{"id":6515,"date":"2018-02-26T09:56:40","date_gmt":"2018-02-26T17:56:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cslewis.org\/blog\/?p=6515"},"modified":"2018-03-19T09:58:02","modified_gmt":"2018-03-19T17:58:02","slug":"a-word-of-grace-february-26-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cslewis.org\/blog\/a-word-of-grace-february-26-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"A Word of Grace – February 26, 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Dear Friends,<\/p>\n

Southwest Airlines runs a series of humorous television commercials in which the characters find themselves in awkward and embarrassing social situations. The voice over says, \u201cWant to get away?\u201d<\/p>\n

The commercial works because it taps into the foibles, fears, and insecurities of the human condition.<\/p>\n

On a day when Jesus explained his life and mission in graphic flesh and blood terms, many of his listeners were repulsed. (John 6:52-59). Even his disciples complained, \u201cThis teaching is difficult; who can accept it?\u201d (John 6:60).<\/p>\n

John observed, \u201cBecause of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, \u201cDo you also wish to go away?\u201d (John 6:66-67).<\/p>\n

Simon Peter, as was typical, blurted out a response. \u201cLord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.\u201d (John 6:68-69).<\/p>\n

Peter\u2019s answer was accurate, but his opening question, \u201cLord, to whom can we go?\u201d left a hint that if they had an alternative, they might go away too.\u201d<\/p>\n

I think Jesus\u2019 gets equivocal responses like that from us all the time. \u201cLord, I am all out of options here, so I am turning to you in desperation!\u201d That\u2019s not exactly full body, heart and soul surrender.<\/p>\n

Jesus\u2019 reply to the Twelve after Peter\u2019s statement indicates that he expects our less than faithful responses. \u201cJesus answered them, \u2018Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil?\u2019 He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.\u201d (John 6:70-71).<\/p>\n

Jesus did not run Judas off even when he knew the traitorous tendencies of his heart. We can be thankful for that, having dodgy tendencies in our hearts ourselves.<\/p>\n

Jesus knows there is infidelity towards him in our fallen humanity, but even \u201cIf we are faithless, he is faithful\u00ad for he cannot deny himself\u201d (2 Tim 2:13). Faithfulness cost him everything, but it wouldn\u2019t be faithfulness if it didn\u2019t cost. The price of true love is everything.<\/p>\n

Jesus expects far less from us than we expect of ourselves. He has compassion on us like a father has compassion on his children, \u201cfor he knows how we were made, he remembers we are dust\u201d (Ps 103:14).<\/p>\n

We are breakable and we break. The dangerous thing is we are careless children in a world of careless children. We leave a lot of wreckage in our wake. That\u2019s why a favorite prayer of mine is Psalm 70:1\u00ad
\nBe pleased, O Lord, to deliver me.
\nO Lord, make haste to help me.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A woman, beautifully dressed and coiffed, sits across a living room from me in a Friday night small group Bible study. \u201cThe Lord won\u2019t hear our prayers unless we are sinless, will he?\u201d she asks. \u201cIsn\u2019t that what Scripture tells us?\u201d<\/p>\n

She is composed, but I know that her question was born in tears. There is a lot of hidden pain in her life and things are not what they seem.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe you are referring to Psalm 66,\u201d I say, turning to that chapter. \u201cHere it is\u00ad
\nIf I had cherished iniquity in my heart
\nthe Lord would not have listened.
\nBut truly God has listened;
\nHe has given heed to the words of my prayer.
\nBlessed be God,
\nbecause he has not rejected my prayer
\nor removed his steadfast love from me.
\n<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (Vs 18-20)<\/p>\n

I continue, \u201cThe psalmist was referring to a prayer he was praying when he was in desperate trouble. Look at verses 13 and 14. He prayed\u00ad
\n\u2018I will come into your house with burnt offerings;
\nI will pay you my vows,
\nthose that my lips uttered
\nand my mouth promised when I was in trouble.\u2019
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHe prayed when he was imperfect and troubled, desperate and willing to do anything if God would help him. God heard and answered his prayer. The psalmist is saying if he had cherished his sin and clung to his own evil way of doing things, the Lord wouldn\u2019t have listened because it would be a dishonest prayer.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut that is not the same as sinning and being sorry for it. If we can\u2019t come to the Lord when we have sinned, made mistakes and are desperate, we are truly hopeless, but that isn\u2019t the case.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am sorry that someone taught you that you have to be perfect before God will hear your prayer and help you. What he wants is your honesty and your surrender. His grace will do the rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

She is visibly relieved. Over the ensuing time the group is together she comes to understand that God loves her and will hold her close while they work out the details between them. It is gift of peace and assurance she takes with her to the grave a few years later.<\/p>\n

Jesus holds on to us even when we don\u2019t have a good grip on him (Phil 3:12-13). As we sang as children, \u201cWe are weak, but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me!\u201d<\/p>\n

We are broken and weak and in varying degrees of wreckage or repair. In our shame, we would curl up in a fetal position, pull the blanket over our heads and hope it would all go away, but how is that working out for us? Or we would expend ourselves in a fruitless search for alternatives.<\/p>\n

Every other spiritual alternative, demands of us something we cannot do. With Christ it is done!<\/p>\n

\u201cMy grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness\u201d (2 Cor 12:9).\u00a0 Are there any more encouraging words than these?<\/p>\n

Others criticize us and shame us, and we beat ourselves up over our failings and inadequacies. But Christ says, \u201cYou can hide in me, and when you are seen again, it will be me they are seeing\u201d (See<\/em>, Col 3:1-4). He shelters us in his love and covers us with his glory.<\/p>\n

Yes, we want to get away, but Peter\u2019s question rings true to us. \u201cLord, to whom could we go? Our only hope and opportunity to make it out of here is with Jesus.<\/p>\n

These thoughts came to me because of a prayer I wrote for my friend Melissa who is battling cancer and winning with the Lord\u2019s help. I wrote this prayer to accompany a picture of Montana cowboys on a frigid February morning herding a group of pregnant cows through blowing snow to a place they could calve in relative warmth and safety\u00ad<\/p>\n

Lord,<\/em><\/p>\n

Even in these difficult conditions, life must go on. I have learned that it goes on not by my strength nor effort nor right. My life is your gift and it continues because you love me and will me to live. So down the hard road through the wind and cold we go because you promise me a future and a hope in your word and through your action. I originally trusted you because I had no choice. Now, I know you love me and intend only good for me. You are leading me to safety and healing. You are the focus of all I desire. So with every part of my being thanking you, let\u2019s go! Hallelujah! Amen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
“O taste and see that the Lord is good. Happy are those who take refuge in him” (Ps. 34:8).<\/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, Southwest Airlines runs a series of humorous television commercials in which the characters find themselves in awkward and embarrassing social situations. The voice over says, \u201cWant to get away?\u201d The commercial works because it taps into the foibles, fears, and insecurities of the human condition. On a day when Jesus explained his life […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5598,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[226,225],"tags":[649,227],"class_list":["post-6515","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-a-word-of-grace","category-devotional","tag-a-word-of-grace","tag-kent-hansen"],"yoast_head":"\nA Word of Grace - February 26, 2018 - Living the Legacy of C.S. 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