2022-02-10
Lukas 22:10 NLV
Hollywood deel tydens die Oscar seremonie pryse aan die beste akteur, filmvervaardiger, redakteur, regisseur, kostuumontwerper ens., uit. Die Screen Actors Guild Awards weet egter dat daar nie plek vir groot sterre en beste films kon wees sonder die ondersteunende rolverdeling en die bydraes van die tegniese en kunsspanne nie.
Die Skrif vertel ons dat God ook ‘n ondersteunende rolverdeling het; mense wat gelukkig is om agter die skerms te werk. Hulle is diegene wat hulle ding by die huis, werk of by die kerk doen en stilweg, met vreugde en getrouheid, dien. Families word grootgemaak, nasies word versterk, besighede floreer en kerke groei, te danke aan daardie mense wat die klein dingetjies doen wat die groot verskil maak.
Die Bybel is vol agter-die-skerms mense, soos die naamlose man wat ‘n kan water dra wat Petrus en Johannes na die huis gelei het waar Jesus ‘n Paasmaaltyd voor sy kruisiging saam met sy dissipels geëet het (sien Lukas 22:10-13). Of mense soos ‘Klein-Jakobus’ (Markus 15:40 AFR83), ‘n relatiewe onbekende dissipel wat dikwels deur mense misgekyk is – maar nooit deur God nie!
Wat jy ook al doen, maak nie saak hoe klein dit is nie, neem die volgende belofte ter harte: ‘God is nie onregverdig nie. Hy sal nie vergeet hoe hard julle vir Hom gewerk het nie…’ (Hebreërs 6:10 NLV). Bly dus getrou. Jesus het gesê: ‘…Kyk, Ek kom gou! My loon kom saam met My om almal te beloon volgens wat hulle gedoen het’ (Openbaring 22:12 NLV). God is besig om sy eie Oscar seremonie te beplan – en jy kan deel wees daarvan!
Sielskos: Jes 22-25; Luk 9:18-27; Ps 138; Spr 4:14-17
Luke 22:10 NLT
At Oscar time, Hollywood gives awards to the best actor, producer, director, editor, costume designer, and so on. But a big part of their success is down to the people we don’t see. Without the supporting cast and all the work done behind the scenes by the technical and artistic crews, there would be no place for the big stars and the best movies. The Oscars remind us that the brightest stars can only shine because of the supporting stars that go unrecognised.
Scripture tells us that God also has a supporting cast; people who are happy to work behind the scenes. They’re the ones who go about serving quietly, gladly, and faithfully, doing thousands of little things that make a huge difference. The Bible’s filled with behind-the-scenes people, like the unnamed ‘man carrying a pitcher of water’ who led Peter and John to the upper room for Jesus’ meeting with His disciples on the evening before His crucifixion. Or people like ‘James the less’ (Mark 15:40 KJV), a relatively unknown disciple who’s often overlooked by people, but never by God.
So whatever you do, even if you think it’s small and insignificant, here’s a promise from the Bible: ‘God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love for him by caring for other believers’ (Hebrews 6:10 NLT). God appreciates everything we do in His name. Jesus said, ‘I am coming soon! I will bring my reward with me and I will repay each one of you for what you have done’ (Revelation 22:12 NCV). People may not appreciate the little things we do, but nothing is too small to escape God’s notice.
Isa 22-25; Luke 9:18-27; Ps 138; Pro 4:14-17
2022-02-09
1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT
Gone are the days when gun-shy theologians bowed to the god of science. Reliable scientists are now affirming how ingenious God is and how His principles hold up under the piercing light of scientific scrutiny.
Neuroscientist Andrew Newberg, MD, who studies the relationship between spiritual phenomena and the brain, has demonstrated that we were designed physically and mentally to interact with God through prayer and Scripture. It’s a known fact that there are centers in the human brain that respond positively to prayer, reading and meditating on God’s Word, group worship, hymn singing, and empathy for other people.
And Dr. Newberg believes that practicing a personal religious faith is the most powerful way to maintain a healthy brain. The brain’s frontal lobe is used in focusing attention, rational thinking, and decision-making. It responds to prayer and meditation by helping to reduce stress, strengthen our immune system, enhance memory, and increase our capacity for compassion. It helps us ward off age-related brain deterioration and live longer!
Newberg’s research indicates that praying for at least twelve minutes a day slows age-related brain decline. Prayer and reading Scripture also deactivates areas in the brain associated with anger, guilt, anxiety, depression, fear, resentment, and pessimism.
It seems that finally twenty-first-century science has joined ancient Scripture in echoing what the psalmist said: “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous” (Psalm 139:14 NLT). Can you think of a better reason to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16 KJV)?
Soul food: Isa 17-21; Luke 9:1-17; Ps 134; Pro 4:5-13
1 Tessalonisense 5:17 NLV
Weg is die dae toe sommige teoloë voor die god van wetenskap gebuig het. Betroubare wetenskaplikes bevestig nou hoe vernuftig God is en hoe sy beginsels onder die deurdringende lig van wetenskaplike ondersoek, steeds van toepassing bly. Die neuro-wetenskaplike, dr Andrew Newberg, wat die verhouding tussen geestelike verskynsels en die brein bestudeer, het gevind dat ons ontwerp is om deur middel van gebed en die Skrif fisies en geestelik met God om te gaan. Dis ‘n alombekende feit dat daar dele in die menslike brein is wat positief op gebed, die lees van en meditasie oor God se Woord, lofprysing en empatie vir ander mense, reageer.
Dr Newberg glo ook dat die uitoefening van ‘n persoonlike godsdienstige geloof die kragtigste manier is om ‘n gesonde brein te handhaaf. Die brein se frontale lob word vir rasionele denke en besluitneming gebruik en om jou aandag te fokus. Dit reageer op gebed en meditasie deur te help om stres te verminder, ons immuunstelsel te versterk, ons geheue te verbeter en ons kapasiteit vir medelye te vergroot. Dit help ons om ouderdomsverwante breinverswakking af te weer en langer te leef! Newberg se navorsing dui aan dat om vir ten minste twaalf minute ‘n dag te bid, ouderdomsverwante agteruitgang van die brein kan vertraag.
Gebed en Bybelstudie deaktiveer ook areas in die brein wat met woede, skuldgevoelens, angs, depressie, vrees, wrokkigheid en pessimisme geassosieer word. Uiteindelik lyk dit of die een-en-twintigste eeu se wetenskap by die antieke Skrif aansluit en die Psalmdigter eggo: ‘Ek loof U omdat U my so besonder wonderlik gemaak het. U werke is wonderbaar…’ (Psalm 139:14 NLV). Kan jy dink aan ‘n beter rede om die boodskap van Christus in sy volle rykdom in jou te laat bly? (Sien Kolossense 3:16).
Sielskos: Jes 17-21; Luk 9:1-17; Ps 134; Spr 4:5-13
1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV
Andrew Newberg is a neuroscientist who specialises in studying the relationship between spiritual phenomena, religion, and the human brain. His research has led to the discovery that there are areas in our brains that can be shown to respond to prayer, reading and meditating on sacred texts, group worship, hymn singing, and empathy for other people. The brain’s frontal lobe is used in focusing attention, rational thinking, and decision-making. It responds to prayer and meditation by helping to reduce stress levels, enhance our memory, and increase our capacity for compassion.
Newberg’s research suggests that praying for even just a few minutes a day could help to slow the natural decline in our brains as we reach old age, and prayer and reading Scripture also appear to deactivate areas in the brain associated with anger, guilt, anxiety, depression, fear, resentment, and pessimism.
The Bible tells us that God designed us to have a relationship with Him and that we need to ‘pray without ceasing’, and Newberg’s research seems to back that up. Let’s allow the word of Christ to dwell in us richly (see Colossians 3:16 KJV), and join with the psalmist in praising our ingenious and loving Father: ‘Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvellous’ (Psalm 139:14 NLT). He wants to have a relationship with us so much that He hard-wired us for that exact purpose. That’s how much He loves us.
Isa 17-21; Luke 9:1-17; Ps 134; Pro 4:5-13
