2026-03-16
2 Kings 6:17 NKJV
One morning in a city called Dothan, a servant of the prophet Elisha awoke and was terrified because an enemy army surrounded him and his boss. “What shall we do?” he cried. Elisha told him to chill out, for “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed for him: “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened his eyes, and he saw that they were surrounded by horses and chariots of fire – the power of God and protection of God (see vv. 15-17 NKJV). As a result, their enemies were neutralized.
What if this became your prayer as well? What if every time you were challenged or burdened, God opened your spiritual eyes to see that you too were surrounded by His power and protection? It happened to two followers of Jesus who were walking on the road to Emmaus after the crucifixion. A third man joined them. It was Jesus, walking and talking with them – but they didn’t recognize Him until He began to pray. And then they knew. Then they said, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32 NKJV).
What if you were on the road to Emmaus, commuting into work, school, or home – and Jesus was right there beside you? What if you could join the “fellowship of the burning heart” and actually experience His presence? You can. Just reach for Him, recognize Him, and respond to Him.
Soul food: Rev 5-9; Luke 17:20-37; Ps 115; Prov 8:1-3
2 Konings 6:17 NLV
Een oggend het ‘n slaaf van die profeet Elisa in die stad Dotan wakker geword en was verskrik om te sien dat ‘n vyandige leër hom en sy baas omsingel het. ‘…Benoud roep hy vir Elisa: ‘Ag, Meneer, wat moet ons nou maak?’ ‘Moenie bang wees nie!’ sê Elisa vir hom. ‘Daar is meer aan ons kant as aan hulle kant!’ Toe bid Elisa: ‘Here, maak tog sy oë oop sodat hy kan sien!’ Die Here het sy dienaar se oë oopgemaak. Toe hy opkyk, sien hy dat daar baie perde en strydwaens van vuur op die heuwels rondom Elisa was’ (verse 15-17 NLV).
Wat as dit ook jou gebed word? Wat as God elke keer wanneer jy uitgedaag of belas word, jou geestelike oë oopmaak sodat jy kan sien dat jy deur sy krag en beskerming omring word? Dit het met twee volgelinge van Jesus gebeur, wat na die kruisiging op die pad na Emmaus geloop het. ‘n Derde man het by hulle aangesluit. Dit was Jesus wat saam met hulle geloop en gepraat het – maar hulle het Hom nie herken totdat Hy begin bid het nie. Toe besef hulle wie Hy is en sê: ‘…Was ons harte nie vuur en vlam in ons toe Hy met ons op pad gepraat en die Skrif vir ons geïnterpreteer het nie?’ (Lukas 24:32 NLV).
Wat as jy op pad na Emmaus toe, op pad werk toe, skool toe of huis toe was – en Jesus was daar reg langs jou? Wat as jou hart ook vuur en vlam op Hom kon reageer en jy werklik sy teenwoordigheid kon ervaar? Jy kan. Reik net na Hom toe uit, herken Hom en reageer op Hom.
Sielskos: Op 5-9; Luk 17:20-37;Ps 115;Spr 8:1-3
2026-03-15
Levitikus 19:3 NLV
Wanneer jou ouers oud word en minder in staat is om na hulself om te sien, benodig hulle sekere dinge van jou, soos liefde, vriendelikheid, geduld, teerheid, sensitiwiteit en begrip. Toe jy ‘n kind was, het jou ma jou by die skool opgelaai omdat jy nie daarvan gehou het om bus te ry nie, en nou is jy kwaad vir haar omdat sy vyf minute laat is.
As jy ‘n tiener is, is dit verkeerd om vriendeliker, bedagsamer en geduldiger met jou vriende en jou vriende se ma’s te wees as met jou eie ma. As jy inderwaarheid jou vriende behandel het soos jy jou ma behandel, sou jy nie baie vriende oor gehad het nie. As jy ook hulle ma’s behandel het soos jy jou eie behandel, sou hulle ma’s nie toelaat dat haar kind enigiets met jou te doen het nie.
Wanneer jou ma oud word en meer sorg nodig het, is dit tyd om die leisels oor te neem! ‘Maar sy kla altyd,’ sê jy. Ja, net soos jy gedoen het, nie waar nie? ‘Maar sy praat net oor haarself en vra dieselfde vrae oor en oor.’ Soos hulle ouer word, ervaar ons ouers vrese wat hulle nog nooit tevore gehad het nie en hulle het jou nodig om hulle gerus te stel dat jy altyd daar vir hulle sal wees.
Een van die laaste dinge wat Jesus gedoen het toe Hy aan die kruis gesterf het, was om die sorg van sy moeder, Maria, aan sy goeie vriend en dissipel, Johannes, toe te vertrou: ‘Daarna sê Hy vir die dissipel: ‘Kyk, daar is jou ma.’ Van daardie uur af het die dissipel Jesus se ma by hom aan huis geneem’ (Johannes 19:27 NKV). Die woord vir jou vandag is dus – sorg goed vir jou ma.
Sielskos: Matt 6:11; Joh 6:31-40; 1 Kor 11:23-24
Leviticus 19:3 NKJV
When your parents grow old and become less capable of taking care of themselves, they need certain things from you, like love, kindness, patience, tenderness, sensitivity, and understanding. When you were a child, perhaps your mother picked you up at school because you didn’t like to ride the bus, and now you’re upset with her for being five minutes late.
If you are a teen or a preteen, it’s wrong to be more kind, considerate, and patient with your friends and your friends’ mothers than your own mother. Indeed, if you treated your friends like you treat your mom, you wouldn’t have many friends left. And if you treated their mom like you do your own, their mom wouldn’t let her child have anything to do with you.
When your mother gets old and needs more care, it’s payback time! “But she is always complaining,” you say. Yes, just like you did, right? “But she talks about herself and asks the same questions over and over.” As they get older, our parents experience fears they never had before, and they need you to reassure them that you will always be there for them.
One of the last things Jesus did when He was dying on the cross was to commit the care of His mother, Mary, to His close friend and disciple, John: “Then he said to the disciple, ‘She is now your mother.’ From then on, that disciple took her into his own home” (John 19:27 CEV). So, the word for you today is – take good care of your mother.
Soul food: Matt 6:11; John 6:31-40; 1 Cor 11:23-24
2026-03-14
Exodus 14:14 NIV
During World War II, the British Department of Information designed three “home publicity” posters. The first said, “Your courage, your cheerfulness, your resolution will bring us victory.” The second said, “Freedom is in peril.” The third and most famous said, “Keep calm and carry on.” The department printed 2.45 million of the third posters, but they were never publicly displayed. That motto had all but vanished from Britain’s consciousness when a bookstore-owning couple in Alnwick – Stuart and Mary Manley – discovered an original copy of the poster at the bottom of a box of old books.
With Pharaoh’s chariots bearing down on Moses from behind, and the Red Sea in front of him, he was “between a rock and a hard place.” That’s when God gave Moses these instructions: “The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:13-14 NIV). That sounds an awful lot like keep calm and carry on, doesn’t it? What would be the hardest thing to do if Egyptian chariots were charging straight at you at full speed? To be still!
When we find ourselves in this sort of situation, we want to do something – anything. We have a nervous energy that tries to solve problems as quickly as possible. But these are the tests that reveal trust. Sometimes God leads us to a place where we have nowhere to turn but to Him. Is that where you are today? Then trust God’s power, love, and faithfulness, and He will bring you safely through it.
Soul food: Rev 1-4; Luke 17:1-19; Ps 26; Prov 7:26-27
