2022-09-28
Proverbs 17:17 AMPC
Wherever you live and whatever your profession, “butcher, baker, or candlestick maker,” you will have to deal with these three kinds of people:
(1) The critic. Let’s face it, most people are comfortable with the status quo. They not only fear change but will often attack it. So if you dare to be different, prepare to sail through some rough seas. The apostle Paul’s critics referred to him as a madman, a fool, and a babbler. So why would you expect the same crowd to treat you any better?
(2) The cautious. These people won’t point an accusing finger, but neither will they extend a helping hand. When you get into trouble, they will distance themselves from you, fearing they may be tainted by your perceived liabilities. Basically, they will wait to see if you make it through the tunnel and come out the other side. Then they will wait to see who else accepts you and if you can be of benefit to them. Then they may reconnect with you. These people are users. They are not bad; they’re just self-serving. So love them, but don’t lean on them.
(3) The committed. “A friend loves at all times, and is born, as is a brother, for adversity.” Even when they hear the worst about you, the committed still believe the best about you. They value you for your strengths and show grace in handling your weaknesses. These people are priceless because they will love you “at all times.” So when God puts such a person into your life, protect and nurture your relationship with them.
Soul food: Song of Sol 1-4; Mark 15:12-20; Ps 13; Prov 21:22-27
2022-09-27
Psalm 119:103 NIV
The fact that we now enjoy the vegetables we hated as children indicates that as we mature, we can cultivate a taste for healthy, life-giving food. And since the Bible is soul food, you can cultivate a taste for that too. Eugene Peterson writes: “Christians feed on Scripture. Holy Scripture nurtures the holy community as food nurtures the human body. Christians don’t simply learn or study or use Scripture; we assimilate it, take it into our lives in… a way that it gets metabolised into acts of love.”
Consumer research indicates the average Bible owner has nine Bibles and is looking for more. What’s wrong with this picture? The unexpressed secret is that many people find the Bible boring. This is quite a recent problem – and a serious one. Ancient Greek, the language of the New Testament, has no word for boredom. The word didn’t acquire its current meaning in English until the last few centuries. When we consider the ancient world – no television, internet, movies, and virtually no books – we’re inclined to think how boring it must have been. But the ancients weren’t bored.
We’re the generation that gets bored, because capacity to focus our attention and delight our minds in prolonged thought has been diminished by dependency on external stimuli. We have too many tempting alternatives. That’s why becoming a faithful Bible reader begins as a discipline, continues as a duty, and finally becomes a delight. “How sweet are your words… sweeter than honey to my mouth!” And that can be your experience, too, when it comes to reading God’s Word. You just need to get serious about it.
Soul food: 2 Cor 11:16-13:14; Mark 15:1-11; Ps 54; Prov 21:18-21
Psalm 119:103 NLV
Die feit dat ons nou groente geniet wat ons as kinders gehaat het, dui aan dat ons as volwassenes ‘n smaak vir gesonde, lewensgewende kos kan ontwikkel. Omdat die Bybel sielskos is, kan jy ook ‘n smaak daarvoor ontwikkel. Eugene Peterson skryf: ‘Christene voed op die Skrif. Die Heilige Skrif koester die heilige gemeenskap soos voedsel die menslike liggaam koester. Christene leer of bestudeer of gebruik nie bloot die Skrif nie; ons verteer dit en neem dit in ons lewens op op ‘n manier wat in liefdesdade gemetaboliseer word.’
Verbruikersnavorsing dui daarop dat die gemiddelde Bybeleienaar nege Bybels het en steeds meer wil hê. Wat is met hierdie prentjie verkeerd? Die onuitgesproke geheim is dat baie mense die Bybel vervelig vind. Dis ‘n redelike onlangse probleem – en ‘n ernstige een. Antieke Grieks, die taal waarin die Nuwe Testament geskryf is, het nie ‘n woord vir verveeldheid nie. Die woord het eers die laaste paar eeue sy huidige betekenis in Engels gekry. As ons die antieke wêreld in ag neem – geen televisie, internet, flieks en feitlik geen boeke nie – is ons geneig om te dink hoe vervelig dit moes gewees het. Die antieke mense was egter nie verveeld nie.
Ons is die generasie wat verveeld raak, omdat ons ons kapasiteit om ons aandag te fokus en ons gedagtes in langdurige gedagtegange te verlustig, as gevolg van ons afhanklikheid van eksterne stimuli, verklein het. Ons het te veel aanloklike alternatiewe. Dis hoekom dit dissipline verg om ‘n getroue Bybelleser te word en dit dan ‘n plig en uiteindelik ‘n plesier word. ‘Hoe aangenaam is u woorde vir my; dis soeter as heuning in my mond.’ Dit kan jou ervaring ook wees wanneer jy God se Woord lees. Jy moet net ernstig daaroor raak.
Sielskos: 2 Kor 11:16-13:14; Mark 15:1-11; Ps 54; Spr 21:18-21
2022-09-26
Philippians 4:8 NIV
To instruct us about how to feed our minds, the apostle Paul writes: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”
John Ortberg writes: “The striking word in that command is whatever. Our minds are being shaped all the time, but we have great freedom to pursue minds that flourish. As a bee that can find nectar in all kinds of flowers, we are now free – even commanded – to feed our mind on noble thoughts wherever we find them. The Bible itself commands us to look beyond just the Bible to feed our minds. Let us meditate for a moment on that phrase ‘whatever is lovely.’ Think of something that is ‘lovely’ to you. A sunset. A favourite novel… The face of someone you love. Music that makes you dance. Let your mind dwell there for a moment. Give it directed mental focus. You just obeyed the Bible. That ‘counts.’ You just opened your mind a bit to the flow of the Holy Spirit… The Holy Spirit’s goal is not to get you really good at suppressing angry behaviour. It is for you to have a mind characterised by an ever-increasing flow of Spirit-guided, truth-based, life-producing thoughts and feelings. When we read about what is noble, when we see something praiseworthy, we experience what psychologist Jonathan Haidt called ‘elevation.’ We actually feel a slight expansion in our chest; we feel lighter in our bodies. Our emotions are inspired, and we want to become more excellent ourselves. That counts as obedience to Scripture. That is spiritual.”
Soul food: Num 29:1-6; Matt 24; Rev 11:15-19; 1 Cor 15:50-58
Filippense 4:8 NLV
Die apostel Paulus het vir ons gesê waarmee ons ons gedagtes moet voed: ‘…beplan alles wat waar, eerbaar, skoon, suiwer, lieflik en lofwaardig is.’
John Ortberg skryf: ‘Ons gedagtes word die hele tyd gevorm, maar ons het groot vryheid om gedagtes wat floreer, na te streef. Soos ‘n by wat nektar in alle soorte blomme kan vind, is ons nou vry – en word ons selfs beveel – om ons gedagtes met edele gedagtes te voed, waar ons dit ook al kan kry. Die Bybel self beveel ons om verby slegs die Bybel te kyk om ons gedagtes te voed. Kom ons mediteer ‘n oomblik op die frase: ‘wat… lieflik… is.’ Dink aan iets wat vir jou ‘lieflik’ is. ‘n Sonsondergang. Jou gunstelingboek. ‘n Geliefde se gesig. Musiek wat jou laat dans. Laat jou gedagtes vir ‘n oomblik daar stilstaan. Rig jou fokus daarop. Jy het so pas die Bybel gehoorsaam. Jy het so pas jou gedagtes vir die Heilige Gees oopgemaak om daardeur te vloei. Die Heilige Gees se doelwit is nie net om jou sover te kry om kwaai gevoelens te onderdruk nie. Die doel is ook dat jou gedagtes deur ‘n steeds toenemende vloei van Geesgeleide, waarheidsgebaseerde, lewensproduserende gedagtes en gevoelens, gekenmerk moet word. Wanneer ons iets edels lees; wanneer ons iets sien wat lofwaardig is, voel ons liggame sommer ligter. Ons emosies word geïnspireer en ons voel dat ons onsself wil verbeter. Dit tel as gehoorsaamheid aan die Skrif. Dit is geestelik.’
Sielskos: Num 29:1-6; Matt 24; Op 11:15-19; 1 Kor 15:50-58
