2025-03-29
Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV
God instructs us to seek Him, but not as though He is hiding from us. When we seek God, we make a decision that’s necessary for bringing us into the spiritual realm. Some levels of blessing are never received unless they are diligently sought. It’s your seeking after God that moves Him to respond. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6 KJV).
There are no manuals that instruct us step by step as to the proper way to seek the Lord. Some people seek Him quietly, with soft tears falling gently down a weary face. Others seek Him while walking the sandy beaches of a cove, gazing into the swelling currents of an evening tide. Some raise their hands and praise Him with loving expressions of adoration. There are no rules, just that you seek Him with your whole heart.
What does it mean to seek God “with all your heart”? It’s giving Him your full attention and removing all distractions so that you can focus on Him. Imagine dropping a contact lens on the floor, or a precious stone from a ring and saying, “No problem, I’ll just look for that later.” No, the value you place on something determines the intensity with which you seek it. When you pray, “Lord, I need you; I won’t make it without You,” you are praying “with all your heart.” And God answers such praying, “I will be found by you” (Jeremiah 29:14 NKJV).
Soul food: Lev 5-7; Luke 20:27-33; Ps 72:1-11; Prov 9:1-6
2025-03-28
Psalm 44:9 NLV
Wanneer hy groot waarhede en insigte met ons deel, gebruik die psalmdigter dikwels die woord ‘Sela.’ Dit beteken ‘stop en reflekteer.’ Vir baie jare het mense gesê dat ondervinding die beste leermeester is. Die waarheid is egter dat geëvalueerde ondervinding die beste leermeester is! Om te stop en te reflekteer is een van die belangrikste aktiwiteite wat jy kan doen om te groei. Dit verskaf meer waarde as motivering of aanmoediging, omdat dit jou laat seker maak dat jy op die regte pad is. As jy immers op die verkeerde pad is, het jy nie aanmoediging nodig om vinniger te beweeg nie. Jy moet stop, reflekteer en jou koers verander.
In ‘n beskrywing van die eindtye, sê die Bybel: ‘…Baie sal hiernatoe en daarnatoe gaan om meer te wete te kom’ (Daniël 12:4 NLV). Kennis, wat informasie, feite en data is sal toeneem, maar dit beteken nie noodwendig dat begrip sal toeneem nie. Jy kan baie kennis deur ‘n skerp intellek en ‘n goeie geheue verkry. Om egter begrip daarvan te hê, moet jy die tyd neem om dit wat jy sien en hoor te verstaan. Galileo het gesê: ‘Alle waarhede is maklik om te verstaan sodra hulle ontdek is. Die punt is om hulle te ontdek. Dit verg ondersoek.’
Deur te stop en te reflekteer, kan jy deur jou ervarings werk, hulle in perspektief plaas en wysheid daaruit verkry, sodat jy ‘n beter toekoms kan hê. Dit word dikwels ‘aha’ oomblikke genoem, wanneer jy skielik begrip of insig kry. Dis dan wanneer die spreekwoordelike gloeilamp aangeskakel word. Min dinge is beter as sulke oomblikke. Sulke oomblikke is egter net vir diegene wat die tyd en inspanning neem om te stop en te reflekteer, beskore.
Sielskos: Lev 1-4; Luk 20:20-26; Ps 31; Spr 8:34-36
Psalm 44:8 NKJV
After sharing great truths and insights with us, the psalmist often uses the word “Selah.” It means “pause and reflect.” For years people have said that experience is the best teacher. But the truth is, evaluated experience is the best teacher! Stopping to reflect is one of the most important activities you can do in order to grow. It provides a superior value than motivation or encouragement because it lets you make sure you’re going down the right road. After all, if you’re on the wrong track, you don’t need motivation to move faster. You need to pause, reflect, and change course.
In describing the end times, the Bible says, “Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase” (Daniel 12:4 NKJV). You will note that it says “knowledge” will increase, which is information, facts, and data, but it doesn’t say understanding will increase. With a sharp intellect and a good memory, you can retain lots of knowledge. But in order to have understanding, you must take the time to drill down and understand what you’re seeing and hearing. Galileo said, “All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered. The point is to discover them. That takes investigation.”
By pausing and reflecting, you can sort through the experiences you have, put them into perspective, and glean from them the wisdom required to have a better future. These are often referred to as “aha” moments, when you experience sudden understanding or insight. It’s when the proverbial light bulb switches on. Only a few things in life are better than moments like that. But these moments only come to those who take the time and effort to pause and reflect.
Soul food: Lev 1-4; Luke 20:20-26; Ps 31; Prov 8:34-36
2025-03-27
Ephesians 4:32 NKJV
In 1982, John Hinckley Jr. attempted to take the life of President Ronald Reagan by shooting him with a handgun. Reagan’s daughter, Patti, later recounted what she learned from her father when he was in hospital: “My father said he knew his physical healing was directly dependent on his ability to forgive John Hinckley… It showed me that forgiveness is the key to everything… He gave me an example of Christ-like thinking.”
Sometimes the wounds that others inflict on us are unintentional, and other times they are deliberate. But in both cases the Scriptures give us a clear standard concerning the wrongs we experience. You are to forgive those who hurt you, “even as God in Christ forgave you.” That’s a high standard, but it’s one that brings healing for our deepest wounds.
Sometimes we dispense forgiveness like a soft drink from a vending machine – mechanically, and with no feelings attached. But the Bible says two attitudes should accompany forgiveness: kindness, which is expressed in our actions, and tenderheartedness, which is expressed in our attitudes. Why? Because that’s the way God forgives us. Throughout Scripture we find emotions such as kindness, gentleness, compassion, and tenderness – in word or by action – ascribed to God. We also find examples of it in the lives of those God used to fulfill His plans and purposes. Joseph was one of them, when he forgave his brothers who betrayed him. And He calls on us to do the same. This kind of forgiveness is as much an act of the heart as it is an act of the will.
Soul food: 2 Thes 1-3; Luke 20:9-19; Ps 18:30-50; Prov 8:32-33
Efesiërs 4:32 NLV
In 1982 het John Hinckley Jnr die lewe van president Ronald Reagan probeer neem deur hom met ‘n geweer te skiet. Reagan se dogter, Patti, het later vertel wat sy by haar pa geleer het terwyl hy in die hospitaal was: ‘My pa het gesê hy weet dat sy fisiese genesing direk afhanklik is van sy vermoë om John Hinckley te vergewe. Dit het my gewys dat vergifnis die sleutel tot alles is. Hy het my ‘n voorbeeld van hoe om soos Christus te dink, gegee.’
Soms is die wonde wat ander ons toedien onbedoeld en ander kere is dit doelbewus. In beide gevalle gee die Skrif ons egter ‘n duidelike standaard oor hoe ons moet reageer. Jy moet diegene wat jou seermaak vergewe, ‘soos God julle vergewe het op grond van wat Christus gedoen het.’ Dis ‘n hoë standaard, maar dis een wat genesing vir ons diepste wonde bring.
Soms deel ons vergifnis soos ‘n outomaat uit – meganies en sonder enige gevoelens. Die Bybel sê egter dat twee dinge met ons vergifnis moet gepaardgaan: vriendelikheid, wat deur ons aksies uitgedruk word en omgee, wat deur ons houding uitgedruk word. Hoekom? Omdat dit die manier is hoe God ons vergewe. Deur die Skrif vind ons dat emosies soos vriendelikheid, sagmoedigheid, medelye en deernis – in woorde of deur aksie – aan God toegeskryf word. Ons vind ook voorbeelde daarvan in die lewe van die mense wat God gebruik om sy planne en doelwitte te vervul. Josef was een van hulle, toe hy sy broers wat hom verraai het vergewe het. God roep ons om dieselfde te doen. Hierdie tipe vergifnis is net soveel ‘n daad van die hart as wat dit ‘n daad van die wil is.
Sielskos: 2 Tess 1-3; Luk 20:9-19; Ps 18:30-50; Spr 8:32-33
