2020-11-22
Psalm 34:8 NCV
The psalmist said, “Examine and see how good the Lord is.” Pay particular attention to the words “examine” and “good.” What you believe about God manifests itself in the way you live. What does it mean to be “good”? It means living up to the best you know. And since God is omniscient (all-knowing), He knows what your best is! His goodness is beyond all question. Because God is good – not just pious, but really, practically, consistently good – your cup of well-being, security, peace, confidence, and joy can be overflowing!
A good God cannot break His promise, abandon His children, or fail to love and bless them. You can be sure that in every circumstance He will treat you in the best possible way.
When your life seems to be falling apart, sometimes it’s difficult to see God’s goodness or feel that things will get better. That’s when you must use the faith God has already given you, and by an act of your will, trust Him (See Romans 12:3).
A wise pastor was asked by a troubled parishioner, “Pastor, does the world look like a wreck to you too?” He replied, “Yes, like the wreck of a bursting seed!” Without undergoing the “wreck” stage, during which its world literally falls apart, the acorn could never give life to an oak tree. So embrace God’s will in this trial because it’s “good, acceptable and perfect,” regardless of how it feels to you right now (See Romans 12:2). Ultimately, you’ll “see how good the Lord is. Happy is the person who trusts in him!”
Soul food: Gen 24:1-51; 2 Cor 6:14-7:1
Psalm 34:9 NLV
Die Psalmdigter het gesê: ‘Beproef en sien dat die Here goed is…’ Wat jy van God glo, sal in die manier waarop jy jou lewe lei, manifesteer. Wat beteken dit om ‘goed’ te wees? Dit beteken dat jy jou lewe op die beste manier wat jy kan, lei. Omdat God alwetend is, weet Hy wat jou beste is! Sy goedheid kan nie bevraagteken word nie. Omdat God goed is – nie net op ‘n vroom manier nie, maar waarlik, prakties, konsekwent goed is – kan jou sin van welstand, sekuriteit, vrede, selfvertroue en vreugde oorvloedig wees. ‘n Goeie God kan nie sy belofte verbreek, sy kinders verlaat of hulle nie liefhê en seën nie. Jy kan verseker wees dat Hy jou in elke omstandigheid op die beste moontlike manier sal behandel.
Wanneer dit voel of jou lewe uitmekaar val, is dit soms moeilik om God se goedheid raak te sien of te voel dat dinge beter sal raak. Dis wanneer jy die geloof wat God reeds vir jou gegee het moet gebruik en deur ‘n daad van jou wil op Hom moet vertrou (sien Romeine 12:3).
‘n Wyse pastoor is een keer deur ‘n moedelose gemeentelid gevra: ‘Pastoor, lyk die wêreld ook vir jou soos ‘n wrak?’ Hy het geantwoord: ‘Ja, soos die wrak van ‘n gebarste saad!’ Sonder om deur die ‘wrak’ stadium te gaan, waar die wêreld letterlik uitmekaar val, kan die akker nooit aan die eikeboom lewe gee nie.
Omhels dus God se wil gedurende hierdie toets, omdat dit ‘goed en aanvaarbaar en volmaak is,’ ongeag hoe dit tans vir jou voel (sien Romeine 12:2). Uiteindelik sal jy ‘sien dat die Here goed is. Geseënd is die persoon wat op Hom vertrou!’
Sielskos: Gen 24:1-51; 2 Kor 6:14-7:1
2020-11-21
Mark 5:19 NKJV
Have you ever been having such a great time somewhere, or with someone, that you never wanted to leave? That’s how the man in Mark chapter 5 felt after Jesus healed him from a life of torment. He wanted to travel with Jesus, listen to His teachings, witness His miracles, and enjoy His company. But Jesus told him to go home and tell His family what God had done for him.
God doesn’t want us to live separate from the rest of the world or keep things to ourselves. After we’ve received a blessing or miracle from God, we need to take what we’ve received and share it with others. The man in Mark 5 had spent years living in a graveyard. He had been ‘crying out and cutting himself with stones’ (v.5 NKJV). Now the crowd saw him ‘sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind’ (Luke 8:35 NKJV). And that’s how it works for us when we cry out to Him for help.
First Jesus clothes us in His righteousness, then He calls us. Paul wrote, ‘Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun’ (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT). ‘Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life’ (1 Corinthians 15:22 NLT). And when we’ve received our new life, we need to tell others about God’s goodness, so they can also make the choice to cry out to God and receive salvation and new life.
2 Chr 12-15; John 12:20-36; Ps 102:12-17; Prov 27:10-12
Mark 5:19 NKJV
Have you ever been somewhere so wonderful that you never wanted to leave? That’s how the man in Mark chapter 5 felt after Jesus healed him from a life of insanity. He wanted to travel with Jesus, listen to His teachings, witness His miracles, and enjoy His company. But Jesus told him to go home and tell His family what God had done for him. God doesn’t want you to live remote and distant from the rest of the world! The only way to keep what you have, is to give it away. After a spiritual mountaintop experience, you must take what you’ve received and share it with those in the valley.
The man in today’s reading had spent years living in a graveyard. He was cutting himself and raving incoherently. Now the crowd saw him “sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind” (Luke 8:35 NKJV). And that’s still how it works. First Jesus clothes you, then He calls you. When you come to Him, you’re spiritually naked, so He wraps you in His righteousness.
Paul says, “Any man…in Christ…is a new creature: old things are passed away…all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV). Whereas you were once “in Adam” where all die, now you’re “in Christ” where all are made alive spiritually (See 1 Corinthians 15:22).
Hymnist Edwin Mote wrote: “Clothed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.” But never forget that once you’re “clothed and in your right mind,” it’s your God-given mandate to go out and tell others what the Lord has done for you.
Soul food: 2 Chr 12-15; John 12:20-36; Ps 102:12-17; Prov 27:10-12
Markus 5:19 NLV
Was jy al ooit op so ‘n wonderlike plek dat jy nooit daarvan wou weggaan nie? Dis hoe die man in Markus hoofstuk 5 gevoel het nadat Jesus hom van ‘n lewe van waansinnigheid genees het. Hy wou saam met Jesus reis, na sy lesse luister, sy wonderwerke sien en sy geselskap geniet. Jesus het egter vir hom gesê om huis toe te gaan en sy familie te vertel wat God vir hom gedoen het. God wil nie hê dat jy verafgeleë en apart van die wêreld moet lewe nie! Die enigste manier om dit wat jy het te behou, is om dit weg te gee. Na ‘n geestelike bergtop ervaring, moet jy dit wat jy ontvang het neem en met die mense in die vallei deel.
Die man in vandag se teksvers het jare lank in die begrafplaas gewoon. Hy het homself gesny en onsamehangend geskree. Later het die mense hom: ‘…by Jesus se voete sien sit, geklee en by sy volle verstand…’ (Lukas 8:35 NLV). Dis hoe dit steeds werk. Eers klee Jesus jou, dan roep Hy jou. Wanneer jy na Hom toe kom, is jy geestelik naak, dus vou Hy jou in sy geregtigheid toe.
Paulus sê: ‘…iemand wat één is met Christus, is ‘n nuwe skepping. Die ou dinge is verby, kyk, die nuwe is hier!’ (2 Korintiërs 5:17 NLV). Waar jy eens ‘in Adam’ was waar almal sterf, is jy nou ‘in Christus’ waar almal geestelik lewend gemaak word (sien 1 Korintiërs 15:22). Die gesangeskrywer Edwin Mote het geskryf: ‘Clothed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.’
Moet egter nooit vergeet dat wanneer jy ‘geklee en by jou volle verstand is,’ dat dit jou Godgegewe mandaat is om uit te gaan en vir ander mense te vertel wat die Here vir jou gedoen het nie.
Sielskos: 2 Kro 12-15; Joh 12:20-36; Ps 102:12-17; Spr 27:10-12
