2020-09-05
Psalm 13:2 NLV
Toe Kelly James en twee vriende wat saam met hom op Oregon se Hoodberg rotsgeklim het sterf, het sy broer Frank, ‘n professor in teologie, erken: ‘Dis een ding om in die abstrak van die dood te praat. Dis iets anders om die dood van ‘n geliefde te hanteer. Die dood is lelik. Ons kan nie – ons moenie – probeer om dit met vrome gemeenplasies aanvaarbaar te maak nie. Een vraag spook by my: ‘Waar was God toe Kelly doodgevries het?’ Vir my om dit nie te vra nie, sal wees om God nie ernstig op te neem nie. Ek stel nie voor dat ons as sterflinge God moet oordeel nie; God rapporteer nie aan my nie. ‘n Eerlike vraag uit ‘n gebroke hart is egter ‘n goeie en regverdige ding.’ Dawid was nie bang om vir God te vra: ‘Hoe lank sal U nog anderpad kyk?’ nie. ‘n Paar verse later verklaar dieselfde benoude Dawid egter: ‘Maar ek maak staat op u troue liefde…’ (Psalm 13:6 NLV). Frank James vervolg: ‘Tussendeur al die geestelike konsternasie het God Homself in my rou gemanifesteer. Hy was in my teleurstelling, verwardheid en rou emosies te vinde. My konsep van geloof het soos Abraham s’n geword. Ek moet God vertrou selfs al verstaan ek nie. Tussen genoeg trane om ‘n oseaan te vul, moes ons almal al geliefdes begrawe het. Ons begrawe hulle egter met hierdie belofte: ‘Almal van ons sterf omdat ons almal aan Adam, die eerste mens, verbonde is. Net so sal almal wat aan Christus, die ander mens, verbonde is, weer lewendig gemaak word’ (1 Korintiërs 15:42 NLV). Dit vrywaar ons nie van rou nie. Dit neem egter ons geloof na dieptes waar hoop deur die hartseer begin deurdring, soos ‘n sonstraal deur ‘n bewolkte hemel deurbreek.’
Sielskos: Eseg 14:1-16:52; Luk 20:9-19; Ps 112; Spr 20:1-4
Psalm 13:1 NIV
When Kelly James and two climbing buddies died on Oregon’s Mount Hood, his brother Frank, a professor of theology, admitted: “It’s one thing to talk about death in the abstract. It’s another to cope with the death of someone you love…Death is ugly. We can’t – and shouldn’t – try to make it palatable with pious platitudes…One question haunts me, ‘Where was God when Kelly was freezing to death?’ For me not to ask would be a failure to take God seriously…I’m not suggesting mere mortals stand in judgment of God…God doesn’t report to me. But an honest question from a broken heart is a good and righteous thing.” David wasn’t afraid to ask God, “How long will you hide your face?” Then a few verses later the same distressed David declares, “But I trust in your unfailing love” (Psalm 13:5 NIV). Frank James continues: “Amid all the spiritual consternation God manifested Himself in my grief. Somehow He’s found in the disappointment, confusion, and raw emotions. This doesn’t exactly make sense to me, and I don’t like it. But my concept of faith has become Abrahamic…I must trust God even when I don’t understand…as Christians have confessed for centuries, ‘We look for the resurrection of the dead’ (See 1 Corinthians 15:42)…Amid enough tears to fill an ocean…we’ve had to bury loved ones. But we bury them with this promise, ‘For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive’ (1 Corinthians 15:22 NIV). It doesn’t indemnify us against grief…It does, however, take faith to depths where hope begins to poke through the heartache, like a sunbeam piercing a cloudy sky.”
Soul food: Eze 14:1-16:52; Luke 20:9-19; Ps 112; Prov 20:1-4
Psalm 13:1 NIV
When life is difficult, we can find ourselves thinking negatively, even questioning God. We sometimes allow this to damage our relationship with Him, worrying about sharing our raw, difficult thoughts in prayer. This often stops us praying altogether. But the truth is, God knows our hearts anyway. He welcomes us to share all our thoughts with Him. Psalm 139 says: ‘Lord, you have examined me and know all about me… you know my thoughts before I think them’ (Psalm 139:1-2 NCV). God wants us to be honest with Him. We’re only more likely to drift away form Him, and to continue hurting, if we don’t talk to Him at all. David begins Psalm 13 with an honest and desperate question to God. In verse 1 he asks, ‘How long will you hide your face?’ (NIV). Then a few verses later, the same hurting David declares, ‘But I trust in your unfailing love, my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me’ (vv. 5-6 NIV). David teaches us that crying out to God doesn’t mean that we can’t also praise Him. Even when we don’t understand, even when it hurts, we can still trust Him. Worshipping God in the middle of our questions can become a part of our healing. Yes, there are some questions that are so big that they will never be answered here on earth. We can wrestle with huge problems like death and suffering, and bring our thoughts and questions about everything honestly before God. All of that is okay, as long as we remember that our Father always loves us. We have to hold tight to our trust in Him, and continue to share praise for everything the He is.
Eze 14:1-16:52; Luke 20:9-19; Ps 112; Prov 20:1-4
2020-09-04
Hosea 2:15 NIV
Biblical references to valleys generally symbolize a state of hopelessness. The Valley of Achor [judgment] got its name when Achan’s family was stoned to death and Israel’s armies were defeated (See Joshua 7:25-26). Feeling hopeless is part of the human condition, and many of history’s most notable heroes experienced it. William Penn said, “There is scarcely anything around us but ruin and despair.” Lord Shaftesbury announced, “Nothing can save the British Empire from shipwreck.” Benjamin Disraeli declared, “In industry, commerce, and agriculture there is no hope.” And Lord Grey lamented, “The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see the light again in our lifetime.” There are naysayers and prophets of doom everywhere, and if you buy what they’re selling, you’ll end up convinced there’s no hope for your situation. Nothing could be further from the truth! Paul said, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope…He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23 NKJV). God can transform your “Valley of Achor [into] a door of hope.” It’s the same promise He made to His people even after they’d turned their backs on Him. He said in Isaiah 65:10, “The Achor Valley will be a resting place…for my people who search for me” (GWT). As Henry Blackaby observes: “Optimists don’t ignore the difficulties, but the knowledge of God’s presence prevents them from becoming discouraged…It’s impossible to stand in His presence and be a pessimist. If we focus on our problems they’ll seem gigantic. But as we focus on God we see our situation in perspective and are assured that all things are possible.”
Soul food: Eze 10-13; Luke 20:1-8; Ps 20; Prov 19:24-29
Hosea 2:15 NIV
In the Bible, references to valleys usually symbolise hopelessness. Feeling hopeless is something that we all experience, and it’s something that many people in the Bible felt too. David said: ‘My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear’ (Psalm 38:4 NIV). After several victories, Elijah ran away and said to God: ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors’ (1 Kings 19:4 NIV). And Job said: ‘I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest; only trouble comes’ (Job 3:26 NLT). These were all men of God, but they still felt immense despair at times. When we feel the same way, we can become convinced that there’s no hope, but Paul said: ‘Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise’ (Hebrews 10:23 NLT). The Valley of Achor (which means ‘trouble’) got its name when Achan’s family was stoned to death and Israel’s armies were defeated (see Joshua 7:25-26). But even after God’s people had turned away from Him, He promised: ‘The Valley of Achor will be a place for herds to rest. They will be for the people who want to follow me’ (Isaiah 65:10 NCV). God can transform our own valleys into places of rest and hope. When we focus on our problems, they can seem massive and overwhelming to us. But when we focus on God and try to see things from His perspective, we’ll realise that He can lift us up to overcome any obstacle we’re facing. Nothing is too big for Him to deal with, and ‘nothing will be impossible with God’ (Luke 1:37 ESV).
Eze 10-13; Luke 20:1-8; Ps 20; Prov 19:24-29
