2025-09-10
Mark 6:31 NLT
God instructed the observance of the Sabbath day with good reason: rest from our labours. Now if God felt He should rest after six days of creative activity, how much more should we? Jesus was a big advocate of taking time off. Once, He sent His disciples on an evangelistic journey. When they returned thrilled about all the wonderful miracles that had happened, you would imagine that He would urge them to maintain the momentum. He didn’t.
“Then Jesus said, ‘Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.’ He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. So they left by boat for a quiet place” (vv. 31-32 NLT).
Note the words “people coming and going.” Does this sound like your normal day in which you rarely get a chance to take a breather? Jesus was concerned that His disciples would get out of balance. What did He know that we continue to miss? He never rushed around, never seemed to be harried or controlled by the crowds, kept His priorities in order, and always managed to complete what He set out to do. Jesus knew the importance that rest and relaxation played in His disciples’ continued effectiveness. But “time-outs” won’t occur without firm determination and planning.
You must view such times just as important as any other undertaking. Prayer: “Father, help me to make rest a priority in my life. Help me to stop dishonouring my body, this temple you have given me to perform my purpose here on earth.”
Soul food: 2 Cor 1-4; Matt 25:1-13; Ps 78:56-64; Pro 20:25
Markus 6:31 NLV
Daar is ‘n goeie rede hoekom God ons opdrag gegee het om die Sabbat te onderhou – om te rus. As God na ses dae van kreatiewe aktiwiteit moes rus, hoeveel te meer moet ons nie! Jesus was ‘n groot voorstaander van rus. Hy het een keer sy dissipels op reis gestuur om die evangelie te gaan uitdra. Toe hulle terugkeer, vol energie en praatjies van al die ongelooflike wonderwerke wat plaasgevind het, sou mens dink Hy sou hulle verder uitstuur om die momentum te behou. Hy het dit egter nie gedoen nie.
‘Omdat daar voortdurend talle mense gekom en gegaan het sodat hulle selfs nie kans gekry het om te eet nie, het Jesus toe vir hulle gesê: ‘Kom julle nou self eenkant toe… en skep ‘n bietjie asem.’ Hulle het toe per boot na ‘n stil plek vertrek…’ (verse 31-32 NLV).
Let op dat daar ‘voortdurend mense gekom en gegaan het.’ Klink dit soos jou normale dag waar jy skaars kans het om asem te skep? Jesus was bekommerd dat sy dissipels nie meer balans sou kon handhaaf nie. Jesus het nooit rondgejaag nie, dit het nooit gelyk of Hy deur die skare gepla of beheer word nie, Hy het sy prioriteite behou en altyd daarin geslaag om te voltooi wat Hy hom voorgeneem het om te doen. Jesus het geweet hoe belangrik rus en ontspanning vir sy dissipels se volgehoue effektiwiteit is. Dit vind egter nie sonder vasberadenheid en beplanning plaas nie.
Jy moet sulke tye net so belangrik as enige ander onderneming beskou. Bid die volgende: ‘Vader, help my om rus ‘n prioriteit in my lewe te maak. Help my om op te hou om my liggaam oneer aan te doen, hierdie tempel wat U aan my gegee het om my doel hier op aarde uit te voer.’
Sielskos: 2 Kor 1-4; Matt 25:1-13; Ps 78:56-64; Spr 20:25
2025-09-09
Luke 2:43-44 NLT
The Bible says: “Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, because they assumed he was among the other travellers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him” (vv. 41-44 NLT). This story has a happy ending because Jesus’ parents found Him. But it doesn’t always turn out that way.
Don’t “assume” your children are okay. Today they have access to drugs, guns, and pornography via the internet, where they can meet a paedophile as well. That should concern you. Jesus said Satan comes to “steal… kill, and… destroy” (John 10:10 KJV). Don’t let him have your family.
After being set free from demonic control, a man wanted to travel with Jesus as one of His disciples. But Jesus said, “Go back home to your family and tell them what the Lord has done for you” (See Luke 8:39). Your dream job or house will feel empty if you lose your children. Indeed, your achievements may taste like ashes in your mouth.
If you have been traveling the road to success and neglecting to bring your family along with you, make a U-turn! Go back and get the people who matter most. Commit yourself to making the journey only if it includes them. Pray with the psalmist, “I need your help, especially in my own home, where I long to act as I should” (Psalm 101:2 TLB). Don’t assume your children are okay – be sure they are.
Soul food: Eze 46-48; Matt 24:36-51; Ps 78:40-55; Pro 20:22-24
Lukas 2:44 DB
Die Bybel sê: ‘Elke jaar het Jesus se ouers Jerusalem toe gegaan om die paasfees te vier. Toe Hy twaalf jaar oud was, het hulle oudergewoonte weer soontoe gegaan. Toe die fees verby was, het hulle teruggekeer na Nasaret. Jesus het egter in die tempel agtergebly, maar sy ouers het dit nie agtergekom nie. Hulle het gedink dat Hy by ander familielede en vriende was wat ook op pad terug was. Eers nadat hulle ‘n dag lank op die pad was, het Jesus se pa en ma na Hom begin soek’ (verse 41-44 DB). Die verhaal het ‘n gelukkige einde, omdat Jesus se ouers Hom gekry het. Dit draai egter nie altyd so uit nie.
Moenie aanneem dat jou kinders ‘okay’ is nie. Hulle het deesdae toegang tot dwelms, gewere en pornografie via die internet, waar hulle ook ‘n pedofiel kan ontmoet. Dit moet jou bekommer. Jesus het gesê dat die Satan kom om ‘…te steel, dood te maak en te vernietig…’ (Johannes 10:10 NLV). Moenie hom naby jou gesin toelaat nie.
Nadat hy van demone bevry is, wou ‘n man saam met Jesus as een van sy dissipels reis. Jesus het egter gesê: ‘Nee, gaan terug na jou familie toe en vertel vir hulle al die wonderlike dinge wat God vir jou gedoen het’ (Lukas 8:39 NLV).
As jy tans op die pad van sukses is en jou gesin verwaarloos, draai om! Gaan terug na die mense wat die meeste saak maak. Wy jouself daaraan toe om slegs die reis te onderneem as dit hulle insluit. Bid saam met die Psalmdigter: ‘Ek wil my daaraan toewy om opreg te lewe… In my huis wil ek lewe met ‘n opregte hart’ (Psalm 101:2 NLV). Moenie aanneem dat jou kinders ‘okay’ is nie – maak seker dat hulle is.
Sielskos: Eseg 46-48; Matt 24:36-51; Ps 78:40-55; Spr 20:22-24
2025-09-08
1 Thessalonians 5:11 NLT
In the 1996 Olympics, gymnast Kerri Strug had the weight of winning the gold medal for her team on her shoulders. All she had to do was make a successful jump and the United States would win the gold. But when she performed her first jump, she sprained her ankle and could hardly walk. She fell and did not obtain the score needed to win.
Sitting on the mat with tears streaming down her face, she cried for two reasons. First, she was in pain. Second, she could see no way to make up the score needed to win. But she had another jump! She felt like quitting, but her coach, standing on the sidelines, said, “You can do it, Kerri!” Limping as she tried to prepare for a vault, she found it difficult to move.
After the jump, she explained to an interviewer that all she could do to persist was to keep her eyes on her coach. He kept her from focusing on the pain in her ankle. She was hurting – she was crying – but her coach believed in her. And she found strength from his encouragement that she herself didn’t have. Even with the limp, she took off running and did the jump. She had to nail the landing in order to win. She had to try to do this with one good ankle and one injured ankle. And she did it!
With her coach’s encouragement holding her up, she did the impossible. She earned a high enough score for the US team to win the gold. Your encouragement – it can make the difference.
Soul food: Eze 43-45; Matt 24:26-35; Ps 78:32-39; Pro 20:20-21
