Kent Hansen

A Word of Grace – May 23, 2011

Published on by cslewisfoundation

“You are what you eat,” is a saying with many attributions. Its truth is undeniable. What we eat directly affects our physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

God called Moses to commune with him on Mount Sinai. The people wouldn’t come with him, afraid they would die if they drew near to God. “You go find out what God wants and then speak to us and we will listen.”

So Moses hiked up alone and the first thing God told him on that trip up the mountain was “You should not make gods of silver along side me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold” (Ex 20:18-23).

When Moses came back he told the people all the instructions for them that God had given on the mountain. He described the terms of God’s covenant with them and the requirements for worshipful obedience.

A Word of Grace – May 16, 2011

Published on by KentHansen

Jesus’ last instruction to his disciples was this: “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high” (Lk 24:49).

The disciples had just been traumatized by the crucifixion and shocked by the appearance of the resurrected Christ. They feared for their lives against persecution by the same religious establishment who had just killed Jesus (Jn. 20:19).

The temptation to get out of town and into the sheltering anonymity of the countryside must have been great. Jesus had told them to go out and preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in the name of the risen Christ to all nations beginning with Jerusalem (Lk. 24:47-48). The disciples were undoubtedly anxious to “get the show on the road.”

But Jesus added, “Stay in the city until you have…power from on high.”

The tapes play in our head with the persistence of an FM “oldies” station — “The Lord helps those who help themselves.” “When the going gets tough the tough get going.”

“We can’t just sit there and do nothing,” we tell ourselves. “We must do something.”

So we move on out–exhorting, organizing, building, growing, maintaining, struggling, burning out…. Whole industries serve this cycle. There are motivators, strategic planners, fund-raisers on the upside and counselors for the downside.