2025-01-30
Proverbs 22:6 NLT
The Prodigal Son eventually came back home and was restored to his place in the family. When he lost everything and ended up feeding pigs, the Bible says, “He came to himself” (Luke 15:17 NKJV). It’s hard to watch someone you love suffer, but sometimes they need to hit the bottom in order to turn around. The Prodigal’s breaking point became his turning point. “I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned'” (v. 18 NKJV). Notice his father was a good parent with a rebellious child. If that describes you, here are three pieces of sound advice:
(1) Don’t blame yourself and beat yourself up.
(2) Don’t judge your children’s weaknesses from your position of strength. The reason they cannot see is because they are spiritually blind. But God can open their eyes. Jesus said, “No man can come to me, except the Father… draw him” (John 6:44 KJV). You do the praying, and let God do the drawing.
(3) Keep your heart and your door open. When the Prodigal Son finally came to his senses, he knew where to go; back home to the father who loved him. You cannot save your children from the consequences of their actions, and you may not be able to lessen the pain they’re going through. But if you pray, keep your heart and your door open, God can bring them back. “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” That’s a promise you can stand on today.
Soul food: Gen 1-3; Luke 7:11-23; Ps 107:23-32; Prov 3:25-26
Spreuke 22:6 NLV
Die Verlore Seun het uiteindelik huis toe gekom en weer sy plek in die familie ingeneem. Toe hy alles verloor het en in ‘n varkhok opgeëindig het, sê die Bybel hy het: ‘…uiteindelik tot sy sinne [gekom]…’ (Lukas 15:17 NLV). Dis moeilik om toe te kyk hoe iemand wat jy liefhet ly, maar soms is dit nodig dat hulle die bodem tref sodat hulle kan omdraai. Die Verlore Seun se breekpunt het sy omdraaipunt geword: ‘Ek sal huis toe gaan na my pa toe en sê: Pa, ek het gesondig…’ (vers 18 NLV). Sy pa was ‘n goeie vader met ‘n rebelse kind. As dit jou beskryf, is hier raad vir jou:
1) Moenie jouself blameer nie.
2) Moenie jou kind se swakheid vanaf jou posisie van krag oordeel nie. Die rede hoekom hulle nie kan sien nie is omdat hulle geestelik blind is. God kan egter hul oë oopmaak. Jesus het gesê: ‘Niemand kan na My toe kom as die Vader… hom nie na My toe laat kom nie…’ (Johannes 6:44 NLV). Jy kan vir jou kind bid en vertrou dat God hom na Jesus toe sal laat kom.
3) Hou jou hart en jou deur oop. Toe die Verlore Seun uiteindelik tot sy sinne gekom het, het hy geweet waarheen om te gaan; terug huis toe na die vader wat hom liefgehad het. Jy kan nie jou kinders van die gevolge van hulle aksies red nie en jy mag dalk nie in staat wees om die pyn waardeur hulle gaan te verminder nie. As jy egter bid en jou hart en jou deur oophou, kan God hulle terugbring. ‘Leer ‘n jongmens om die regte pad te kies, en wanneer hy eendag oud is, sal hy nie daarvan afwyk nie.’ Dis ‘n belofte waarop jy vandag kan staan.
Sielskos: Gen 1-3; Luk 7:11-23; Ps 107:23-32; Spr 3:25-26
2025-01-29
Genesis 41:51-52 NKJV
When you experience tragedy or loss, unless you get help, you can shut down emotionally and remain stuck. And when you focus on the pain of the past, you risk forfeiting the blessing God has for you in the future. If anyone had reason to give in to despair and quit, it was Joseph. Those who should have loved him resented and betrayed him. He was slandered, lied about, and falsely imprisoned. How did he survive it? Four times in Genesis 39, the Bible says, “The Lord was with Joseph.”
Having a sense of God’s presence will sustain you through things that would otherwise destroy you. Joseph knew it was in forgiving and forgetting rather than holding on to resentment that he was setting himself free and positioning himself to fulfill his divine destiny. How do we know this? Because of what he named his two sons. “Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: ‘For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.’ And the name of the second he called Ephraim: ‘For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.'”
Who enabled Joseph to forget the pain inflicted on him by his family? God! What enabled him to overcome the injustices inflicted upon him by others? A daily sense of God’s presence. And today, God’s presence will do that for you too. His promise to you is, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you… When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned… For I am the Lord your God” (Isaiah 43:2-3 NKJV).
Soul food: Ecc 9-12; Luke 7:1-10; Ps 107:17-22; Prov 3:21-24
Genesis 41:51-52 NLV
Wanneer jy ‘n tragedie of verlies ervaar, kan jy, tensy jy hulp kry, emosioneel afskakel en daarin vasgevang bly. Wanneer jy op die pyn van die verlede fokus, loop jy die risiko om die seën wat God vir jou in die toekoms het, mis te loop. As enigiemand ‘n rede gehad het om tot wanhoop in te gee, was dit Josef. Die mense wat veronderstel was om vir hom lief te wees, het hom verraai. Hy is belaster, daar is oor hom gelieg en hy is onder valse voorwendsels in die tronk gestop. Hoe het hy dit oorleef? Vier keer in Genesis 39 sê die Bybel: ‘Die Here was by Josef.’
‘n Versekering van God se teenwoordigheid sal jou deur dinge wat jou andersins sal vernietig, staande hou. Josef het geweet dat hy moes vergewe en vergeet en nie aan wrokke vasklou nie, om hom sodoende vry te maak en te posisioneer om sy goddelike lotsbestemming te vervul. Hoe weet ons dit? Oor wat hy sy twee seuns genoem het: “Josef het die oudste een Manasse genoem, want hy het gesê: ‘God het my al my kwellings laat vergeet, en ook alles wat my familie teen my gedoen het.’ Die tweede een het hy Efraim genoem, want hy het gesê: ‘God het my vrugbaar gemaak in die land van my swaarkry.'”
Wie het Josef in staat gestel om die pyn van dit wat sy familie hom aangedoen het te vergeet? God! Wat het hom in staat gestel om die ongeregtighede wat ander mense hom aangedoen het te oorkom? ‘n Daaglikse versekering van God se teenwoordigheid. Vandag sal God se teenwoordigheid dieselfde vir jou doen. Sy belofte aan jou is: ‘Wanneer jy deur diep water gaan, sal Ek by jou wees… Want Ek is die Here jou God…” (Jesaja 43:2-3 NLV).
Sielskos: Pred 9-12; Luk 7:1-10; Ps 107:17-22; Spr 3:21-24
2025-01-28
John 4:14 NKJV
The woman Jesus met at the well had been married five times. She had tried multiple relationships in an attempt to fill the void within her. But it didn’t work for her, and it won’t work for you. Neither will climbing the corporate ladder, or acquiring more and more stuff, or achieving fame.
Note what Jesus told this woman: “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again” (v. 13 NKJV). When you’re in the desert without water, there comes a point at which you start seeing mirages and believing things that are not real. And when your soul continues to be parched and dry, you start reaching for things that are not real and cannot satisfy it.
Jesus didn’t bring up this woman’s past to embarrass her. He referenced it for one reason only; to let her know that He could heal the wounds of her past and give her hope for a better future. And He did. Not only did He transform her, but she also became the first person to introduce the gospel to Samaria.
Perhaps you think you’re beyond hope and redemption. David wasn’t, and he committed adultery and covered it up with murder. Peter wasn’t, and he denied Jesus. Thomas wasn’t, even though he is still remembered as a doubter. Paul wasn’t, and he killed Christians before he became one. Your unfulfilled desires and your unquenched thirst are a plus, not a minus, if you let them drive you to the feet of Jesus. Here is His promise: “The water that I shall give… will become… a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (v. 14 NKJV).
Soul food: Ecc 5-8; Luke 6:37-49; Ps 107:10-16; Prov 3:19-20
