2023-03-19
Psalm 30:5 NLT
One marriage expert says a single mother sent him a story that helped explain the loneliness and stress often faced by those raising children alone. She said she was looking out her window one drizzly day and saw a mother robin and her little ones perched in a nest. As the rain poured down, the mother bird covered her chirping chicks beneath her extended wings. Then the hail began to fall. Instead of tucking her head safely in the nest, the mother robin raised her head upward and took the blows to protect her young. All of the chicks made it safely through the storm. What a graphic illustration of the challenges of single parenting!
The responsibility of raising kids alone is unrelenting, requiring a mom or dad to earn a living, cook, clean, supervise homework, take care of sick kids, and so on. Beyond these day-by-day duties, they must figure out how to meet their own personal and spiritual needs. Taken in context, this may be one of the toughest assignments on earth.
Single parents, whether mothers or fathers, need our continued support and prayers. To those who are taking the blows on behalf of their children, be assured that there are better days coming. The storm you’re in won’t last forever. A beautiful rainbow will soon appear. When the job has been completed and a brood of healthy little birds has been raised, there will be sweet benefits for the parents who don’t fly away. God’s Word promises: “Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.”
Soul food: Isa 40:1-31; John 9:1-39
Psalm 30:6 NLV
Een huwelikskenner vertel dat ‘n enkelma hom ‘n verhaal gestuur het wat gehelp het om die eensaamheid en stres om kinders alleen groot te maak, te verduidelik. Sy sê dat sy een reënerige dag by haar venster uitgekyk het en ‘n rooiborsie en haar kuikens in hul nes gesien het. Soos die reën geval het, het die rooiborsie haar kuikens met haar uitgestrekte vlerke bedek. Toe het dit begin hael. In plaas daarvan om haar kop veilig in die nes te druk, het die rooiborsie haar kop opwaarts gestrek en die houe gevat om haar kuikens te beskerm. Al die kuikens het dit veilig deur die storm gemaak. Wat ‘n grafiese illustrasie van die uitdagings van enkelouerskap!
Die verantwoordelikheid om kinders alleen groot te maak is meedoënloos en vereis van ‘n ma of pa om geld te verdien, te kook, skoon te maak, toesig te hou oor huiswerk, vir siek kinders te sorg, ensovoorts. Tussendeur hierdie daaglikse verpligtinge, moet hulle ook uitpluis hoe om aan hulle eie persoonlike en geestelike behoeftes te voldoen. In konteks geneem, mag dit dalk een van die moeilikste opdragte op aarde wees.
Enkelouers, hetsy nou moeders of vaders, het ons voortdurende ondersteuning en gebede nodig. Aan diegene wat die houe namens hulle kinders neem, wees verseker dat daar beter dae aan die kom is. Die storm waarin jy jou tans bevind, sal nie vir ewig duur nie. ‘n Pragtige reënboog sal binnekort te voorskyn kom. Wanneer die werk voltooi is en die kroos gesonde klein voëltjies groot is, sal daar soete voordele vir die ouers wat nie wegvlieg nie, wees. God se Woord beloof: ‘…In die nag vloei die trane, maar in die oggend is daar vreugde.’
Sielskos: Jes 40:1-31; Joh 9:1-39
2023-03-18
Psalm 77:2 KJV
Here are two important prayer principles: (1) Talk to God when troubles surround you. If you’re like most people, good times can make you trust in yourself instead of God. It’s the troubled times that drive you to your knees – a bad medical report, a child hooked on drugs, a lost job, or a troubled marriage. That’s God’s intention in allowing troubled times! He allows trouble to afflict us – not to make us miserable, but to bring us to Himself. Hosea the prophet said, “In their misery they will earnestly seek [God]” (Hosea 5:15 NIV). God’s fatherly heart wants above all that we abide and confide in Him. And if it takes trouble to do it, He loves us enough to permit it. But when we turn to Him in our troubles, we discover that He is “our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble” (Psalm 46:1 NLT).
(2) Talk to God at all times. In his widely-read classic, The Practice of the Presence of God, Brother Lawrence speaks of prayer as a continual conversation with God – a practice for all times, places, and circumstances. While cooking and washing dishes, he found conversing with God as satisfying as in his allotted prayer times. He counsels us: “That we may accustom ourselves to a continual conversation with Him… in simplicity. That we need only to recognize God intimately present with us, and to address ourselves to Him every moment.” That sounds like Paul’s instructions on the subject: “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests… always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people” (Ephesians 6:18 NIV).
Soul food: Job 5-7; Luke 18:18-43; Ps 19; Prov 8:6-7
Psalm 77:3 NLV
Hier is twee belangrike gebedsbeginsels: 1) Praat met God te midde van moeilikheid. Dit is die moeilike tye wat jou op jou knieë dwing – ‘n slegte mediese verslag, ‘n kind wat verslaaf is aan dwelms, ‘n verlore werk of ‘n moeilike huwelik. Dis hoekom God moeilike tye toelaat! Hy laat toe dat moeilikheid ons teister – nie om ons ellendig te laat voel nie, maar om ons na Hom toe te bring. Hosea die profeet het gesê: ‘…Sodra hulle moeilikheid het, dán sal julle My soek’ (Hosea 5:15 NLV). God se vaderlike hart wil hê dat ons in Hom bly en Hom vertrou. Hy is lief genoeg vir ons om moeilikheid in ons lewens toe te laat om ons sodoende nader aan Hom te bring. Wanneer ons na Hom in moeilike tye draai, vind ons uit dat Hy ‘…ons toevlug en ons krag [is]; in nood is Hy gereed om te help’ (Psalm 46:2 NLV).
2) Praat ten alle tye met God. In sy bekende boek: The Practice of the Presence of God, verwys broer Lawrence na gebed as ‘n voortdurende gesprek met God – ‘n gebruik vir alle tye, plekke en omstandighede. Gesprekke met God terwyl hy kook of skottelgoed was, het hy net so bevredigend soos in sy toegewese gebedstye gevind. Hy raai ons aan om voortdurend te bid: ‘Sodat ons onsself aan ‘n voortdurende gesprek in eenvoud met Hom gewoond kan maak. Dat ons net hoef te erken dat God intiem by ons teenwoordig is en ons onsself elke oomblik tot Hom moet rig.’ Dit klink soos Paulus se instruksies oor die onderwerp: ‘Doen alles deur gebed en smeking… en bid vir almal wat aan God behoort’ (Efesiërs 6:18 NLV).
Sielskos: Job 5-7; Luk 18:18-43; Ps 19; Spr 8:6-7
2023-03-17
Psalm 51:7 NIV
Do you remember when most restaurants had opening and closing hours? It was their schedule, and not your appetite, that decided whether you ate or went hungry. Not anymore: now you can pop into many of your favourite eating places anytime your appetite hits. That’s how God operates; He is available 24/7. And although praying isn’t limited to set times, there are certain times when it’s vital that you talk to God.
Here are two: (1) When you have sinned. Your emotions of guilt and shame, plus Satan “the accuser,” will tell you to avoid God. But turning to Him is the only solution to sin. Burdened by adultery, deception, and murder, David realised he needed to confess his sin to God. “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow… Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (vv. 7, 10 NIV). John said God is “faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NIV). Have you sinned? A fresh beginning is only a prayer away.
(2) When you’re worried and afraid. You don’t have to look too far to find things to worry about; they’re all around you. Financial, professional, health, and family concerns can make you stressed-out and anxious. Where to turn? Prayer is God’s answer to fear and anxiety. “Don’t worry over anything whatever… tell God every detail of your needs in thankful prayer, and the peace of God, which surpasses human understanding, will keep constant guard over your hearts and minds” (Philippians 4:6-7 PHPS).
Soul food: Job 1-4; Luke 18:1-17; Ps 11; Prov 8:4-5
