2020-09-25
Romeine 8:37 NLV
As jy tot die gevolgtrekking gekom het dat jou beste dae verby is – is hulle. As jy dink dat hulle nog voorlê – doen hulle. Toe Leonard sy werk by ‘n Fortune 500 maatskappy verloor het, was hy vol vrees en depressief. Hy het egter tot die besef gekom dat indien hy tou opgooi, hy ‘n verkeerde voorbeeld vir sy seun sou stel. Leonard was vasbeslote om sy seun te wys dat hy weer sou opstaan. Hy het sy vriende begin bel om hulle te vra of hulle van enige werk weet. Verskeie maande en baie onderhoude later, het hy vier werksaanbiedinge gehad en werk hy nou vir ‘n maatskappy wat sy talente waardeer. Wanneer boere in Idaho aartappels geoes het, sou hulle hulle volgens grootte sorteer: klein, medium en groot. Tog het ‘n boer wat nie hierdie metode gebruik het nie, meer geld as al die res gemaak. Uiteindelik het ‘n buurman hom gevra: ‘Wat is jou geheim?’ ‘Maklik,’ het die boer geantwoord. ‘Ek laai my wa en vat die slegste pad dorp toe. Gedurende die reis skud die klein aartappels ondertoe, die medium aartappels bly in die middel en die groot aartappels rys na die bokant toe.’ Dieselfde is waar van mense. Op die stamperige pad van die lewe, rys die groot aartappels bo almal uit. Jon Gordon sê: ‘Nieteenstaande die teenspoed wat jy het, moet jou doelwit groter as jou uitdagings wees. In plaas daarvan om op jou probleme te fokus, fokus op jou doelwit. In plaas daarvan om jouself as ‘n slagoffer te sien, sien jouself as ‘n held. Helde en slagoffers word beide platgeslaan, maar helde staan weer op en bewapen met geloof, skep hulle ‘n positiewe toekoms.’
Sielskos: Hoogl 1-4; Luk 23:32-38; Ps 13; Spr 21:22-27
1 Corinthians 15:57 NIV
When we feel like we’re experiencing a setback, we’re often being prepared for a comeback. When we feel like we’ve taken some steps backward, it can actually mean we end up moving forward afterwards. Good Friday is a great illustration of this. On the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, it seemed all was lost. But it’s not over until God says it’s over. The greatest spiritual victory in history was won after its seemingly greatest defeat. All was lost, but not for long. Three days after His crucifixion, Jesus walked out of His tomb. And as redeemed children of God, that same power lives in us today. The Bible says: ‘If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you’ (Romans 8:11 NKJV). In God’s kingdom failure is never final. We may not win every spiritual battle, but the war has been ultimately won. The victory was sealed 2,000 years ago when Jesus was resurrected. Paul writes, ‘Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us’ (Romans 8:37 NKJV). Today we’re more than conquerors because of what Christ did for us. We’ll experience setbacks – that’s just life. But without a crucifixion there can be no resurrection. Sometimes the things that knock us down are the very things that lead us to be built up stronger than ever. So when things seem to be going wrong in our lives, we can keep trusting, knowing that God is preparing our comeback.
Song of Solomon 1-4; Luke 23:32-38; Ps 13; Prov 21:22-27
Romans 8:37 NKJV
If you conclude that your best days are over – they are. If you think they’re ahead – they are. After losing his job with a Fortune 500 company, Leonard was fearful and depressed. Then it occurred to him that if he gave up, what would he be teaching his son? If he didn’t overcome his challenges, his son would learn to let his challenges beat him. Leonard was determined to show him that although his dad got knocked down, he could get back up. So he dug out his résumé and called his friends to tell them he needed a job. Several months and many interviews later, he had four job offers, and now works for a company that values his talent. When harvesting potatoes, Idaho farmers would sort them according to size: small, medium, and large. Yet a particular farmer who didn’t follow this practice made more money than the rest. Puzzled, a neighbor asked, “What’s your secret?” “Simple,” he replied. “I load my wagon and take the roughest road to town. During the trip the small potatoes fall to the bottom, the medium ones settle in the middle, and the big potatoes rise to the top.” The same is true of people. On the bumpy road of life, big potatoes rise to the top. Jon Gordon says: “Regardless of the adversity you face, your purpose must be greater than your challenges. Instead of focusing on your problems, focus on your purpose. Instead of seeing yourself as a victim, see yourself as a hero. Heroes and victims both get knocked down, but heroes get back up, and armed with faith, they create a positive future.”
Soul food: Song of Solomon 1-4; Luke 23:32-38; Ps 13; Prov 21:22-27
2020-09-24
Matthew 12:20 NIVUK
God is a mender and not a discarder. With Him, broken lives aren’t the end of the story. When we feel broken, useless and that we’ve gone too far away from the path that God wanted us to go down, there’s hope. God doesn’t give up on us. We’re never too broken for Him to restore. In Matthew it says: ‘A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out.’ This is actually a quote from the prophet Isaiah (have a read in Isaiah 42). In this chapter, Isaiah’s prophesying about Jesus. The ‘bruised reed’ represents people who feel weak and fragile, while the ‘smouldering wick’ represents people who have almost burnt out, their light is fading and their hope is nearly gone. Jesus doesn’t give up on us when we’re feeling like that, instead He works to gently restore us. He gives us the opportunity to start again, however badly we think we’ve failed Him. And the truth is that we all fail at some point. The Bible is full of people who failed. Abraham lied and put Sarah at risk. Jacob was a cheat and self-promoting con artist. Moses determined to do things his own way and ended up a fugitive. David cheated on his wife and betrayed a faithful friend. Peter turned his back on Christ. But, the thing is, God used each of them. And He’ll use us too. He’s the God of unlimited grace. As long as we recognise our failures and desire to start again, He’ll begin the process of restoring us. No matter how broken we’re feeling today, let’s grasp that offer of a second chance.
2 Cor 11:16-13:14; Luke 23:26-31; Ps 54; Prov 21:18-21
2 Corinthians 4:9 MSG
Like trees that bend in the wind, resilient people gain strength from adversity because they know how to do these five things: (1) Stay connected. Solomon said, “Two are better…If either of them falls…one can help the other up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NIV). When Barbara Smith’s son was killed, she started a bereavement group to unite others. “We’ve saved each other,” she says. (2) Monitor their self-talk. Watch how you “spin” your situation. And when you catch yourself speaking negatively, reframe things in light of Scripture. God’s Word says, “The word of faith is…in your mouth” (See Romans 10:8), and “What you say can mean life or death” (Proverbs 18:21 NCV). Instead of sitting around wallowing in fear and anger, and whining about how you got here, focus on what you can control – your words! (3) Look for life’s lighter moments. Solomon said, “A happy heart is…good medicine…a broken spirit drains your strength” (Proverbs 17:22 NCV). When Donna Goldman was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, she continued to teach. “I let the kids play with my walking canes – as long as they don’t use them for weapons!” she quips. And her car license plate says, “Get Back Up.” (4) Give back. God “comforts us…so…we can share that…comfort with others” (2 Corinthians 1:4 CEV). Renee Weinhouse, who survived stage IV lymphoma and runs a support group, says, “Nothing makes me happier than giving a patient hope.” (5) Take care of themselves. A healthy diet and regular exercise help repair brain areas susceptible to stress. When Deborah Robinson’s husband developed Alzheimer’s disease, she realized, “If I was going to be good for him, I had to be good to myself.”
Soul food: 2 Cor 11:16-13:14; Luke 23:26-31; Ps 54; Prov 21:18-21
