2021-06-04
1 Corinthians 13:8 NKJV
Love is a powerful force in dealing with others, and the Bible says that it “never fails.” Other things fail, but not love. Most of us have heard the story of Helen Keller who became blind and deaf as a toddler after an illness, and yet went on to impact the world with her courage and kindness. But there is a “story behind the story.”
It’s about “little Annie,” who was locked in the dungeon of a mental institution outside Boston – the only place, said the doctors, for the hopelessly insane. At times, Annie behaved like an animal, attacking those who came close to her cage. At other times, she sat in a daze. But an elderly nurse who held out hope for all God’s children began taking her lunch break in the dungeon, just outside little Annie’s cage. She hoped in some way to communicate love to her.
One day she left her dessert – a chocolate brownie – next to Annie’s cage. Annie made no response. But the next day, the nurse found the brownie had been eaten, so every Thursday she brought one to Annie. As the weeks passed, doctors began to notice improvement in little Annie. After several months, they moved her upstairs. And eventually the day came when this “hopeless case” was told she could return home.
By that time, however, Annie was an adult and she chose to stay at the institution and help others. One of those she cared for, taught, and nurtured was Helen Keller. Little Annie’s full name was – Anne Sullivan.
Since God loves us and never gives up on us, we must do that for one another. And that’s the word for you today.
Soul food: Rev 15-18; Mark 14:12-26; Ps 124; Prov 12:26
2021-06-03
Psalm 63:1 KJV
What are the first moments of your day like? Do you turn on the TV, or rush into the bathroom, or allow your “to do” list to come rushing in?
Instead, try lying there quietly and allowing God to speak to you. With your mind a blank slate and your heart open, He will give you insights, ideas, solutions to problems, and the knowledge that He will be with you today.
Author Colleen Townsend Evans writes: “Silence need not be awkward or embarrassing, for to be with one you love without the need for words is a beautiful and satisfying form of communication. I remember times when our children used to come running to me, all of them clattering at once about the events of their day – it was wonderful to have them share their feelings with me. But there were also times when they came to me wanting only to be held, to have me stroke their heads and caress them into sleep. And so it is, sometimes, with us and God our father. At times your most powerful prayers will be thoughts rather than words. Your words are limited by your vocabulary, but your thought life is an arena of infinite capacity in which God can give you life-changing concepts.”
Paul writes, “We have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). So be still and let Him think His thoughts through you. John writes, “You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things” (1 John 2:20 NKJV). God can cause you to “know” what you need to do, so give Him the first moments of your day.
Soul food: Rev 10-14; Mark 14:1-11; Ps 4; Prov 12:25
Psalm 5:3 NIV
What are the first moments of your day like? Do you check your phone, or rush around getting ready, or worry about how much you need to do and what the day ahead holds?
Instead, when you wake up, try sitting quietly and letting God to speak to you before doing anything else. The psalmist wrote: ‘In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.’ When we keep our hearts open and hopeful, and give God our full attention, He’ll give us insights, ideas, solutions to problems, and confidence that He’ll be with us through the day. We don’t always need to speak to communicate with Him.
There’s so much value in simply resting in silence and enjoying His presence. And because we’re not having to think about what we want to say, we can avoid being distracted and missing what God wants to say to us. There might be times when we don’t need to hear God speak, we just need to be with Him and let His love wash over us, easing our minds and soothing our spirits.
Giving God the first moments of our day shows that we’re putting Him first in our lives, and seeking His wisdom and guidance every day. Paul wrote, ‘we have the mind of Christ’ (1 Corinthians 2:16). So let’s be still and let Him think His thoughts through us. And John wrote, ‘You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things’ (1 John 2:20 NKJV). God can cause us to ‘know’ what we need to do, so let’s give Him the first moments of our day.
Rev 10-14; Mark 14:1-11; Ps 4; Prov 12:25
Psalm 63:2 NLV
Hoe lyk die eerste oomblikke van jou dag? Skakel jy die televisie aan, of haas jy jou na die badkamer, of begin jy dadelik op jou lysie vir die dag fokus?
Probeer eerder om stil daar te lê en God toe te laat om met jou te praat. Met jou gedagtes wat op ‘n skoon bladsy is en jou hart wat oop is, sal Hy vir jou insigte, idees, oplossings vir probleme en die wete dat Hy vandag by jou sal wees, gee.
Colleen Townsend Evans skryf: ‘Stilte hoef nie ongemaklik of verleë te wees nie. Om sonder woorde by die persoon vir wie jy lief is te wees, is ‘n pragtige en bevredigende vorm van kommunikasie. Ek onthou tye wat ons kinders na my toe aangehardloop gekom het, almal van hulle gelyk aan die praat oor die dinge wat die dag met hulle gebeur het – dit was wonderlik dat hulle hul gevoelens met my gedeel het. Daar was egter ook tye wat hulle net wou gehad het dat ek hulle moet vashou, hulle hare moet streel en hulle aan die slaap moet sus. So is dit ook soms tussen ons en God, ons Vader. Met tye sal jou kragtigste gebede gedagtes, eerder as woorde, wees. Jou woorde word deur jou woordeskat beperk, maar jou gedagtes het oneindige kapasiteit waarin God vir jou lewensveranderende konsepte kan gee.’
Paulus skryf: ‘…ons is ingestel om soos Christus te dink’ (1 Korintiërs 2:16 NLV). Word dus stil en laat Hom toe om sy gedagtes deur jou te dink. Johannes skryf: ‘Julle almal weet egter waaroor dit gaan, want julle dra die salwing van die Heilige Gees’ (1 Johannes 2:20 NLV). God kan jou laat ‘weet’ wat jy nodig het, gee Hom dus die eerste oomblikke van jou dag.
Sielskos: Op 10-14; Mark 14:1-11; Ps 4; Spr 12:25
2021-06-02
Colossians 3:13 NIV
Our families can be great sources of love, comfort and support. But they can also be sources of stress and conflict. So we each need to play our part in strengthening our families and bringing God’s love into their midst. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
1) Family can be one of Satan’s favourite targets. He was angry because Job’s family was a source of delight to God. So when our family is harmonious and blessed, he’ll try to attack it. He wants to stir up trouble and disappointment, using our weaknesses. He tries to take our focus away from God and onto ourselves, and fuels our imagination so we’ll have unrealistic expectations of others. We should try to be protective over our families and try to build our awareness of how Satan might use our weaknesses against us so we’re ready if he tries to attack.
2) Our mindset determines our mood. Thoughts have presence. The moment someone walks into a room, they can often sense conflict or contentment, jealousy or joy, etc. And attitudes are contagious. One bad-tempered or negative person can affect the feelings of the whole group. Our attitude can have an impact on our families. The good news is that it works for positive attitudes too. Even if we’re having a family disagreement, it can make such a difference to the atmosphere if we remain calm, positive and loving.
3) Understanding comes by listening. Love is about listening more and talking less. To help keep our families strong and united, we need to become good listeners so others have space to explain their feelings and share their emotions, and we can gain a better understanding of them. Let’s do everything we can to strengthen our families and demonstrate God’s love to them.
Rev 5-9; Mark 13:24-37; Ps 121; Prov 12:23-24
