2021-08-30
Job 29:24 NLV
‘n Pastoor het vir twaalf jaar by ‘n kerk gedien. Hy het die gewoonte gedurende die oggenddiens op ‘n Sondag gehad om die kinders net voor sy preek vorentoe te roep, sodat hulle na hul eie spesiale kinderkerk kon gaan. Die kinders sou verby die preekstoel loop en hy sou ‘n punt maak om vir elkeen van hulle te glimlag en het glimlagte in ruil daarvoor teruggekry. ‘Dit was een van die hoogtepunte van die diens vir my’ het hy onthou.
Een dag het hy blykbaar egter een kind in die skare gemis en nie vir haar geglimlag nie. Die vierjarige krulkoppie het gehardloop en haarself huilend in haar ma se arms gegooi, terwyl sy gesnik het asof haar hart breek. Na die diens het die pastoor gaan uitvind wat gebeur het. Die ma het verduidelik dat haar kind gesê het: ‘Ek het vir God geglimlag, maar hy het nie terug geglimlag nie!’ Die pastoor het daaroor nagedink: ‘Vir daardie kind het ek God verteenwoordig. Ek het met my glimlag misluk en die wêreld het donker geword.’
Soos jy deur hierdie dag beweeg, wy jouself daaraan toe om die glimlag-strategie te gebruik. Jy sê: ‘Ek het meer probleme as Job, so ek het niks om oor te glimlag nie.’ Job het meer moeilikheid in ‘n jaar as wat die meeste van ons in ‘n leeftyd sal hê, gehad. Alhoewel hy egter af was, het hy ander mense opgehef. Alhoewel hy wanhopig was, het hy ander mense aangemoedig. Hoe het hy dit gedoen? ‘Hulle het gewag vir my om te praat, soos ‘n mens wag op reën… Wanneer hulle moedeloos was, het ek hulle met ‘n glimlag bemoedig. Wanneer ek met goedkeuring na hulle kyk, was dit vir hulle kosbaar’ (verse 23-24 NLV).
Sielskos: Eseg 10-13; Luk 18:31-43; Ps 84; Spr 19:11
2021-08-29
1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT
The Message paraphrases David’s words: ‘I’d rather scrub floors in the house of…God than be honoured as a guest in the palace of sin’ (Psalm 84:10 MSG). Along those lines Joni Eareckson Tada wrote: ‘Elsie runs a Christian home for young girls who’ve left lives of prostitution and drug dealing on the streets of Hollywood. She walks the streets, shares the gospel, and leads these girls to Christ. If these new converts truly desire to change their lives and commit to new responsibilities, they’ve a place in Elsie’s home. Pam is one such convert…A Christian with a sweet spirit, she bears scars from knife fights and heroin needles…I sensed her joy and deep appreciation when she explained her role…”I scrub the toilets and bathrooms…That’s my job and I love it!” This young woman was so grateful to have structure in her life, safety in her surroundings, and an honest-to-goodness job of service in Christ’s kingdom…that a day of ministry in Elsie’s home was far better than a thousand days lived in the sordid pursuit of self-destructive pleasures…Her humble spirit towards her job…her delight in cleaning toilets sprang from a keen awareness of her role in the body of Christ. Few believers have a background like Pam’s, but every day each of us rolls our sleeves up to accomplish menial, basic tasks – changing oil [in the car], changing ink cartridges in printers, or changing [nappies].’
There are so many everyday tasks that we find boring, but when we ‘serve the LORD with gladness’ (Psalm 100:2 KJV), we’ll be able to find joy in them because we remember who we’re working for.
Gen 6:9-8:4; Matt 24:37-51
1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT
David said, “I’d rather scrub floors in the house of…God than be honoured as a guest in the palace of sin” (Psalm 84:10 MSG).
Along those lines Joni Eareckson Tada writes: “Elsie runs a Christian home for young girls who’ve left lives of prostitution and drug dealing on the streets of Hollywood. She walks the streets, shares the gospel, and leads these girls to Christ. If these new converts truly desire to change their lives and commit to new responsibilities, they’ve a place in Elsie’s home. Pam is one such convert…A Christian with a sweet spirit, she bears scars from knife fights and heroin needles. Her arms are marred with tattoos. I sensed her joy and deep appreciation when she explained her role…’I scrub the toilets and bathrooms…That’s my job and I love it!’ This young woman was so grateful to have structure in her life, safety in her surroundings, and an honest-to-goodness job of service in Christ’s kingdom…that a day of ministry in Elsie’s home was far better than a thousand days lived in the sordid pursuit of self-destructive pleasures…Her humble spirit towards her job…her delight in cleaning toilets sprang from a keen awareness of her role in the body of Christ. Few believers have a background like Pam’s, but every day each of us rolls our sleeves up to accomplish menial, basic tasks – changing oil at Jiffy Lube, changing ink cartridges in printers, or changing diapers (perhaps on an elderly parent).”
So, how’s your attitude toward menial work? When you “serve the Lord with gladness” (Psalm 100:2) you find joy in everyday chores because you remember who you’re working for.
Soul food: Gen 6:9-8:4; Matt 24:37-51
1 Korintiërs 10:31 NLV
Dawid het gesê: ‘…Ek sal liewer net ‘n deurwag in u huis wees as om in die grootste paleise saam met mense te bly wat nie van U hou nie’ (Psalm 84:11 DB). In ooreenstemming hiermee, skryf Joni Eareckson Tada: ‘Elsie bestuur ‘n Christelike huis vir jong meisies wat die lewe van prostitusie en dwelms op die strate van Hollywood agtergelaat het. Sy stap in die strate, deel die Evangelie en lei hierdie meisies na Christus toe. As hierdie nuwe bekeerlinge dit waarlik begeer om hulle lewens te verander, is daar vir hulle in Elsie se huis plek. Pam is een so ‘n bekeerling. As Christen met ‘n mooi geaardheid, dra sy die littekens van mesgevegte en heroïen-naalde met haar saam. Ek het haar vreugde en diepe waardering toe sy haar rol in die huis vir my vertel het, aangevoel: ‘Ek skrop die toilette en die badkamers. Dis my werk en ek is mal daaroor!’ Hierdie jong dame was so dankbaar om struktuur in haar lewe, ‘n veilige omgewing en ‘n eerlike werk te hê, dat een dag van diensskap in Elsie se huis ‘n miljoen keer beter was as ‘n duisend dae wat aan die strewe na selfvernietigende plesiere bestee word. Haar vreugdevolle siening van haar werk het vanuit ‘n fyn bewustheid van haar rol in die liggaam van Christus, gespruit. Min gelowiges het dieselfde agtergrond as Pam, maar elkeen van ons rol daagliks ons moue op om geringe, basiese take te verrig – om die motor se olie te gaan ruil, om nuwe ink in die drukker te sit, of om doeke om te ruil (dalk selfs ‘n bejaarde ouer s’n).’
Hoe lyk jou houding teenoor geringe werke? Wanneer jy die Here met blydskap dien (sien Psalm 100:2), sal jy vreugde in jou alledaagse take vind, omdat jy onthou vir wie jy werk.
Sielskos: Gen 6:9-8:4; Matt 24:37-51
2021-08-28
Psalm 34:6 NLT
J.C. Penney was a rich businessman who founded a famous chain of department stores across America. But despite his wealth and success, he suffered setbacks, bereavement, financial ruin, and deep depression. At his lowest point he cried out to God. He said: ‘When I was brought to humility and the knowledge of my dependence on God…it was like a light illuminating my being. I cannot otherwise describe it, than to say it changed me as a man.’
When things fall apart in our lives, and we don’t know what to do or whether we’ll be able to recover, God is only a prayer away. It’s amazing to think that the creator of the universe is so close to us. Even if we’ve neglected our relationship with Him and tried to rely on our own strength and wisdom, He joyfully welcomes us back to Him when we realise that we need Him in our lives. ‘The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth’ (Psalm 145:18 NIV).
When we’re in the depths of trouble, we can sometimes think that God’s abandoned us. But the opposite is true. ‘The Lord is close to the broken-hearted, and he saves those whose spirits have been crushed’ (Psalm 34:18 NCV). In times of brokenness and despair, we can draw strength and comfort from His presence. ‘He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust”‘ (Psalm 91 ESV). The psalmist wrote: ‘In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened; he saved me from all my troubles.’ God will do the same for us.
Eze 5-9; Luke 18:18-30; Ps 119:169-176; Prov 19:9-10
