2024-06-01
Genesis 39:21 KJV
To reach his destiny, Joseph went through betrayal, temptation, slander, and wrongful imprisonment. But he came out on top. Here is what Joseph recognized that you need to recognize too:
(1) God knows what you’re going through, and He cares. There is a key phrase found five different times in the story of Joseph: “But the Lord was with Joseph.” Even when everything was going wrong, Joseph never doubted that God was with him.
(2) You have been given freedom of choice. God gives you freedom to choose how you will react to your circumstances: faith or doubt, joy or despair, patience, or impatience, etc. When you choose to ignore what’s right, God won’t force His will on you. Sometimes we bring problems on ourselves and then blame God. We say, “It must be God’s will,” as if God gets pleasure out of planning our mistakes and miseries! The truth of the matter is that God’s will isn’t always carried out. Yes, He has a plan for our lives, but He has also given us free will. And because He has also given others free will, their mistakes and decisions can hurt us as well.
(3) God is in control of the final outcome. He can take every negative circumstance in your life today and turn it around for your good. In the end, Joseph could say, “You meant it for harm, but God meant it for good” (See Genesis 50:20). And while God was working to bring good out of his situation, Joseph had to keep trusting Him, even though at the time he did not understand what was happening – and you must do that too.
Soul food: Lam 3:40-5:22; Mark 13:1-11; Ps 113; Prov 14:1-4
Genesis 39:21 NLV
Om sy doel te bereik, het Josef deur verraad, versoeking, laster en onregmatige tronkstraf gegaan. Hier is wat Josef besef het en wat jy ook moet besef:
1) God weet waardeur jy gaan en Hy gee om. Daar is ‘n sleutelfrase wat vyf verskillende kere in Josef se verhaal voorkom: “Maar die Here was met Josef.” Selfs wanneer alles verkeerd gegaan het, het Josef nooit getwyfel dat God by hom is nie.
2) Jy is die vryheid van keuse gegee. God gee jou die vryheid om te kies hoe jy op jou omstandighede gaan reageer: geloof of twyfel, vreugde of wanhoop, geduld of ongeduld, ens. Wanneer jy kies om dit wat reg is, te ignoreer, sal God nie sy wil op jou afdwing nie. Soms bring ons probleme oor onsself en blameer dan vir God. Ons sê: ‘Dit moet God se wil wees,’ asof God genot daaruit put om ons foute en ellende te beplan! Die waarheid van die saak is dat God se wil nie altyd seëvier nie. Ja, Hy het ‘n plan vir ons lewens, maar Hy het ook vir ons ‘n vrye wil gegee. Omdat Hy ook vir ander mense ‘n vrye wil gegee het, kan hulle foute en besluite ons ook seermaak.
3) God is in beheer van die finale uitkoms. Hy kan elke negatiewe omstandigheid vandag in jou lewe neem en dit ten goede vir jou omkeer. Aan die einde kon Josef sê: ‘Wat my betref, het God die kwaad wat julle gedoen het, omgekeer in iets wat goed is…’ (Genesis 50:20 NLV). Terwyl God besig was om die goeie uit sy situasie te bring, moes Josef aanhou om Hom te vertrou, selfs al het hy nie op daardie stadium verstaan wat aan die gang was nie – en jy moet dit ook doen.
Sielskos: Klaag 3:40-5:22; Mark 13:1-11; Ps 113; Spr 14:1-4
2024-05-31
Matteus 21:24 NLV
Jesus het dikwels ‘n vraag met nog ‘n vraag beantwoord. Toe Hy gevra is of mense belasting moet betaal, het Hy ‘n muntstuk geneem en gesê: ‘…Wie se kop en titel is hierop afgedruk?’ Hulle het Jesus geantwoord: ‘Die keiser s’n.’ ‘Wel,’ het Hy gesê, ‘gee dan aan die keiser wat hom toekom. Maar gee aan God alles wat Hóm toekom…’ (Markus 12:16-17 NLV).
Dit kom voor asof ons bang is om vrae te vra en om hulle te beantwoord. God sal egter veel eerder ‘n opregte vraag wat uit nederigheid gebore is as ‘n oneerlike gebed wat uit trots gebore is, ontvang. As ons nie oor werklike probleme wat mense in die gesig staar praat nie, gaan ons ons profetiese stem verloor. Wanneer mense ons vra: ‘Wie is God? Wie is ek? Wat is die ware doel van my lewe?’ sal hulle nie met maklike antwoorde of clichés wat ons langs die pad opgetel het, tevrede wees nie. God word nie deur sulke vrae geïntimideer nie.
Soos die ouer van ‘n nuuskierige kleuter, lag God partykeer vir ons vrae. Hy verwelkom dit egter altyd. Die kerk behoort die veilige spasie te wees waar mense gevaarlike vrae kan vra. Ons maak onsself egter dikwels skuldig daaraan om vrae te beantwoord wat niemand eers vra nie. Ons is veronderstel om die status quo uit te daag, maar ons is dikwels besig om dit te verdedig.
Wat as ons ophou om antwoorde af te dwing en leer om nuuskierigheid in ons kerke aan te moedig? Dis ons nuuskierigheid oor God wat ‘n onblusbare begeerte om Hom te ken, aanwakker. Kom ons hou dus aan om vrae te vra en moedig ander aan om dieselfde te doen.
Sielskos: Klaag 1:1-3:39; Mark 12:28-44; Ps 108; Spr 13:24-25
Matthew 21:24 NKJV
Jesus often answered a question with a question. When asked about paying taxes, He took a coin and said, “‘Whose image and inscription is this?’ They said to Him, ‘Caesar’s.’ And Jesus answered… ‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ And they marveled at Him” (Mark 12:16-17 NKJV).
It seems we’re afraid of asking questions, and afraid of answering them. But God would much rather receive a genuine question born of humility than a disingenuous prayer born out of pride. We have to keep it real with God, and with one another. If we aren’t talking about real problems people are facing, we are going to lose our prophetic voice. When people ask us, “Who is God? Who am I? What is the true purpose of my life?” they won’t be satisfied with easy answers or clichés we have picked up along the way. God isn’t intimidated by those questions. He loves them.
Like the parent of a curious toddler, God occasionally laughs at our questions. But He always welcomes them. The church ought to be a safe place where people can ask dangerous questions. But all too often we’re guilty of answering questions no one is even asking. We ought to be challenging the status quo, but all too often we’re guilty of defending it.
But what if? What if we stopped force-feeding answers and learned to unleash the primal curiosity in our churches? It’s our curiosity regarding God that fuels an insatiable desire to know Him. So, let’s keep asking questions, and encourage others to do the same.
Soul food: Lam 1:1-3:39; Mark 12:28-44; Ps 108; Prov 13:24-25
2024-05-30
Judges 6:14 NIV
The Bible says: “When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, ‘The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.’ ‘Pardon me, my lord,’ Gideon replied, ‘but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?’… The Lord turned to him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?’ ‘Pardon me, my lord,’ Gideon replied, ‘but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.’ The Lord answered, ‘I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive” (vv. 12-16 NIV).
Do you feel fearful and inadequate? Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress (v. 11), afraid of the Midianites. Yet God called him a “mighty warrior.” God sees things in you that others don’t, that even you yourself don’t! Read these words carefully: “I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure'” (Isaiah 46:9-10 NKJV).
God sees things in their completed state – including your ultimate victory. And today He is saying to you, “Go in the strength you have… Am I not sending you?” When God sends you, your success is guaranteed in spite of all the obstacles, the enemies, and all the limitations you are so aware of. If you’re unwilling to move until things “look better,” you won’t win. Start where you are and use what you have, then God will give you more.
Soul food: Gal 4-6; Mark 12:13-27; Ps 101; Prov 13:20-23
