2020-07-06
Deuteronomy 8:18 NLT
The famous inventor Samuel Morse dreamed of one day becoming a great painter. He even traveled to Paris in the pursuit of his dream. Years before, his preacher father, Jedediah Morse, had counseled him, using the words of the Earl of Chesterfield: “Attend to one thing at a time. The steady, undissipated attention to one object is the sure mark of a superior genius.” As a result, Morse threw himself into painting. But after a series of setbacks, he finally abandoned it. The crushing moment came when he lost the appointment to paint a historic mural at the capital in Washington, D.C., and he gave up painting entirely. Writing about Samuel Morse in his book The Greater Journey, historian David McCullough says: “He must attend to one thing at a time, his father had preached. The ‘one thing’ henceforth would be his telegraph…Had he not stopped painting when he did, no successful electromagnetic telegraph would have happened when it did, or at least not a Morse electromagnetic telegraph.” Relatively late in his career, Samuel Morse gave up painting to focus on inventing the telegraph, and, eventually, a language called Morse code that transformed how the world communicates. The Bible says, “The Lord your God… is the one who gives you power to be successful.” And here’s the good news – there’s no age limit with God! He can give you success at the beginning, in the middle, or at the very end of your life. But in order to grasp the thing at which you will succeed, you must be willing to let go of the thing at which you have failed.
Soul food: Jer 28-30; Luke 5:12-26; Ps 110; Prov 15:8-9
Deuteronomium 8:18 NLV
Die beroemde uitvinder, Samuel Morse, het daarvan gedroom om eendag ‘n groot skilder te wees. Hy het selfs na Parys gereis om sy droom na te streef. Jare tevore, het sy prediker-pa, Jedediah Morse, hom raad in die woorde van die Graaf van Chesterfield gegee: ‘Fokus op een ding op ‘n slag. Die standvastige aandag op een item is die ware teken van ‘n meerderwaardige intellek.’ Gevolglik het Morse hom in sy kuns gewerp. Na ‘n reeks terugslae, het hy dit op die ou einde prysgegee. Die finale terugslag was toe hy nie gekies is om ‘n historiese muurskildery in Washington te verf nie. Die historikus, David McCullough, sê in sy boek The Greater Journey: ‘Hy moet aan een ding op ‘n slag sy aandag gee, het sy pa vir hom gepreek. Daardie ‘een ding’ sou uiteindelik sy telegraaf wees. As hy nie ophou skilder het nie, sou Morse nooit die suksesvolle elektromagnetiese telegraaf uitgevind het nie.’ Samuel Morse het redelik laat in sy loopbaan sy skilderkuns opgegee om daarop te fokus om die telegraaf uit te vind en uiteindelik het ‘n taal genaamd ‘Morse Kode’ die manier wat die wêreld kommunikeer, getransformeer. Die Bybel sê: ‘Onthou altyd dat dit die Here jou God is wat vir jou die krag gee om ryk te word…’ Goeie nuus: God het nie ‘n ouderdomsbeperking nie! Hy kan jou sukses aan die begin, die middel of die einde van jou lewe gee. Jy moet egter bereid wees om die dinge waarin jy misluk het te laat gaan, om sodoende die ding waarin jy sukses sal behaal, aan te gryp.
Sielskos: Jer 28-30; Luk 5:12-26; Ps 110; Spr 15:8-9
Psalm 71:21 NIVUK
When we’ve experienced failure, it can be challenging to let it go and believe that one day we’ll experience success. We know we should pick ourselves up and try again, but that can be easier said than done. Our failures can weigh heavy on our minds and can cause us to doubt our abilities. We might even start to doubt our calling from God. But in order for us to move into success, we need to be willing to let go of the times we’ve failed. In Psalm 71, we find David in a bad situation. Things in his life haven’t gone well and he’s crying out to God. When we’re feeling like this, we have a choice to make. We can either dwell on our failures and fears, or we can look to God. David chose to fix his eyes on God rather than stay stuck in his circumstances. He said: ‘As for me, I shall always have hope; I will praise you more and more’ (Psalm 71:14 NIV). He chose to have hope and to worship despite his circumstances. David went on to say, ‘You will increase my honour and comfort me once more.’ David knew that, with God, there’s always a promise of better times to come. He knew that God hadn’t abandoned him, and that He was going to bring honour back into his life. When we’ve experienced trials and failures, we need to choose to look to God and have hope. Other people, and the enemy, can try and convince us that we’ve messed up too many times and that there’s no future for us in God’s kingdom, but that’s not true. God can redeem every mistake and failure. We just need to turn our eyes to Him.
Jer 28-30; Luke 5:12-26; Ps 110; Prov 15:8-9
2020-07-05
Deuteronomy 11:2 GNT
When you listen to people who have had near-death experiences, they’ll tell you things worth remembering: “Life is fragile and precious. I’ve decided to spend less time at work and more with my wife and family. I have a new compassion for people, more understanding and sympathy. I’ve come to know the Lord in a deeper and richer way than I ever thought possible.” Instead of asking, “Why, Lord?” they asked, “What do You want me to learn from this experience?” It’s not that we are slow learners, we’re just quick forgetters. That’s why God told His people, “Remember today what you have learned about the Lord through your experiences with Him.” So instead of asking God to improve your circumstances, ask Him to use your circumstances to improve you. Life is a required course, so you might as well do your best to pass it. God is at work in your life, whether you know it or not. “He takes no pleasure in making life hard, in throwing roadblocks in the way” (Lamentations 3:33 MSG). God does not delight in your sufferings, but He delights in your development. “God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished” (Philippians 1:6 NCV). He will not fail. Why? Because He cannot fail! He will “work in us what is pleasing to him” (Hebrews 13:21 NIV). Every challenge, large or small, is equipping you for the future God has in mind for you.
Soul food: Jas 5:16-18; 1 Kings 18; 2 Kings 2:1-12
Deuteronomium 11:2 DB
Wanneer jy na mense luister wat ‘n byna-dood ervaring gehad het, sal hulle vir jou dinge vertel wat die moeite werd is om te onthou: ‘Die lewe is broos en kosbaar. Ek het besluit om minder tyd by die werk en meer tyd saam met my vrou en familie te spandeer. Ek het ‘n nuwe deernis vir mense, meer begrip en simpatie. Ek het die Here op ‘n dieper en ryker manier leer ken as wat ek ooit gedink het moontlik is.’ In plaas van om te vra: ‘Hoekom, Here?’ vra hulle: ‘Wat wil U my uit hierdie ervaring leer?’ Dis nie omdat ons stadige leerders is nie, ons is net vinnig om te vergeet. Dis hoekom God vir sy mense gesê het: ‘Onthou al die wonderlike dinge wat die Here julle geleer en vir julle gedoen het…’ In plaas daarvan om vir God te vra om jou omstandighede te verbeter, vra Hom om jou omstandighede te gebruik om jou te verbeter. Die lewe is ‘n verpligte kursus, so jy kan net sowel jou beste doen om dit te slaag. God is aan die werk in jou lewe, of jy dit nou weet of nie. ‘Die Here verneder nie graag mense nie. Hy laat hulle ook nie verniet seerkry nie’ (Klaagliedere 3:33 DB). God vind geen vreugde in jou lyding nie, maar Hy geniet jou vordering. ‘Ek is oortuig dat God die goeie werk wat Hy in julle begin het, sal voortsit totdat Hy dit voltooi…’ (Filippense 1:6 NLV). Hy sal nie misluk nie, want Hy kan nie misluk nie! Hy sal in ons, ‘…tot stand bring wat God se hart sal bly maak…’ (Hebreërs 13:21 NLV). Elke uitdaging, groot en klein, rus jou vir die toekoms wat God vir jou in gedagte het, toe.
Sielskos: Jak 5:16-18; 1 Kon 18; 2 Kon 2:1-12
