2025-02-04
Genesis 11:31 NIV
The Bible says, “Terah took his son Abram… and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there” (v. 31 NIV). A Christian author writes: “Terah accompanied Abram for part of the journey to Canaan, but then he stopped… Terah and his family begin their story in Ur, the great center of wealth and education and the land of idols. Then they begin on this road, which passes through the city of Harran and then down into Canaan… For Terah, the father of Abram, the road ends in Harran. Now we know from other passages in the Bible that Harran was a city a lot like Ur. There was a lot of wealth there. There were idols there. What’s going on? It may well be that… Terah thinks to himself, ‘If I were to go any farther than this, I could lose everything I have. For sure, I would have to give up my idols.’ So he chooses comfort. But Abram chooses to say yes to his calling.”
That’s a choice you will have to make too. And you will have to make it more than once. As your circumstances change, and the seasons of your life progress, you will have to decide whether to walk with God into the unknown or settle for the security of what you know. Terah settled; Abram moved on. What are you going to do? You don’t have to do anything to be worthy of God’s love and grace; those are gifts. But to walk in God’s blessing, you have to choose your calling over your comfort.
Soul food: Gen 13-16; Luke 8:16-25; Ps 120; Prov 3:33-35
Genesis 11:31 NLV
Die Bybel sê: ‘Tera het sy seun Abram… geneem en uit Ur van die Galdeërs vertrek om na die land Kanaän toe te gaan. Maar hulle het in die dorp Haran oorgebly en hulle daar gevestig’ (vers 31 NLV). ‘n Christelike skrywer merk op: ‘Tera het Abram vir ‘n deel van die reis na Kanaän vergesel, maar toe gestop. Tera en sy familie begin hul verhaal in Ur, die groot sentrum van rykdom en opvoeding en die land van afgode. Dan begin hulle reis, wat deur die stad Haran en dan af na Kanaän loop. Vir Tera, die vader van Abram, het die pad in Haran geëindig. Ons weet nou uit ander gedeeltes in die Bybel dat Haran ‘n stad baie soos Ur was. Daar was baie rykdom. Daar was afgode. Dit mag dalk wees dat Tera by homself gedink het: ‘As ek verder gaan, kan ek dalk alles wat ek het verloor. Ek sal my afgode vir seker moet opgee.’ Dus kies hy gemak. Abram kies egter om ja vir sy roeping te sê.’
Dis ‘n keuse wat jy ook sal moet maak. Jy sal dit ook meer as een keer moet maak. Soos jou omstandighede verander en die seisoene van jou lewe vorder, sal jy moet besluit of jy saam met God die onbekende gaan binnegaan en of jy met die sekuriteit van dit wat jy ken tevrede gaan wees. Tera was tevrede daarmee; Abram het aanbeweeg. Wat gaan jy doen? Jy hoef nie iets te doen om God se liefde en genade te verdien nie; dis gawes van God. Om egter in God se seën te lewe, moet jy jou roeping in plaas van jou gemak kies.
Sielskos: Gen 13-16; Luk 8:16-25; Ps 120; Spr 3:33-35
2025-02-03
Matteus 25:23 AFR83
Jesus begin die gelykenis van die talente met die volgende woorde: ‘Verder is God se koningsheerskappy soos…’ (vers 14 NLV). Een van die kragtigste punte wat Hy maak is die belangrikheid daarvan om getrou te wees. Of God jou nou vyf talente, twee talente of een talent gegee het, dit wat vir Hom saakmaak is jou getrouheid. “Toe sê sy eienaar vir hom: ‘Mooi so! Jy is ‘n goeie en getroue slaaf. Oor min was jy getrou, oor baie sal ek jou aanstel. Kom in en deel in my vreugde!'” (vers 21 AFR83).
Jy sal oplet dat Hy nie gesê het: ‘Mooi so, populêre slaaf,’ of ‘briljante slaaf,’ nie, maar ‘getroue slaaf.’ Christus praat oor diegene wat dikwels onopgemerk bly, maar onontbeerlik vir sy doeleindes is. Hy praat oor dié wat geen trompette blaas, geen baniere waai en geen applous eis nie. Hy praat oor dié wat dag na dag opdaag en die talente wat God aan hulle gegee het, gebruik om die werk te doen wat Hy aan hulle opgedra het. Onopgemerk deur mense, maar opgemerk en beloon deur God!
‘God is nie onregverdig nie. Hy sal nie vergeet hoe hard julle vir Hom gewerk het nie: hoe julle julle liefde vir Hom betuig het deurdat julle julle mede-Christene gedien het en dit nog steeds doen nie’ (Hebreërs 6:10 NLV). Hierdie woorde beskryf diegene wat die kollig vermy en gelukkig is om in die skaduwees te dien. Dit beskryf dié wat nie net die wedloop begin nie, maar dag na dag hardloop en nie ophou totdat hulle die wenstreep oorgesteek het nie. Ander mag dink dat jy nie veel van ‘n verskil maak nie, maar God doen. Terwyl ander baie waarde aan vaardigheidsvlakke en suksesvlakke heg, meet God jou aan jou getrouheid.
Sielskos: Gen 10-12; Luk 8:1-15; Ps 108; Spr 3:31-32
Matthew 25:23 NKJV
Jesus begins the parable of the talents with these words: “For the kingdom of heaven is like” (v. 14 NKJV). And one of the strongest points He makes is the importance of being faithful. Whether God gives you five talents, two talents, or one talent, the thing that matters to Him is your faithfulness. “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord'” (v. 21 NKJV).
You will notice that He did not say, “Well done, popular servant,” or “brilliant servant,” but “faithful servant.” Christ is talking about those who are often unnoticed but indispensable to His purposes. He is talking about those who blow no trumpets, wave no banners, and demand no applause. He is talking about those who show up day after day and use the talents God gives them, to do the job He has assigned to them. Unnoticed by men, but noticed and rewarded by God!
“For God is not unjust to forget your work and labour of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister” (Hebrews 6:10 NKJV). These words describe those who shun the limelight and are happy to serve in the shadows. They describe those who not only start the race but run the race day after day, who don’t stop until they reach the finish line. Others may not think that you make much of a difference, but God does. While others make much out of skill levels and success levels, God measures you by your faithfulness.
Soul food: Gen 10-12; Luke 8:1-15; Ps 108; Prov 3:31-32
2025-02-02
2 Corinthians 3:5 AMPC
Before his 1971 fight with Joe Frazier, Muhammad Ali said: “There’s not a man alive who can whup me. [He jabbed at the air with his blinding left.] I’m too smart. [He tapped his head with his glove.] I’m too pretty. [He showed the cameras his profile, like a bust on a pedestal.] I am the greatest! I am the king! I should be a postage stamp – that’s the only way I’ll ever get licked!” Guess what happened in that fight? To the amazement of all, especially himself, Ali lost to Frazier.
When confidence in your own ability and resources becomes pride, and then becomes arrogance, you’re headed for trouble. The Bible says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18 NKJV). So, how do you find balance? By remembering that every gift, ability, talent, and resource that you have comes from God. Confidence is essential to success. There is nothing wrong with recognizing the gifts God has given you.
But the difference between self-confidence and Christ confidence is found in who gets the credit. A good way to keep this thought in the forefront of your life is to practice the art of thanksgiving each day. It’s hard to be too self-confident when you acknowledge that you are nothing without God’s grace, which is His unmerited, unearned, undeserved favour. The Bible says: “All of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:5-6 NKJV).
Soul food: Exo 16:1-35; John 6:30-40
