2025-02-06
Luke 18:1 NKJV
A PhD student at Princeton University once walked into Albert Einstein’s office and asked, “What is there left in the world for original dissertation research?” The brilliant scientist replied, “Find out about prayer.” Einstein wasn’t the only person who was curious about prayer. Jesus taught about it, and the reason was because the disciples asked Him to. They may not have desired to write dissertations on it, but they wanted to know how to pray. It’s the only time in the Bible where one person clearly teaches another person how to pray, and all because of a request from the disciples.
“Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray'” (Luke 11:1 NIV). The disciples had been observing Jesus as He prayed. Apparently, the way He prayed was so distinct from the way they prayed that they said, “Show us how to pray the way you pray.” Before Jesus fed the multitude supernaturally, or selected His twelve disciples, or calmed the storm on the Sea Galilee, He took time to pray. And the results of His prayers were so amazing that the disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray.”
Prayer is not primarily about telling God what you need; it’s about getting closer to God. As one pastor writes: “It’s almost as if God is saying, ‘Don’t bring me your shopping list. I already know what’s on it. We will deal with that later. Bring me your heart. Bring me your love. Bring me your undivided attention.'” Prayer is not mainly about getting things from the Lord; it’s about spending time with the Lord.
Soul food: Gen 20-23; Luke 8:40-56; Ps 125; Prov 4:3-4
2025-02-05
Lukas 11:1 NLV
‘n Bekende pastoor het met ongekende eerlikheid gesê: ‘Gebed is die grootste stryd waarmee ek sukkel. Dit is moeilik om ‘n konsekwente gebedslewe te handhaaf en veral soms moeilik om die oortuiging te handhaaf dat dit werk.’ Gebed kom vir die meeste van ons nie natuurlik nie. Ons weet dat dit veronderstel is om ‘n dialoog te wees, maar dit voel meestal soos ‘n monoloog. Daar is niks ergers as om met iemand te probeer praat wat nie terug wil praat nie. Ons hou nie daarvan om dit te erken nie, maar wat ons dikwels oor gebed wonder is die volgende: ‘Hoe kan ek bid sodat God vir my dit wat ek wil hê sal gee?’ ‘n Klein seuntjie is gevra of hy elke aand sy gebed opsê. Hy het geantwoord: ‘Nee, party aande het ek niks nodig nie.’
Gebed gaan nie oor die spesifieke woorde wat jy gebruik of hoe lank jy bid nie. Dit gaan oor kennismaking. Dit gaan daaroor om ‘n verhouding te bou. As jy met iemand oor iets moet praat, mag jy dalk sê: ‘Kom ons kry gou ‘n plek waar ons kan gesels.’ Jy wil seker maak dat jy gehoor word en dat jy hoor wat die ander persoon sê. Wanneer jy die geraas van hierdie wêreld elimineer, verhoog jy jou vermoë om God te hoor. Dit wys God dat jy jou verhouding met Hom ernstig opneem.
Die psalmdigter het gesê: ‘Hy wat woon in die skuilplek van die Allerhoogste, sal rus in die skadu van die Almagtige’ (Psalm 91:1 NLV). Het jy ‘n ‘skuilplek’ waar jy alleen saam met God kan wees? Dit kan enige plek wees. Jy het egter ‘n plek nodig waar jy kan gaan en jou verhouding met God kan bou.
Sielskos: Gen 17-19; Luk 8:26-39; Ps 67; Spr 4:1-2
Luke 11:1 NKJV
Demonstrating an uncommon level of honesty, a well-known pastor says: “Prayer is the biggest struggle I have… It’s difficult to maintain a consistent prayer life, and especially difficult to sustain the conviction that it does any good at times.” Prayer doesn’t come naturally for the majority of us. We know it’s supposed to be a dialogue, but often it feels like a monologue. There is nothing worse than trying to talk with someone who won’t talk back. We don’t like to admit it, but often what we are really wondering about prayer is, “How can I pray so that God will give me what I want?” One little boy was asked if he said his prayers every night. He replied, “No, some nights I don’t need anything.”
Prayer is not about the particular words you use or the length of time you spend praying. It’s about getting acquainted. It’s about building a relationship. If you have something to talk to someone about, you may say, “We need to find somewhere we can talk.” You want to make sure you’re heard, and that you hear what the other person has to say. When you eliminate the noise of this world, you maximize your ability to hear God. It shows God you’re taking your relationship with Him seriously.
The psalmist said, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1 NKJV). Do you have a “secret place” where you can be alone with God? It can be anywhere. But you need a place where you can go and show you mean business with God.
Soul food: Gen 17-19; Luke 8:26-39; Ps 67; Prov 4:1-2
2025-02-04
Genesis 11:31 NIV
The Bible says, “Terah took his son Abram… and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there” (v. 31 NIV). A Christian author writes: “Terah accompanied Abram for part of the journey to Canaan, but then he stopped… Terah and his family begin their story in Ur, the great center of wealth and education and the land of idols. Then they begin on this road, which passes through the city of Harran and then down into Canaan… For Terah, the father of Abram, the road ends in Harran. Now we know from other passages in the Bible that Harran was a city a lot like Ur. There was a lot of wealth there. There were idols there. What’s going on? It may well be that… Terah thinks to himself, ‘If I were to go any farther than this, I could lose everything I have. For sure, I would have to give up my idols.’ So he chooses comfort. But Abram chooses to say yes to his calling.”
That’s a choice you will have to make too. And you will have to make it more than once. As your circumstances change, and the seasons of your life progress, you will have to decide whether to walk with God into the unknown or settle for the security of what you know. Terah settled; Abram moved on. What are you going to do? You don’t have to do anything to be worthy of God’s love and grace; those are gifts. But to walk in God’s blessing, you have to choose your calling over your comfort.
Soul food: Gen 13-16; Luke 8:16-25; Ps 120; Prov 3:33-35
Genesis 11:31 NLV
Die Bybel sê: ‘Tera het sy seun Abram… geneem en uit Ur van die Galdeërs vertrek om na die land Kanaän toe te gaan. Maar hulle het in die dorp Haran oorgebly en hulle daar gevestig’ (vers 31 NLV). ‘n Christelike skrywer merk op: ‘Tera het Abram vir ‘n deel van die reis na Kanaän vergesel, maar toe gestop. Tera en sy familie begin hul verhaal in Ur, die groot sentrum van rykdom en opvoeding en die land van afgode. Dan begin hulle reis, wat deur die stad Haran en dan af na Kanaän loop. Vir Tera, die vader van Abram, het die pad in Haran geëindig. Ons weet nou uit ander gedeeltes in die Bybel dat Haran ‘n stad baie soos Ur was. Daar was baie rykdom. Daar was afgode. Dit mag dalk wees dat Tera by homself gedink het: ‘As ek verder gaan, kan ek dalk alles wat ek het verloor. Ek sal my afgode vir seker moet opgee.’ Dus kies hy gemak. Abram kies egter om ja vir sy roeping te sê.’
Dis ‘n keuse wat jy ook sal moet maak. Jy sal dit ook meer as een keer moet maak. Soos jou omstandighede verander en die seisoene van jou lewe vorder, sal jy moet besluit of jy saam met God die onbekende gaan binnegaan en of jy met die sekuriteit van dit wat jy ken tevrede gaan wees. Tera was tevrede daarmee; Abram het aanbeweeg. Wat gaan jy doen? Jy hoef nie iets te doen om God se liefde en genade te verdien nie; dis gawes van God. Om egter in God se seën te lewe, moet jy jou roeping in plaas van jou gemak kies.
Sielskos: Gen 13-16; Luk 8:16-25; Ps 120; Spr 3:33-35
