\u2019s Love Through Prayer<\/em>, published by Pacific Press in spring 2007. Many of his stories and essays about God\u2019s encompassing love have been published in magazines and journals. Kent is often found on the hiking trails of the southern California mountains, following major league baseball, playing the piano or writing his weekly email devotional, \u201cA Word of Grace for Your Monday\u201d that is read by men and women from Alaska to Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dear Friends, Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 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