2022-09-13
Jesaja 55:8 NLV
God het gesê: ‘My gedagtes is anders as julle s’n… Want soos die hemel hoër is as die aarde, so is… my gedagtes hoër as julle gedagtes’ (verse 8-9 NLV). Totdat jy nie vrede maak met die feit dat God nie soos jy dink nie, sal jy sy weë bevraagteken en selfs aan sy liefde twyfel. Ons probeer pyn vermy, maar God gebruik dit dikwels om vir ons vrede te bring. Ons wil vertroosting hê, maar Hy stel meer in karakter belang. Ons jaag dinge wat nie hou nie na, terwyl Hy vir ons sê om ons lewens op dit wat vir ewig duur, te bou. Die feit is dat God in ‘n dimensie bly wat ons nie eers kan begin om te begryp nie.
Salomo het gesê: ‘Maar wie kan ‘n waardige woning vir Hom bou? Nie eens die hoogste hemele kan Hom bevat nie!..’ (2 Kronieke 2:6 NLV). Wat jou beheer, beheer nie vir God nie en wat jou bekommer, bekommer Hom nie. Vra jouself af: Pla die verkeer ‘n arend? Nee, hy sweef bo dit uit. Word ‘n walvis deur ‘n orkaan versteur? Natuurlik nie; hy duik daaronder. Word ‘n leeu verbouereerd wanneer ‘n muis in sy pad staan? Nee, hy loop net bo-oor hom. Hoeveel te meer is God nie in staat om bo die probleme van die aarde te sweef, onder dit te duik, of bo-oor dit te loop nie?
Wat onmoontlik vir die mens is, is moontlik vir God (sien Matteus 19:26). God kan tegelyk orals wees en Hy kan al die gebede wat na Hom toe kom, hoor en beantwoord. God werk met ‘n plan en ‘n doel, Hy is op die troon en in beheer van alles – tog waak Hy oor elke detail van jou lewe. Laat hierdie waarheid jou vandag vertroos.
Sielskos: Eseg 24:1-27:24; Mark 12:13-27; Ps 78:17-31; Spr 20:15-19
2022-09-12
Psalm 11:4 NCV
The psalmist asked, “When the foundations for good collapse, what can good people do?” (v. 3 NCV). Then he goes on to answer his own question: “The Lord sits on his throne in heaven.” When sickness comes, when your marriage fails, when your children suffer, when death strikes, what are you to do? Remember that God is still on the throne, and He is watching over you. No detail escapes His notice or care. He works according to a plan, and it’s not usually a plan we can understand when we’re going through hard times. Only in looking back do we realise that His goodness and mercy have followed us all the days of our lives (See Psalm 23:6).
Joseph landed in prison. Moses spent forty years in the desert. Daniel ended up in chains. These were dismal moments. Who could possibly have seen any good in them? Who could have known that Joseph the prisoner was only a single promotion away from becoming Joseph the prime minister? Who would have thought God was providing Moses forty years of wilderness training in the same desert through which he would lead the people? Who would have imagined that Daniel the captive would soon become the king’s counselor? God carries out His plans like that.
He did it for Joseph, Moses, and Daniel – and He will do the same for you – so trust Him. He will give you the grace you need to get through this situation. When you ask, “God, where are you?” He answers, “I am with you and will watch over you… I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you” (Genesis 28:15 NIV).
Soul food: Ezek 22-23; Mark 12:1-12; Ps 78:9-16; Prov 20:11-14
2022-09-11
Proverbs 13:3 NIV
Harsh words can “chop off” a person’s ability to hear what you’re saying. When Jesus was betrayed by Judas, He didn’t retaliate even though He could have called twelve legions of angels to His defense (See Matthew 26:53). Then the mob came, laid hands on Him, and arrested Him. At that point, Peter drew his sword and chopped off the high priest’s servant’s ear. He was probably thinking, “We don’t have to take this!” But Jesus said that’s not how you handle things! Then, “He touched the man’s ear and healed him” (Luke 22:51 NIV).
Peter had a tendency to talk when he should have been listening and got into things he had no business getting into. He needed to learn how to wait on God and exercise humility and discernment. God had great plans for him, but if he wanted to fulfill them, he couldn’t do it by chopping off peoples’ ears when they upset him.
There is a lesson here. You can’t fly off the handle whenever you feel like it. You must become sensitive to God’s Spirit: If He tells you, “Say nothing,” then you must stand there quietly even if it means letting someone think they’re right when you know they’re not. You must learn that God doesn’t owe you an explanation. You can hinder your spiritual growth or God’s blessing in your life when you don’t control what you say. Perhaps you think that compared to adultery or stealing, this is no big deal. Think again: “Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin” (Proverbs 13:3 NIV).
Soul food: 2 Kings 6:8-20; Eph 1:15-23
Spreuke 13:3 NLV
Bitsige woorde kan ‘n persoon se vermoë om te hoor wat jy te sê het, ‘afsny.’ Toe Jesus deur Judas verraai is, het Hy nie weerwraak geneem nie, selfs al kon Hy twaalf legioene engele tot sy verdediging geroep het (sien Matteus 26:53). Toe die skare kom, het hulle Hom gegryp en gearresteer. Op daardie punt het Petrus sy swaard uitgepluk en die slaaf van die hoëpriester se oor afgesny. Petrus het seker gedink: ‘Ons moet terugbaklei!’ Jesus het egter gesê dat dit nie die manier is hoe mens dinge moet hanteer nie. ‘…Daarna het Hy die oor aangeraak en dit gesond gemaak’ (Lukas 22:51 NLV).
Petrus het die neiging gehad om te praat wanneer hy eintlik moes luister en betrokke te raak by situasies wat nie sy besigheid was nie. Hy moes leer om op God te wag en nederigheid en onderskeidingsvermoë uit te oefen. God het groot planne vir hom gehad, maar hy kon dit nie vervul as hy rondgeloop het en mense se ore afgekap het nie.
Daar is ‘n les hier te leer. Jy kan nie jou humeur verloor soos jy lus het nie. Jy moet sensitief vir God se Gees word: As Hy vir jou sê: ‘Moet niks sê nie,’ moet jy stilbly, selfs al beteken dit dat jy iemand laat dink hulle is reg wanneer jy weet dat hulle verkeerd is. Jy moet leer dat God jou nie ‘n verduideliking skuld nie. Jy kan jou geestelike groei of God se seën in jou lewe verhinder wanneer jy nie dit wat jy sê, beheer nie. Miskien dink jy dat, in vergelyking met owerspel of steel, dit nie so erg is nie. Dink weer: ‘Iemand wat op sy woorde let, bevorder die lewe. ‘n Bitsige antwoord kan alles ruïneer’ (Spreuke 13:3 NLV).
Sielskos: 2 Kon 6:8-20; Ef 1:15-23
2022-09-10
Romans 12:8 NLT
As a leader, here are three things you shouldn’t do: (1) You shouldn’t be afraid to try something new (See Isaiah 43:19). When you put someone into a new role, they will make mistakes; it’s inevitable, but it’s how they learn. While locking them into the same routine takes the wind out of their sails, being a leader means risking their failures and biting your lip as you let them toddle out into the unknown. Like a parent who prays harder when their teen takes the family car out for their first drive, you must accept that the challenges which frighten you are actually liberating to others.
(2) You shouldn’t confuse individual loyalty with team building (See 1 Corinthians 3:9). It’s good to work closely with key individuals, but it’s also important to stay “connected to each other” (Romans 12:5 GWT). You must make sure that everybody gets to be on the team, feels valued, and learns how to interact with one another.
(3) You shouldn’t try to micromanage people (See 2 Corinthians 7:16 GWT). There is a difference between managing people and leading them. Managing people requires an eye for detail, whereas leading them involves vision sharing, goal setting, and motivating. And you must know the difference. When you micromanage rather than lead, morale plummets, because people need clear objectives and the freedom to figure out how to reach them. Don’t micromanage; it diminishes the sense of ownership those under you and around you need for good team dynamics and problem-solving. President Eisenhower once said, “Pull the string, and it will follow you wherever you wish. Push it, and it will go nowhere.”
Soul food: Ezek 20-21; Mark 11:27-33; Ps 78:1-8; Prov 20:7-10
