2023-04-02
Jesaja 43:4 NLV
Het jy al ooit ‘n motorhuis uitverkoping bygewoon in die hoop om ‘n winskopie raak te loop? Vir die onopgeleide oog lyk baie van die items soos gemors. Die opgeleide oog sien egter ‘n skat wat vermom is; items wat net skoongemaak, gepoleer en gerestoureer moet word sodat dit weer waardevol is. Dis wat God met ons doen.
Wanneer Satan vir jou vertel dat jy waardeloos is, kyk God binne-in jou en sien versteekte skatte raak. Wanneer jy Jesus die Here van jou lewe maak, stel Hy jou in staat om jou verlede te oorkom, versoeking te weerstaan, slegte gewoontes te oorwin en bo jou selfopgelegde beperkings uit te styg en te besef dat jy groot waarde in God se oë het.
‘n Man het na ‘n psigiater toe gegaan wat vir hom gesê het: ‘Ek het jou probleem gediagnoseer. Jy het ‘n lae selfbeeld – nogal algemeen onder verloorders!’ Ons glimlag, maar die waarheid is dat wanneer jy aanhou om jouself af te kraak, jy geneig is om na mense wat dieselfde doen, aangetrek te word. Wanneer jy egter die waarde wat God aan jou heg begin besef, begin jou hele perspektief verander. Met God kan jy nie verloor nie. Selfs wanneer jy struikel, sal Hy jou help om weer op te staan, sterker en wyser te word en tot oorwinning aan te beweeg.
Wanneer jy jouself as iemand wat net foute maak en te kort skiet sien, kyk jy in die verkeerde spieël. Wanneer jy begin om jouself in die spieël van God se Woord te sien, sien jy iemand wat elke dag getransformeer word om meer en meer soos Jesus te lyk (sien 2 Korintiërs 3:18 NLV). Dis hoe God jou vandag sien.
Sielskos: Matt 21:1-16; Ps 118:19-29
Isaiah 43:4 NIV
Have you ever gone to a garage sale hoping to find a bargain? To the untrained eye, much of the stuff looks like rubbish. It may even have been gathering dust and mildew in somebody’s attic. But the trained eye sees treasure in disguise; items that just need to be cleaned, polished, and restored in order to become valuable again. That’s what God does with us. When Satan tells you you’re worthless, God looks inside you and sees hidden treasure.
When you make Jesus the Lord of your life, He enables you to overcome your past, resist temptation, conquer bad habits, rise above your self-imposed limitations, and realize that in God’s eyes, you have great worth. You actually start believing what He said: “You are precious… in my sight.”
A man went to visit a psychiatrist who told him, “I’ve diagnosed your problem. It’s low self-esteem – and it’s very common among losers!” We smile, but the truth is when you keep putting yourself down, you tend to gravitate toward people who do the same. But once you begin to realize the value God places on you, your entire outlook changes. With God, you can’t lose. Even when you stumble, He will help you to get back up, become stronger and wiser, and move on to victory.
When you see yourself only as somebody who makes mistakes and falls short, you’re looking in the wrong mirror. Once you start to see yourself in the mirror of God’s Word, you see someone who is being transformed day by day into the likeness of Jesus (See 2 Corinthians 3:18). And that’s how God sees you today.
Soul food: Matt 21:1-16; Ps 118:19-29
2023-04-01
1 Samuel 27:1 NLV
Die Bybel sê: “Dawid dink toe by homself: ‘Eendag sal Saul my nog doodmaak. Dis beter dat ek vlug en by die Filistyne gaan woon…'” (vers 1 NLV). In die verlede, het Dawid die Here se raad gevra (sien 1 Samuel 23:2, 4). Hy het ook raad by ervare, bewese raadgewers gekry. Hierdie keer is hy egter deur sy vrese gelei en het na ‘n vyandige gebied oorgeloop. Dit het hom ‘n tydelike gevoel van verligting gegee.
Salomo het gesê: ‘Dit lyk dalk vir iemand of hy die regte ding doen; agterna kom dit uit dat dit na die dood gelei het. Lag kan hartseer wegsteek; as die vrolikheid verby is, bly die verdriet nog agter. ‘n Agterbakse mens kry sy verdiende loon. ‘n Goeie mens pluk die vrugte van sy goedheid. ‘n Dwaas glo alles wat hy hoor. ‘n Verstandige mens oorweeg elke tree wat hy gee’ (Spreuke 14:12-15 NLV).
Uiteindelik het die Filistyne Dawid verwerp omdat hulle hom nie kon vertrou nie. Hulle het gesê: ‘…Stuur hom terug na die plek wat jy tot sy beskikking gestel het!.. Hy kan nie saam met ons in die geveg gaan nie. Wat sal gebeur as hy teen ons draai?..’ (1 Samuel 29:4 NLV).
Wees versigtig wanneer jy ‘n geestelike insinking beleef, want die besluite wat jy maak kan langdurige gevolge hê. Ons kan die volgende uit Dawid se situasie leer: 1) In plaas daarvan om na jou vrese te luister, luister na God. Terwyl hy tussen die puinhope van sy lewe gestaan het, het Dawid, ‘…by die Here sy God krag ontvang’ (1 Samuel 30:6 NLV), en jy sal ook. 2) Soek wyse raadgewers. Dis die laaste ding wat jy in jou ellende sal wil doen, maar ‘…dit is veilig om baie raadgewers te hê’ (Spreuke 11:14 NLV).
Sielskos: Fil 1-4; Luk 22:54-62; Ps 31:14-24; Spr 9:1-3
1 Samuel 27:1 CEV
The Bible says, “[David] thought to himself, ‘One of these days, Saul is going to kill me. The only way to escape from him is to go to Philistia'” (v. 1 CEV). Now, in times past, David had “inquired of the Lord” (See 23:2, 4 NIV). He also sought advice from experienced, proven counselors. But this time, he was guided by his fears and ended up defecting to enemy territory. And it gave him a temporary sense of relief.
Looking to the wrong source can do that – but it doesn’t last. Solomon said: “You may think you are on the right road and still end up dead. Sorrow may hide behind laughter, and happiness may end in sorrow. You harvest what you plant, whether good or bad… be smart and know where you are headed” (Proverbs 14:12-15 CEV). Eventually, the Philistines rejected David because they couldn’t trust him. They said, “Send David back to the town you gave him. We won’t have him going into the battle with us. He could turn and fight against us!” (1 Samuel 29:4 CEV).
Be careful when you’re in a spiritual slump, because the decisions you make can have long-lasting ramifications. Rejected by the Philistines, with no country and no family to come home to, here is what we learn from David: (1) Instead of listening to your fears, listen to God. Standing among the ruins of his life, “David found strength in the Lord” (1 Samuel 30:6 NIV), and you will, too. (2) Seek wise counselors. It’s the last thing you will feel like doing because misery loves company, but “the more wise counsel you follow, the better” (Proverbs 11:14 MSG).
Soul food: Phil 1-4; Luke 22:54-62; Ps 31:14-24; Prov 9:1-3
