2019-06-15
Psalm 18:33 NLV
Die sangeres Dolly Parton sê in haar outobiografie: ‘My hoërskool was so klein dat elkeen van ons gedurende ons gradeplegtigheid kon opstaan en sê wat ons planne vir die toekoms is. ‘Ek gaan universiteit toe,’ sou een seun sê. ‘Ek gaan trou en stad toe trek,’ sou ‘n meisie hom opvolg. Toe dit my beurt is, het ek gesê: ‘Ek gaan Nashville toe om ‘n ster te word.’ Die hele plek het uitgebars van die lag. Ek was stomgeslaan. Tog het daardie gelag op die ou einde ‘n groter vasbeslotenheid om my droom te bewaarheid, in my laat posvat. As dit nie vir die skare se reaksie daardie dag was nie, sou ek dalk onder die gewig van die harde tye wat nog moes kom, ineengestort het. Dis snaaks hoe ons soms ons inspirasie vind.’ Elke held in die Skrif, sonder uitsondering, moes struikelblokke en teenstand oorkom. Dawid skryf: ‘Hulle het aangeval toe ek swak was, maar die Here hou my staande. Hy lei my na veiligheid en red my omdat Hy my liefhet… Met U loop ek ‘n leër storm; met my God spring ek oor ‘n muur. God se pad is volmaak. Die Here se woorde is betroubaar. Hy beskerm dié wat by Hom skuil… God rus my toe met krag; Hy maak my pad veilig. Hy maak my voete soos dié van ‘n wildsbok, op hoë plekke laat Hy my veilig staan… U het my met krag toegerus vir die stryd, en my teenstanders aan my onderwerp’ (verse 19-20, 30-31; 33-34, 40 NLV).
Sielskos: Hosea 6-10; Mark 14:43-52; Ps 139:7-12; Spr 13:24
Psalm 18:32 NKJV
In her autobiography, singer Dolly Parton says: “My high school was small, so during graduation each of us got a chance to stand up and announce our plans for the future. ‘I’m going to junior college,’ one boy would say. ‘I’m getting married and moving to Maryville,’ a girl would follow. When my turn came I said, ‘I’m going to Nashville to become a star.’ The entire place erupted in laughter. I was stunned. Somehow, though, that laughter instilled in me an even greater determination to realize my dream. I might have crumbled under the weight of the hardships that were to come, had it not been for the response of the crowd that day. Sometimes it’s funny the way we find inspiration.” Every hero in Scripture, without exception, overcame obstacles and opposition. David writes: “They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me. For by You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places. For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me” (vv. 18-19, 29-30, 32, 39 NKJV).
Soul food: Hosea 6-10; Mark 14:43-52; Ps 139:7-12; Prov 13:24
2019-06-14
1 Peter 5:5 NIV
There are two kinds of humility mentioned in Scripture: (1) False humility. Paul writes, “Do not let anyone who delights in false humility…disqualify you” (Colossians 2:18 NIV). Whether it’s in your manner of dress, your speech, or your behavior, anything that draws attention to you and away from Christ is displeasing to God. (2) True humility. Truly humble people don’t take offense easily or fight back; they turn the other cheek. And yet their humility is not cowardice, for true humility requires courage. It makes you willing to take a lower place than you deserve, to keep quiet about your merits, and to bear slights, insults, and false accusations for the sake of a higher purpose. True humility doesn’t make you think less of yourself, it just makes you think of yourself less. Peter addresses the subject in these words: “God opposes the proud, but he favors the humble. So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor” (1 Peter 5:5-6 NLT). The story’s told of a guy who entered a contest to see who was the most humble. When he won, he was given a badge of merit – but then he wore it and was disqualified! Seriously, pride disqualifies you from enjoying the favor of God. That’s why you need to remind yourself regularly: “Everything I am, I owe to God; everything I have, came from God. To Him be all the glory.”
Soul food: Hosea 1-5; Mark 14:27-42; Ps 139:1-6; Prov 13:21-23
1 Petrus 5:5 NLV
Daar word twee tipes nederigheid in die Skrif genoem: 1) Valse nederigheid. Paulus skryf: ‘Laat niemand wat aandring op selfvernedering… oor julle skeidsregter speel en julle op sleeptou neem nie…’ (Kolossense 2:18 NLV). Of dit nou jou kleredrag, jou spraak of jou gedrag is – enigiets wat die aandag van Christus af wegneem en op jou vestig, is onaanvaarbaar vir God. 2) Ware nederigheid. Mense wat waarlik nederig is, neem nie maklik aanstoot of veg terug nie; hulle draai die ander wang. Tog is hulle nederigheid nie lafhartigheid nie, omdat ware nederigheid moed verg. Dit maak jou gewillig om ‘n laer posisie as wat jy verdien in te neem, om stil te bly oor jou meriete en om vernedering, belediging en valse aantygings ter wille van ‘n hoër doel te verduur. Ware nederigheid laat jou nie minder van jouself dink nie, dit laat jou net minder aan jouself dink. Petrus het hierdie onderwerp met die volgende woorde aangespreek: ‘…God is téén dié wat te veel van hulleself dink, maar dié wat besef hoe afhanklik hulle van Hom is, aan hulle gee Hy sy onverdiende goedheid. Word daarom klein onder die kragtige hand van God; op sý tyd sal Hy julle groot maak’ (1 Petrus 5:5-6 NLV). Daar is ‘n verhaal van ‘n man wat homself vir ‘n kompetisie ingeskryf het om te bepaal wie die nederigste is. Toe hy wen, het hy ‘n sertifikaat van verdienste ontvang – maar toe hy dit omhoog hou, is hy gediskwalifiseer! Op ‘n ernstige noot: Trots diskwalifiseer jou daarvan om die guns van God te geniet. Dis hoekom jy jouself gereeld moet herinner: ‘Alles wat ek is, het ek aan God te danke; alles wat ek het, kom van God af. Aan Hom kom al die eer toe.’
Sielskos: Hosea 1-5; Mark 14:27-42; Ps 139:1-6; Spr 13:21-23
