Near the beginning of the Civil War President Abraham Lincoln met with some advisors and noted the uniqueness of the problem with this advice:
“As our case is new, so we must think anew.”
The quote comes from the pen of Larry P. Arnn, President of Hillsdale College in their magazine, Imprints. The article is worthwhile. I was especially moved by the Lincoln quote even though I am not a fervent fan of President Lincoln.
Think about how President Lincoln’s statement may apply to situations we each face along the way. In the last several years I have helped many people who are professing Christians deal with the pain, humiliation and financial setback of bankruptcy. Another group this applies to are the ones, who love Jesus, but are facing the agony of divorce, with visiting rights, child support or lack thereof ad infinitum. The “case” may be old hat for some, but for the ones of whom I speak these events are new and often terrifying beyond words.
How about that friend who went for his annual physical and the receptionist called with a message from the doctor, “Mr. Smith, Dr. Jones has read your report and you have stage 3 lung cancer. Please call and make another appointment as soon as possible.” Such compassion!
Millions of people are facing cancer, millions have recovered or are in remission, but this is brand new for you. Mr. Lincoln’s advice certainly comes into play when any of us are facing something new to us.
When Job, the sage of the Old Testament went through his long night of facing one thing right after another that he had never faced before, he had to change a lot of his ideas about things and about life in general, or about a specific problem. While he waited for God’s advice he came to grips with his reality with this paean of trust:
“Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” Job 13:15 first part.
We must learn to trust in Christ, even when we do not understand the why.
Copyright © 2017 Larry Lilly
New IT Thinking! Oral Deckard
“As our case is new, so we must think anew.”
The quote comes from the pen of Larry P. Arnn, President of Hillsdale College in their magazine, Imprints. The article is worthwhile. I was especially moved by the Lincoln quote even though I am not a fervent fan of President Lincoln.
Think about how President Lincoln’s statement may apply to situations we each face along the way. In the last several years I have helped many people who are professing Christians deal with the pain, humiliation and financial setback of bankruptcy. Another group this applies to are the ones, who love Jesus, but are facing the agony of divorce, with visiting rights, child support or lack thereof ad infinitum. The “case” may be old hat for some, but for the ones of whom I speak these events are new and often terrifying beyond words.
How about that friend who went for his annual physical and the receptionist called with a message from the doctor, “Mr. Smith, Dr. Jones has read your report and you have stage 3 lung cancer. Please call and make another appointment as soon as possible.” Such compassion!
Millions of people are facing cancer, millions have recovered or are in remission, but this is brand new for you. Mr. Lincoln’s advice certainly comes into play when any of us are facing something new to us.
When Job, the sage of the Old Testament went through his long night of facing one thing right after another that he had never faced before, he had to change a lot of his ideas about things and about life in general, or about a specific problem. While he waited for God’s advice he came to grips with his reality with this paean of trust:
“Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” Job 13:15 first part.
We must learn to trust in Christ, even when we do not understand the why.
Copyright © 2017 Larry Lilly
New IT Thinking! Oral Deckard
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