2019-02-28
Psalm 42:6-7 NLV
Sommige van die gelowigste mense in die Bybel en in die geskiedenis van die kerk het teen depressie gestry. Job het dit deur die verlies van sy kinders, sy rykdom en sy gesondheid ervaar. Selfs al het ‘…die Here [het] met Moses gepraat soos vriende wat gesels en mekaar in die oë kyk…’ (Eksodus 33:11 NLV), het die druk om Israel te lei, Moses tot by die punt van wanhoop oorweldig. Elia het die profete van Baäl by Karmelberg oorwin en daarna so depressief geword dat hy wou sterf. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, een van die grootste predikers wat al ooit geleef het, het depressie die ‘swart hond’ genoem wat hom sy hele lewe lank gevolg het. Depressie sal ons almal in een of ander vorm in ons lewe aanraak. Langtermyn depressie neem langer om te oorkom. Die langste pad in die wêreld word egter korter wanneer jy die eerste tree neem, en daardie eerste tree is om na God toe te draai. Of jou depressie nou deur die druk van verantwoordelikheid soos Moses veroorsaak word, of deur die verlies van dinge wat jy liefhet soos Job, of omdat jy soos Elia gedreineerd voel nadat jy ‘n groot sukses bereik het, jy moet na die Groot Geneser toe draai en Hom toelaat om jou weer heel te maak. Dis wat die Psalmdigter gedoen het. Dawid ontken nie sy emosies nie; hy druk hulle aan God in gebed uit. ‘Hoekom is ek nou so mismoedig? Hoekom so hewig ontsteld?..’ (Psalm 42:6 NLV). Hy hou egter nie daar op nie. Hy sê: ‘…Nee, ek plaas my hoop op God! Ek sal Hom weer prys. Hy is my redder en my God!’ (vers 12 NLV). Depressie lig en hoop keer terug wanneer jy God prys en sy goedheid vertrou.
Soul food: Eks 16-18; Luk 12:35-48; Ps 66:13-20; Spr 6:23-25
Psalm 42:5 NIV
Some of the godliest people in the Bible and in church history battled depression. Job experienced it through the back-to-back losses of his children, his wealth, and his health. Moses “spoke face to face [with God] as a man speaks to his friend” (Exodus 33:11 NKJV). Yet the pressures of leading Israel overwhelmed him to the point of despair. Elijah conquered the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, and afterwards became so depressed that he wanted to die. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, one of the greatest preachers who ever lived, called depression “the black dog” that followed him all his life. Depression, in some form, will touch each of us at some point in life. Long-term depression takes longer to get over. But the longest road in the world is shorter when you take the first step, and that step is turning to God. Whether your depression is caused by the pressures of responsibility like Moses, or by losing things you love like Job, or feeling drained on the heels of a great success like Elijah, you must turn to the Great Physician and let Him make you whole. It’s what the psalmist did: “My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you” (Psalm 42:6 NIV). David doesn’t deny his emotions; he expresses them to God in prayer. “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?” (v. 11 NIV). But he doesn’t stop there. He says, “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Notice, depression lifts and hope returns when you begin to praise God and trust His goodness.
Soul food: Exo 16-18; Luke 12:35-48; Ps 66:13-20; Prov 6:23-25
2019-02-27
Efesiërs 1:4-5 NLV
Ons almal het ‘n behoefte daaraan om te behoort, om deel van ‘n familie te wees. Een pastoor skryf: ‘Ek ken paartjies met harte vol liefde wat begeer om dit op ‘n kindjie uit te stort, maar hulle raak nie swanger nie. Wanneer hulle dan ‘n kind aanneem, sê hulle nie vir die kind dat hy/sy aan hulle verwagtinge moet voldoen as hy in die familie wil bly nie. Net drie foute word geduld – en dan gaan jy terug na die agentskap toe nie. Nee, hulle aanvaar die kind met oop arms en vreugdevolle harte omdat hulle hom liefhet. Hulle neem hom vir ewig in hul huis in, gee hom hulle van en maak hom ‘n wetlike erfgenaam. Lank voor ons geweet het dat ons God nodig het, het Hy ‘…vooraf besluit om ons as sy kinders aan te neem…’ Aardse ouers skei, gaan in hulle onderskeie rigtings en begin nuwe families. God doen dit egter nie; jy hoef nooit bekommerd te wees oor jou plek by Hom of jou verhouding met Hom nie. Ongeag jou ras, kleur, geloof of agtergrond, wanneer jy jou sondes bely en Christus as jou Redder aanvaar, word jou aanneming bindend en permanent. Jy is deel van God se familie.’ Nog ‘n bewys daarvan is dat ‘…die Gees self bevestig die getuienis van ons eie gees dat ons God se kinders is’ (Romeine 8:16 NLV). Besef jy wat dit beteken? Jy hoef nooit weer geïntimideerd of bang te wees of onder ‘n wolk van veroordeling te leef nie, want jy is ‘n kind van God en saam met Christus ‘n erfgenaam (sien Romeine 8:17). Die woord ‘erfgenaam’ beteken dat jy elke seëning en voordeel wat Christus vir jou by die kruis gekoop het, kan opeis. Elke liewe een, sonder uitsondering!
Sielskos: Eks 13-15; Luk 12:22-34; Ps 66:1-12; Spr 6:20-22
Ephesians 1:4-5 NIV
We all have a need to belong, to be part of a family. One pastor writes: “I know couples with hearts of love who yearn to focus it on some little one, but no little one arrives. When these couples find children to adopt, they don’t tell the children they’d better measure up to expectation if they want to stay in the family. There’s no such thing as three strikes – then back to the agency. No, they accept them with open arms and joy-filled hearts because they love them. They take them into their homes forever, give them the family name, and make them legal heirs. Long before we even knew we needed God, He “predestined us to adoption as sons [and daughters] by Jesus Christ” (NKJV). Earthly parents get divorced, go separate ways, and start new families. But not God; you never have to worry about your standing and relationship with Him. Regardless of race, color, creed, or background, when you repent and accept Christ as your Savior, your adoption becomes binding and permanent. You’re part of His family. And to prove it, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16 NKJV). Do you realize what that means? You never again have to walk around feeling intimidated and fearful, or live under a cloud of condemnation, because you are a child of God and a “fellow [heir] with Christ” (v. 17 NAS). The word “heir” means you can claim every blessing and benefit Christ purchased for you at the cross. Every single one without exception!
Soul food: Exo 13-15; Luke 12:22-34; Ps 66:1-12; Prov 6:20-22
2019-02-26
Proverbs 4:23 NLT
When Satan sets out to destroy you, he starts by planting wrong thoughts in your mind. Jesus illustrated this when He said, “The law of Moses said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say: Anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28 TLB). Before you surrender to sin in reality, you entertain it as fantasy. Evil thoughts aren’t really yours until you allow them to “move in and rearrange the furniture.” Left unchecked to ramble through your mind, a thought can attach itself to an incident in your past or a proclivity in your present and feed on it until it’s like a tumor growing inside you. Paul warns, “Take captive every thought…make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV). And Solomon writes, “Guard your heart…for it determines the course of your life.” Don’t give wrong thoughts an inch or they will take a mile. Evict them before they weaken your commitment to Christ and leave you in the place of regret. Generally speaking, when we clean house we focus on what others can see and inspect. Imagine how much mental junk we collect because we think nobody sits in our heads examining our thoughts. But God does! David said, “Lord…you know all about me” (Psalm 139:1 CEV). Knowing that should lead you to pray: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord” (Psalm 19:14).
Soul food: Exo 10-12; Luke 12:13-21; Ps 61; Prov 6:16-19
