2024-03-15
Galasiërs 6:9 NLV
Paulus skryf: ‘Moet dus nie moeg word om goed te doen nie, want as ons nie tou opgooi nie, sal ons op die regte tyd oes’ (vers 9 NLV). Kyk na die patriarg Job: hy het die begrafnisse van sy tien kinders bygewoon, sy gesondheid en rykdom op een dag verloor en moes luister na ‘n vrou met ‘n tong wat skerp genoeg was om deur die sterkste staal te sny. Tog het hy nie tou opgegooi nie. ‘…Job is ‘n voorbeeld van iemand wat geduldig volhard het. Uit wat uiteindelik met hom gebeur het, sien ons dat God se einddoel goed is…’ (Jakobus 5:11 NLV). Job het op die einddoel gefokus gebly en die onmiddellike omstandighede verduur.
Ja, daar is tye wat dit aanloklik lyk om tou op te gooi, wanneer ‘n nederlaag onvermydelik lyk en om die aftog te blaas na jou enigste opsie lyk. Die vraag is: hoe hanteer jy daardie tye? Op die drumpel van die Beloofde Land het God vir Josua gesê: ‘My opdrag aan jou is dat jy sterk en dapper moet wees. Moenie bang of huiwerig wees nie. Die Here jou God is saam met jou in alles wat jy doen’ (Josua 1:9 NLV).
Die Israeliese staatsman David Ben-Gurion het opgemerk: ‘Dapperheid is ‘n spesiale tipe kennis, die kennis van hoe om te vrees wat gevrees moet word en hoe om nie te vrees wat nie gevrees behoort te word nie. Uit hierdie kennis kom ‘n innerlike krag wat ons inspireer om in die aangesig van groot moeilikheid voort te gaan. Wat onmoontlik kan lyk, is dikwels met dapperheid moontlik.’ Waar kom hierdie dapperheid vandaan? Deur die wete dat: ‘…Die Here jou God is saam met jou in alles wat jy doen.’ Wanneer jy misluk – kan jy weer begin!
Sielskos: 2 Kon 11-12; Matt 23:29-24:2; Ps 135; Spr 7:21-23
Galatians 6:9 NLT
Paul writes, “Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (v. 9 NLT). Look at Job the patriarch: attending the funerals of his ten children, losing his health and wealth in a single day, and listening to a wife with a tongue sharp enough to cut through steel. Yet he didn’t quit. Learn from him! “You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord” (James 5:11 NKJV). Job stayed focused on the end goal and endured the immediate circumstances.
Yes, there are times when quitting looks good, defeat seems inevitable, and retreat appears to be your only option. The question is, how will you handle those times?
On the threshold of the promised land, God told Joshua, “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9 NKJV). The Israeli statesman David Ben-Gurion observed: “Courage is a special kind of knowledge, the knowledge of how to fear what ought to be feared and how not to fear what ought not to be feared. From this knowledge comes an inner strength that inspires us to push on in the face of great difficulty. What can seem impossible is often possible with courage.”
And where does this courage come from? Knowing God is “with you wherever you go.” Why does the Bible record the failures of people like Peter and David? To let you know that when you fail – you can start again!
Soul food: 2 Kings 11-12; Matt 23:29-24:2; Ps 135; Prov 7:21-23
2024-03-14
Daniël 1:8 AFR83
Kan jy jou indink om uit jou huis gevange geneem en na ‘n vyandige land weggevoer te word? Dit het met Daniël gebeur. Koning Nebukadnesar het sy land ingeneem en hom as slaaf na Babel toe geneem. Hy het sy huis, sy werk, sy vryheid, sy kultuur, sy vriende en sy status as lid van Israel se adel verloor. Hy moes ‘n vreemde taal leer praat en op ‘n plek bly waar hy nie wou wees nie.
As jy Daniël was, sou jy nie in die versoeking gekom het om op die dinge wat jy nie kon beheer nie te fokus, soos om ballingskap vir jou ongelukkigheid te blameer en jammer vir jouself te voel? Nie Daniël nie! Hy het beheer van sy lewe in klein areas geneem. Die Bybel sê: ‘Daniël het hom voorgeneem om hom nie met die koning se kos en wyn te verontreinig nie…’ (vers 8 AFR83). Hy het besluit om – selfs in klein dingetjies – volgens sy oortuigings te lewe. Dis belangrik, aangesien klein gevegte jou vir groot gevegte oplei! As Daniël nie beheer oor die klein dingetjies geneem het nie, sou hy nie die krag gehad het om nee vir die groot dinge, soos die aanbidding van afgode, te sê nie.
Miskien kan jy nie tans iets aan jou huis of jou werk of jou verhouding doen nie, maar jy kan jou lewe verander deur beheer oor die klein dingetjies te neem. Miskien sal dit, soos Daniël, behels wat jy eet, wat jy op die televisie of internet kyk, of wat by jou mond uitkom. Wanneer jy jouself voorneem om God in die klein dinge te eer, sal Hy jou seën en op maniere wat jy nooit gedink het moontlik is nie, by jou lewe betrokke raak.
Sielskos: 2 Kon 9-10; Matt 23:15-28; Ps 28; Spr 7:14-20
Daniel 1:8 NKJV
Can you imagine being uprooted from your home and taken prisoner to a hostile country? It happened to Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar conquered his homeland and carried him off to slavery in Babylon. He lost his house, his job, his freedom, his culture, his friends, and his status as a member of Israel’s nobility. He had to learn to speak a foreign language and live in a place where he didn’t want to be.
If you had been Daniel, wouldn’t you have been tempted to focus on the things you couldn’t control, like blaming exile for your unhappiness and feeling sorry for yourself? Not Daniel! He took charge of his life in little areas. The Bible says, “Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the… king’s [food]” (v. 8 NKJV). He decided to live by his convictions – even in small things.
That’s important because small battles train you for big ones! If Daniel hadn’t taken control in small things, he wouldn’t have had the strength to say no to big things like worshiping idols or facing the lions’ den without fear or compromise.
Maybe you can’t do anything right now about your house or your job or your relationship, but you can change your life by taking control of the little things. Perhaps, like Daniel, it will involve what you eat, what you watch on TV or the internet, what comes out of your mouth, or a refusal to let others dictate your attitude based on how they treat you. When you “purpose in your heart” to honour God in small things, He blesses you and becomes involved in your life in ways you never thought possible.
Soul food: 2 Kings 9-10; Matt 23:15-28; Ps 28; Prov 7:14-20
2024-03-13
1 Corinthians 16:13 NAS
Jesus said: “Count yourselves blessed every time people put you down… or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens – give a cheer, even! – for though they don’t like it, I do!” (Matthew 5:11-12 MSG).
If you’re thin skinned, you will have a rough time in life because you will be an easy target for the devil. Paul endured desertion by his friends, ugly letters from the Corinthians, disappointment with the Galatians, mistreatment in Philippi, mocking in Athens, and finally imprisonment and beheading in Rome. The Bible gives us these four principles for victorious living:
(1) Be on the alert. Why? Because you have an adversary who is out to get you (See 1 Peter 5:8). What’s he after? The God-given potential he knows lies within you. You’re a seed capable of producing a harvest of blessing.
(2) Stand firm in the faith. Why? Because you can’t stand on your feelings, your circumstances, or the opinions of others. Those things change constantly, so you must stand firm on the Word of God.
(3) Act like men. Why? Because being childish won’t cut it when the battle is raging. It’s time to grow up; if you’re still making the same mistakes twenty-five years later, you’re not learning enough.
(4) Be strong. Why? Because weakness is an invitation to the Enemy. It always precedes surrender – and quitting is not an option for you. God told His people the promised land was theirs – but they would have to fight for it. And you will too!
Soul food: 2 Kings 7-8; Matt 23:1-14; Ps 27; Prov 7:10-13
