2020-05-30
1 Johannes 2:19 NLV
Elke verhouding in jou lewe is daar vir ‘n rede en ‘n seisoen. Jou toewyding aan jou familie moet vir ‘n leeftyd duur; ander verhoudings mag dalk tydsbeperkings hê. Wanneer iemand kies om weg te loop, moenie hulle probeer ompraat om by jou te bly, jou lief te hê, jou te bel, vir jou om te gee, jou te kom sien of om geheg aan jou te bly nie. Jou lewensdoel hang nie van diegene wat jou verlaat het af nie. Johannes skryf: ‘Hulle het uit ons geledere gekom, maar was nooit regtig deel van ons nie. As hulle regtig deel van ons was, sou hulle nou nog by ons gebly het. Hulle het uit ons geledere weggegaan sodat dit aan die lig sou kom dat hulle nie regtig deel van ons was nie.’ Mense verlaat jou, omdat hulle nie aan jou geheg is nie. As hulle nie aan jou geheg is nie, moet jy hulle nie probeer dwing om te bly nie. Dit beteken nie dat hulle slegte mense is nie; dit beteken net dat hulle deel in jou verhaal verby is. Jy moet weet wanneer ‘n verhouding verby is en met grasie tot siens sê, met die wete dat God die verhoudings wat Hy wil hê jy moet hê, sal voorsien. Nadat Lot hom verlaat het, het Abraham ‘n nuwe vlak van God se seën binnegegaan. Toe Orpa vir Naomi verlaat het en terug na Moab gegaan het, het Rut by haar gebly en is beide Naomi en Rut deur God geseën. Jy moet weet wie in jou lewe hoort en wie nie. As jy vandag aan iemand vasklou wat nie hoort nie en wat nie in jou lewe behoort te wees nie, is die woord vir jou vandag – laat hulle gaan!
Sielskos: 1 Kon 10-11; Mark 13:1-11; Ps 82; Spr 12:18-19
2020-05-29
James 1:2 NLT
When difficulties come to us in life and in our relationships, as they inevitably will, it’s easy to succumb to the “dominoes of despair.” First, we become disappointed with an event or relationship. Then as the trial lingers, we topple into discouragement and surrender our expectations that things will change. Finally, as we feel the impossibility of moving the object against which we lean, we succumb to the last domino of despair. We feel powerless and hopeless, and don’t know how to see our way clear. Instead of running our life’s race, it feels like we’re swimming below the surface in an ocean of Jell-O. Often when we can’t understand life’s circumstances, we limit our expectations of who God is and what He can do. We think there’s only one good outcome – the one we want! Instead, we need to trust our heavenly Father because He may have bigger and better things in mind. We must try to see Him at work in whatever trials come our way. Remember, God’s expectations are bigger than our own, and only our heavenly Father and His purposes, no matter how painful they seem at the moment, truly satisfy our souls. James writes: “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (vv. 2-4 NLT). Keep that truth uppermost in your mind today, and you won’t give in to despair.
Soul food: 1 Kings 8-9; Mark 12:28-44; Ps 113; Prov 12:15-17
Jakobus 1:2 NLV
Wanneer ons teenspoed in die lewe en in ons verhoudings ervaar, wat onvermydelik sal gebeur, is dit maklik om aan wanhoop toe te gee. Eerstens, word ons deur ‘n gebeurtenis of verhouding teleurgestel. Terwyl die teleurstelling nog in ons harte en gedagtes talm, gee ons onsself oor aan ontmoediging en gee ons op op ons verwagting dat dinge sal verander. Laastens, soos ons voel dat dit onmoontlik is om die teenspoed te oorkom, gee ons ons oor aan wanhoop. Ons voel magteloos en hopeloos en kan nie ‘n pad vorentoe sien nie. In plaas daarvan om ons lewensresies te hardloop, voel dit of ons onderwater in ‘n see van jellie swem. Dikwels wanneer ons nie ons lewensomstandighede kan verstaan nie, beperk ons ons verwagtings van wie God is en wat Hy kan doen. Ons dink dat daar net een goeie uitkoms is – die een wat ons wil hê! Ons moet egter eerder op ons hemelse Vader vertrou, omdat Hy dalk groter en beter dinge vir ons in gedagte het. Ons moet probeer om sy werk in enige teenspoed wat oor ons pad kom, te sien. Onthou, God se verwagtings is groter as ons eie en slegs ons hemelse Vader en sy doelwitte, maak nie saak hoe pynlik hulle op die oomblik is nie, is in staat om ons siele waarlik te bevredig. Jakobus skryf: ‘My liewe broers en susters, wanneer julle in allerhande beproewings beland, moet julle eintlik baie bly wees. Julle weet mos: Wanneer ‘n mens se geloof ‘n toets deurstaan, veroorsaak dit dat jy kan volhard. Julle moet egter enduit volhard. Dan sal julle julle lewensdoel bereik en geestelik gesond wees. Julle sal niks kortkom nie’ (verse 2-4 NLV). Hou hierdie waarheid voorop in jou gedagtes en jy sal nie aan wanhoop toegee nie.
Sielskos: 1 Kon 8-9; Mark 12:28-44; Ps 113; Spr 12:15-17
James 1:2 NLT
When difficulties come to us in life and in our relationships, we have a choice. We can either go down the path of despair, or the path of hope. The first path takes us from disappointment to discouragement, then to despair. We feel powerless and hopeless, and we don’t know how things will ever get better. If we’re honest, we can often find ourselves heading down that path, especially if we’ve been struggling for a long time. But in Romans 5, we find an alternative path. It says, ‘suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope’ (vv.3-4 NIV). In order to choose this path, we need to trust that God will stay with us in the hard times, and that He’ll bring something good from them. The Bible says, ‘in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose’ (Romans 8:28 NIV). Often when we can’t understand life’s circumstances, we limit our expectations of who God is and what He can do. But we must try to see Him at work in any trials that come our way. And more than that, we need to rejoice in our times of trouble. This may seem too difficult, or even an impossibility, but James writes, ‘when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing’ (vv.2-4 NLT). When we remember the amazing things God can do in and through us while we’re facing trials, it’s easier to have joy, trust in Him, and choose the path which leads to hope.
1 Kings 8-9; Mark 12:28-44; Ps 113; Prov 12:15-17
2020-05-28
Isaiah 42:3 NKJV
Have you ever heard of the Great Boston Molasses Flood? On January 15, 1919, a steel vat containing 2.3 million gallons of molten molasses burst. A 30-foot-tall wave of hot syrup drowned people and horses, destroyed buildings, and crushed freight cars, wagons, and automobiles. The enormous tank, 50 feet tall and 240 feet around, had been poorly designed. Company officials had reacted to the constantly leaking cracks by repainting the tank to match the colour of the molasses; their philosophy was “out of sight, out of mind.” These officials knew the vat was dangerous but they did nothing about it. The disaster, described by one author as the “Dark Tide,” killed 21 people and injured 150 others. There are two important lessons in this story. First, pay attention to the cracks in your character; what you ignore today, you may drown in tomorrow. Second, no matter how badly broken you may be, if you turn to God, He’ll restore you. Isaiah said, “A bruised reed He will not break.” These words portray the gentleness and grace of God as He stoops to restore and make us whole. Maybe you think your sin is too great and you’re too far gone. No. God said, “I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6 NLT). “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, for My anger has turned away from him” (Hosea 14:4 NKJV). “He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us…[He] will cast all our sins into the depth of the sea” (Micah 7:18-19 NKJV). Today God will forgive and restore you.
Soul food: Lev 23:15-22; Acts 2:1-18
