January 2019

Greetings from Palo Alto!

“Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them” (Hebrews 13:9).

Students in our Bible courses meditated on this verse recently as we concluded our Bible course on the book of Hebrews. The author’s teaching certainly includes the temple sacrifices which, after the sacrifice of Christ, had become obsolete.

We ought not limit his meaning to Old Covenant Jewish sacrificial meals and dietary laws. People in all times and places find allure in “eat this, don’t eat that” regimens that promise outsized benefits. Their number and complexity may have increased in our day, but the regimens themselves are nothing new.

Irrespective of the usefulness (or uselessness) of such regimens, this author holds out to us a practice that is much better than scientific (or fad) diets, as the sun is brighter than a candle: “be strengthened by grace, not by foods.”

We need breakfast, but we need grace for breakfast more than we need coffee, oatmeal, egg whites, or cocoa puffs—no matter what any current (or outdated) diet may prescribe. With the same regularity with which we eat and drink, we need to be strengthened by the grace of Christ and his cross, through the word, prayer, and his people. If you only have time for breakfast or grace this morning or next, pick grace!

As you draw near to God through Christ, would you join us in prayer for the students of Stanford University? Please pray:

• that God would strengthen the hearts of the believers on Stanford’s campus through grace!
• that God would enable new students and staff at Stanford to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8) through relationships with believing friends and through events (such as the upcoming "Gospel and Christian Hedonism” outreach on February 12).
• that God would strengthen our community of students in Christian Union through our Bible courses, large group events, meals, and retreats this quarter.

We are grateful for your partnership through prayer!