Behou hierdie jaar jou vreugde!

2020-01-01
Nehemia 8:10 NLV

Wanneer jy na die Hallelujakoor van Händel luister, besef jy dat hy deur God geïnspireer was. Hy het die hele Messias in net drie weke geskryf. Hy sê dat die musiek letterlik na hom in ‘n warrelwind van note gekom het. Hy het koorsig gekomponeer, asof hy deur ‘n onsigbare komponis gedryf is om pen op papier te sit. Hy het geskryf toe sy sig besig was om te verswak en toe hy voor die bedreiging van die tronk gestaan het, omdat hy ‘n berg onbetaalde rekeninge gehad het. Die meeste van ons vind dit moeilik om onder stres te skep, veral wanneer fisiese of finansiële probleme aan die kern van daardie stres lê. Tog het Händel dit gedoen. Hoe het hy dit gedoen? Hy skryf die voltooiing van sy meesterstuk aan een ding toe: vreugde. Hy word aangehaal waar hy sê dat dit gevoel het of hy wou bars van vreugde oor dit wat hy in sy gedagtes en sy hart gehoor het. In plaas daarvan om te sterf, soos hy gedink het hy sou, het hy gelewe om te sien hoe sy komposisie ‘n gekoesterde tradisie en populêre werk word. Hy het ook gesien hoe dit gebruik word om groot bedrae geld vir die armes en haweloses in te samel. Die Bybel sê: ‘…die blydskap wat die Here gee, sal julle krag wees!’ Een van die eerste dinge wat Satan sal aanval, is jou vreugde. Jesus het gesê: ‘Dit het Ek vir julle gesê sodat julle my blydskap mag ervaar en julle blydskap volkome kan wees’ (Johannes 15:11 NLV). Dit maak dus nie saak wat hierdie jaar gebeur nie, behou jou vreugde!

Sielskos: Rom 13:12-14:19; Joh 1:1-14

This year – keep your joy!


Nehemiah 8:10 NIV

When you listen to a great choir sing the Hallelujah Chorus, you realize that Handel was inspired by God. He wrote the entire Messiah in three weeks. He said the music literally “came to him” in a flurry of notes and motifs. He wrote feverishly, and as if driven by an unseen composer to put pen to paper. Yet he wrote it when his eyesight was failing, and he was facing the threat of dying in a debtors’ prison because of a mountain of outstanding bills. Most of us find it difficult to create under stress, especially when physical or financial problems are at the root of that stress. And yet Handel did. How? He credits the completion of his masterpiece to one thing: joy. He is quoted as saying that he felt as if he would “burst with joy” at what he was hearing in his mind and heart. Instead of dying, as he thought he would, he lived to see his oratorio become a cherished tradition and a popular work. And he also saw it succeed in raising vast sums of money for the poor and destitute. The Bible says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” And one of the first things Satan will attack is your joy. He knows it’s the spiritual and emotional fuel you run on. Jesus said, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full” (John 15:11). Note the words “remain in you.” So: No matter what happens this year, keep your joy!

Soul food: Rom 13:12-14:19; John 1:1-14