2025-01-01
Efesiërs 4:32 NLV
As jy die nuwe jaar graag met ‘n skoon bladsy wil begin en ligter deur die lewe wil reis, moet jy die ou wrokke wat jou afrem laat gaan. Philip Yancey beskryf vergifnis as ‘n ‘onnatuurlike aksie.’ Hy sê: ‘Dis ‘n ‘hond-eet-hond’ wêreld, nie ‘n ‘hond-vergewe-hond’ wêreld nie.’ Bitterheid en haat kom van nature voor wanneer jy seergemaak is. Vergifnis is bonatuurlik en verg God se genade, maar onthou, Jesus het gesê: ‘Maar as julle weier om die mense te vergewe, sal julle Vader julle ook nie julle oortredings vergewe nie’ (Matteus 6:15 NLV).
Dink daaroor – daar is nie een enkele, enkelvoudige rede hoekom God ons sondes ooit moet vergewe nie, en tog is die oortredings waarvoor Hy ons elke dag vergewe, veel erger as enigiets waarvoor ons ouers, eggenote of vriende ons moet vergewe. Die Bybel sê: ‘…Vergewe mekaar soos God julle vergewe het…’
Vergifnis maak die tronk, waar jy beide die gevangene en die tronkbewaarder is, se deure oop. Wrokke isoleer jou nie net van mense wat eens op ‘n tyd jou vriende was nie, maar verkort ook jou lewe deur dodelike ensieme te produseer wat tot ‘n magdom fisiese kwale bydra.
Een man het vir sy berader gesê: ‘Ek wens my broer kon na my troue toe kom, maar ons het in jare nie met mekaar gepraat nie.’ Die berader het gevra: ‘Hoekom so?’ Die man het stilgebly en na ‘n rukkie geantwoord: ‘Dit klink nou belaglik, maar ek kan nie eers onthou nie!’
Dis ‘n wetenskaplike feit dat vergifnis jare by jou lewe toevoeg. Wanneer jy met individue praat wat die tagtig-jaar-kerf verby gesteek het, vind jy as ‘n reël dat hulle in vrede met hulself leef, omdat hulle geleer het om te vergewe en te laat gaan.
Sielskos: Jes 1-3; Luk 1:1-10; Ps 90:1-6; Spr 1:1-4
Ephesians 4:32 NIV
If you would like to start the New Year with a clean slate and traveling lighter, let go of the old grudges that are weighing you down. Philip Yancey describes forgiveness as “an unnatural act.” He says, “You don’t find dolphins forgiving sharks for eating their playmates. It’s a dog-eat-dog world… not dog-forgive-dog.” Bitterness and hatred come naturally when you have been hurt. Forgiving is supernatural and requires the grace of God, but remember, Jesus said, “If you do not forgive…your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:15 NIV).
Think about it – there is not one single, solitary reason God should ever forgive our sins, yet the offenses He pardons us for every day far outweigh anything we will ever be asked to forgive our parents, spouses, and friends for. The Bible says forgive “each other… as… God forgave you.”
Forgiveness opens the doors of a prison, where you are both the prisoner and the jailor. Grudges not only isolate you from people who were once friends, they shorten your life by producing deadly enzymes that contribute to a host of physical ailments.
One man told his counselor, “I wish my brother could come to my wedding, but we haven’t spoken in years.” The counselor asked, “How come?” Pausing, the man replied, “It sounds ridiculous now, but I don’t even remember!” Drifting apart is the natural result of an unforgiving spirit; forgiveness reverses the trend by healing broken relationships.
It’s a scientific fact that forgiveness adds years to your life. As a rule, when you talk to individuals who have passed the eighty-year mark, you find they’re at peace with themselves because they have learned to forgive and let go.
Soul food: Isa 1-3; Luke 1:1-10; Ps 90:1-6; Prov 1:1-4
2024-12-31
Psalm 3:4 NKJV
Sometimes Jesus rose early in the morning to pray; other times, He prayed all night long. So, your quiet time can be morning, evening, or whatever time works best for you. You’re not punching a time clock where God pays you; accordingly, He is inviting you to spend time with Him. David said, “I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill. Selah.” Throughout the Psalms, this little word “Selah” occurs seventy-one different times. It means to pause and think. There is no specific length of time attached to the pause. Instead, it seems left up to the individual.
Selah. It’s a call to rest and reflect, to be still and breathe deeply, to settle into the moment and remain for a while. The Selah thought appears to be at the center of quiet time with the Lord. When the Lord says, “Selah,” He is saying, “Stop doing, and sit at My feet. Just belong to Me.” What an invitation! It’s everything you have longed for and everything you need.
And believe it or not, people who often have the hardest time doing it are involved in ministry. Like Martha, they excel when it comes to serving. And the danger is that by doing lots of things for the Lord, we feel like that excuses us from sitting at His feet and spending time with Him as Mary did. If you have been remiss, negligent, or inconsistent in this, reestablish your quiet time with the Lord and refuse to let anything keep you from it.
Soul food: Job 39-42; Luke 2:51-52; Ps 139:13-24; Ecc 11:7-10
Psalm 3:5 NLV
Soms het Jesus vroeg opgestaan om te gaan bid; ander kere het Hy heelnag gebid. Jou stiltetyd kan dus in die oggend, aand of watter tyd ook al vir jou werk, wees. God nooi jou uit om enige tyd van die dag of nag tyd met Hom te bestee. Dawid het gesê: ‘Ek het tot die Here geroep. Vanaf sy heilige berg het Hy geantwoord. Sela.’ Hierdie woord ‘Sela’ verskyn een-en-sewentig keer in die Psalms. Dit beteken om te stop en te dink. Daar is nie ‘n spesifieke tydsduur wat hierdie pouse moet wees nie. Dit word aan die individu oorgelaat.
Sela. Dis ‘n oproep om te rus en te reflekteer, om stil te wees en diep asem te haal, om in die oomblik te wees en vir ‘n rukkie daar te bly. Die Sela-gedagte blyk die kern van stiltetyd met God te wees. Wanneer die Here: ‘Sela,’ sê, sê Hy: ‘Stop en kom sit by my voete. Jy behoort aan My.’ Wat ‘n uitnodiging! Dis alles waarna jy verlang en alles wat jy nodig het.
Glo dit of nie, die mense wat dit die moeilikste vind om doen, is diegene wat in die bediening is. Soos Marta, blink hulle uit wanneer dit by diensbaarheid kom. Die gevaar om baie dinge vir die Here te doen, is dat ons voel dat dit ons verskoon om by sy voete te sit en tyd saam met Hom, soos Maria gedoen het, deur te bring. As jy nalatig of inkonsekwent hierin is, herstel jou stiltetyd met die Here en weier dat enigiets jou daarvan weerhou.
Sielskos: Job 39-42; Luk 2:51-52; Ps 139:13-24; Pred 11:7-10
2024-12-30
Psalm 119:107 MSG
When everything in the psalmist’s life began falling apart, he prayed, “Put me together again with your Word.” That’s what your quiet time with God does. So, why don’t we have a consistent quiet time with God? Two reasons:
(1) We think our quiet time must be a long time. Start small. Reserve five minutes to open your Bible and meditate on a brief portion of Scripture. Chat with God about it. Tell your needs to Him and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you through the whole day. Good news! You have just experienced a quiet time! So, tomorrow, repeat it. As your spiritual appetite grows, you will find yourself putting aside more time – ten minutes, then twenty, and that time will keep on growing.
(2) We think our quiet time must be free of all noise! Instead of avoiding hustle and bustle, Jesus wants to connect with you there. Begin to find creative ways to connect with the Lord all day long. Listen to worship music while you clean, and sing along. Pray in the Spirit. Learn memory verses. “Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord” (Colossians 3:23 NKJV).
Listen to the Bible while you drive – excellent apps are available. Pray while exercising – develop your faith muscle! Go with God for coffee – do your Bible study at a café. Go for a walk with Jesus – pray for others, and praise God for the outdoor beauty He created. Welcome Him into your routines, and the mundane will turn into holy moments. Give the Holy Spirit your consent to interrupt, then do what He says. To put it another way – do life with Jesus.
Soul food: Job 36-38; Luke 2:41-50; Ps 139:1-12; Ecc 11:4-6
