2023-02-21
Psalm 23:2 NKJV
Even when you’re living right and doing all the right things, life can still be draining. We have all received mail addressed simply to “Occupant.” Sometimes you’re drained not because you did anything wrong, but because you happen to “occupy” the planet. The combination of the world, the flesh, and the devil will suck the spiritual vitality right out of you if you let them.
You try to pray, but no words come. You know you ought to read your Bible, but when you try to, the letters on the page all run together and none of it makes sense. And you don’t want to listen to spiritual people, especially when you suspect they may be faking their positive viewpoints. You’re just going through the spiritual motions, nodding and saying amen; yet in your soul, you’re running on empty.
David, who had been a shepherd, said that God “makes” us lie down. Why? Because just like sheep, we would keep on wandering all over the place and wearing ourselves out. Note two things David says:
(1) “He makes me to lie down in green pastures.” The word “green” means “fresh.” Each day you need a fresh encounter with God through prayer and a fresh intake of His Word. Bread is not the only thing that can go stale; your spiritual life can, too.
(2) “He leads me beside the still waters” (v. 2 NKJV). The word “still” means you need times of quietness and reflection. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 KJV). The only way to know God intimately, sense His leading, and draw on His strength is to “be still.”
Soul food: Rom 9:17-11:36; Luke 10:38-42; Ps 33:13-22; Prov 5:15-20
2023-02-20
Psalm 127:4 NLT
Our children are like arrows; they must be aimed in the right direction. When they’re aimed in the wrong direction, they can end up in violence, drugs, and destructive lifestyles. And as long as we jeer at or judge them, they will never feel comfortable turning to us for help as they go through life. Broken arrows come in all colors and forms: black, white, rich, poor. Pain isn’t prejudiced; it spares no age group or social strata.
What’s the answer? Let the strong bear the infirmities of the weak (See Romans 15:1). “Jesus… had compassion on them and healed their sick” (Matthew 14:14 NLT). Compassion is the mother of miracles! When the disciples thought they would die in the storm, they didn’t challenge Christ’s power, they challenged His compassion: “Carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:38 KJV). Where there is no compassion, there will be no miracle. Only when you’re moved by someone’s pain rather than turned off by their symptoms can you bring healing to them.
One author writes: “We can build all the churches we want. But if people cannot find a loving voice within our hallowed halls, they will pass through unaltered by our clichés and religious rhetoric. Church is not a club for the well-heeled, but a hospital for those needing to be healed and set free. You don’t have to like everything about the people you’re called to minister to, but you do have to love them because God does.” We have been called to gather up those the world has thrown away because they matter to God: “‘They shall be Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘on the day that I make them My jewels'” (Malachi 3:17 NKJV).
Soul food: Rom 7:1-9:16; Luke 10:25-37; Ps 33:1-12; Prov 5:7-14
Psalm 127:3-4 NLV
Ons kinders is soos pyle; hulle moet in die regte rigting gerig word. Wanneer hulle in die verkeerde rigting gerig word, kan hulle in geweld, dwelms en vernietigende leefstyle opeindig. Solank ons hulle bespot of oordeel, sal hulle nooit gemaklik voel om vir hulp na ons te draai nie. Gebreekte pyle kom in alle kleure en vorms voor: swart, wit, ryk, arm. Pyn bevooroordeel nie; dit spaar geen ouderdoms- of sosiale groep nie.
Wat is die antwoord? Laat die sterkes die laste van die swakkes dra (sien Romeine 15:1). ‘Jesus… het ‘n diepe deernis vir hulle gevoel en hulle siekes gesond gemaak’ (Matteus 14:14 NLV). Toe die dissipels gedink het dat hulle in die storm gaan sterf, het hulle nie Christus se krag uitgedaag nie, maar sy deernis: ‘…Leermeester, skeel dit U niks dat ons besig is om te vergaan nie?’ (Markus 4:38 NLV).
Waar daar nie deernis is nie, sal daar nie ‘n wonderwerk wees nie. Eers wanneer jy deur iemand se pyn geroer word, eerder as om deur hulle simptome afgesit te word, kan jy hulle genesing meebring. Een skrywer merk op: ‘Ons kan soveel kerke bou soos ons wil. As mense egter nie ‘n liefdevolle stem in ons heilige sale kan vind nie, sal hulle onaangeraak deur ons clichés en godsdienstige retoriek beweeg. Kerk is nie ‘n klub vir welgesteldes nie, maar ‘n hospitaal vir diegene wat genees en bevry moet word. Jy hoef nie van alles te hou van die mense wie jy geroep is om te dien nie, maar jy moet hulle liefhê omdat God dit doen.’
Ons is geroep om diegene wat die wêreld weggegooi het bymekaar te maak, omdat hulle vir God saakmaak: “Die magtige Here sê: ‘Die dag as Ek ingryp, sal hulle my kosbare besitting wees…'” (Maleagi 3:17 NLV).
Sielskos: Rom 7:1-9:16; Luk 10:25-37; Ps 33:1-12; Spr 5:7-14
2023-02-19
John 4:15 NIV
This Samaritan woman tried to fill the emptiness in her life with multiple relationships. But it didn’t work. When you try to find in anyone else what can only be found in Christ, you place so much stress on the relationship that it will break under the weight of it.
Why did Jesus say, “You have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband” (v. 18 NIV)? Because one of the first things hurting people need to do is break the pattern of using other people as a narcotic to dull the pain of their inner void. The more you medicate the symptoms, the less chance you have of allowing God to treat the cause. The other dysfunctional tendency that can exist is that you keep increasing the dosage. When you become increasingly dependent on others rather than on God to create a feeling of wholeness in your life, you’re abusing your relationships.
Clinging to people is very different from loving them. It’s not so much a declaration of your love for them as a crying out of your need for them. Like lust, it’s extremely selfish. It’s taking, instead of giving.
Jesus quenched the Samaritan woman’s thirst with His Word, saying, “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (v. 14 NIV). And she went back home totally changed, for that’s what Jesus does. Listen to her testimony: “Come, see a man who told me everything” (v. 29 NIV). And what Jesus did for her, He will do for you today.
Soul food: 2 Chron 7:12-16; Matt 6:5-15; Luke 18:1-8
Johannes 4:15 NLV
Hierdie Samaritaanse vrou het die leegheid in haar lewe met verskeie verhoudings probeer vul. Dit het egter nie gewerk nie. Wanneer jy dit wat slegs in Christus gevind kan word in enigiemand anders soek, plaas jy soveel stres op die verhouding dat dit onder die gewig daarvan sal breek.
Hoekom het Jesus gesê: ‘Want jy het reeds vyf mans gehad en die een wat jy nou het, is eintlik nie jou man nie…” (vers 18 NLV)? Omdat jy die patroon om ander mense as ‘n narkotiese middel te gebruik om die pyn in jou innerlike leemte te verdoof, moet verbreek. Hoe meer jy die simptome medisinaal probeer behandel, hoe minder kans is daar dat jy God sal toelaat om die oorsaak te behandel.
Die ander disfunksionele neiging is dat jy aanhou om die dosis te verhoog. Wanneer jy al hoe meer van ander mense, in plaas van God, afhanklik raak om ‘n gevoel van heelheid in jou lewe te skep, misbruik jy jou verhoudings. Om aan mense vas te klou is baie anders as om hulle lief te hê. Dis nie soseer ‘n liefdesverklaring as ‘n uitroep van jou behoefte aan hulle nie. Soos wellus, is dit uiters selfsugtig. Jy neem, eerder as om te gee.
Jesus het hierdie Samaritaanse vrou se dors met sy Woord geles deur te sê: ‘Wie egter van die water drink wat Ek hom gee, sal nimmer as te nooit weer dors word. Die water wat Ek vir hom sal gee, sal ‘n fontein in hom word waarvan die water vir altyd sal bly opborrel’ (vers 14 NLV). Luister na haar getuienis: ‘Kom kyk self – ‘n man het my alles vertel…’ (vers 29 NLV). Wat Jesus vir haar gedoen het, sal Hy vandag vir jou doen.
Sielskos: 2 Kron 7:12-16; Matt 6:5-15; Luk 18:1-8
