2026-06-23
2 Corinthians 3:5-6 NLT
In his classic book called Prayer, Dr. O. Hallesby wrote: “Prayer and helplessness are inseparable. Only those who are helpless can truly pray… Prayer therefore consists simply in telling God day by day in what ways we feel helpless. We are moved to pray every time the Spirit of God… emphasizes anew to us our helplessness, and we realize how impotent we are by nature to believe, to love, to hope, to serve, to sacrifice, to suffer, to read the Bible, to pray, and to struggle against our sinful desires.”
Now let’s be clear: Feeling helpless is different from feeling hopeless or worthless; it’s simply acknowledging our total dependence on God. Jesus said, “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NKJV). God will never give you an assignment that does not require His input, His favour, and His enabling grace. Every action of God in your life is designed to increase, not decrease, your dependence on Him. If you can do it without God, you should stop and ask yourself, “Is this truly of God?”
Paul wrote: “We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. He has enabled us” (2 Corinthians 3:4-6 NLT). David enjoyed all the privileges of being a king, yet he wrote: “I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer” (Psalm 40:17 NKJV).
So, the word for you today is – never, ever, lose your sense of dependence on God.
Soul food: 1 Sam 1-3; Matt 21:33-46; Ps 8; Prov 16:8-11
2026-06-22
2 Samuel 21:21 NIV
After David killed Goliath, four other men, including his nephew Jonathan, killed giants that rose up against the Israelites. “In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot – twenty-four in all. He was also descended from Rapha. When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah, David’s brother, killed him” (2 Samuel 21:20-21 NIV). David had raised the bar. Witnessing the defeat of what others had previously deemed impossible gave them the strength to overcome their own giants.
Until 1954, no one had ever run a mile in under four minutes, and most people assumed it was virtually impossible. But on May 6, 1954, at an Oxford University track meet, Roger Bannister completed the distance in 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds. He had slain the giant. Two months later, Australian John Landy broke Bannister’s record, proving that the four-minute mile was as much a psychological as a physical barrier. In the first half of the twentieth century, many people attempted to climb Mount Everest and failed. It was the unconquerable giant in the world of mountain climbers. On May 29, 1953, Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa guide, Tenzing Norgay, were the first humans to reach the summit. Since then, over a thousand climbers, ranging from age sixteen to sixty, have completed the expedition.
David, Bannister, and Hillary all conquered giants of their day and inspired others to match and excel in their feats. You do yourself and others a disservice when you run from your giant. You need to stop being afraid to tackle hard tasks and remind yourself, “If God did it before, He can do it again, and if He did it for others, He can do it for me.”
Soul food: Song of Sol 5-8; Matt 21:18-32; Ps 144:9-15; Prov 16:4-7
2 Samuel 21:21 NLV
Nadat Dawid vir Goliat doodgemaak het, het vier ander mans, insluitend sy neef Jonatan, reuse doodgemaak wat teen die Israeliete in opstand gekom het. ‘In nog ‘n geveg teen die Filistyne in Gat was daar ‘n baie groot man met ses vingers aan elke hand en ses tone aan elke voet, saam 24. Hy was ook uit die geslag van die Refaïete. Hy het Israel uitgedaag. Maar Jonatan, seun van Dawid se broer Samma, het hom doodgemaak’ (2 Samuel 21:20-21 NLV). Dawid het die standaard verhoog. Goliat se nederlaag, wat almal vroeër gedink het onmoontlik was, het hulle die krag gegee om hul eie reuse te oorwin.
Tot en met 1954 het niemand al ooit ‘n myl in minder as vier minute gehardloop nie. Op 6 Mei 1954, het Roger Bannister egter die afstand in 3 minute en 59.4 sekondes afgelê. Hy het die reus verslaan. Twee maande later het die Australiër John Landy Bannister se rekord gebreek en bewys dat die vier-minuut-myl net soveel ‘n sielkundige as ‘n fisiese uitdaging is. In die eerste helfte van die twintigste eeu het baie mense probeer om Mount Everest te klim en misluk. Op 29 Mei 1953 was Edmund Hillary en sy Sherpa-gids, Tenzing Norgay, die eerste mense wat die kruin bereik het. Sedertdien het meer as ‘n duisend klimmers die ekspedisie voltooi.
Dawid, Bannister en Hillary het almal reuse van hul tyd oorwin en ander geïnspireer om hul prestasies te ewenaar en daarin uit te blink. Jy doen jouself en ander ‘n onreg aan wanneer jy van jou reus wegvlug. Jy moet ophou bang wees om moeilike take aan te pak en jouself herinner: ‘As God dit voorheen gedoen het, kan Hy dit weer doen, en as Hy dit vir ander gedoen het, kan Hy dit vir my ook doen.’
Sielskos: Hooglied 5-8; Matt 21:18-32; Ps 144:9-15; Spr 16:4-7
2026-06-21
Malachi 4:6 NKJV
In 1985 Tim Burke saw his boyhood dream come true when the Montreal Expos baseball team took him on as a pitcher, giving him an annual salary of $600,000. (Back then, that was big money for a player). After four years in the minor leagues, he was finally given a chance to play in the big leagues. And he quickly proved his worth by setting a record for the most relief appearances by any rookie pitcher.
Along the way, however, Tim and his wife, Christine, adopted four children with special needs – two daughters from South Korea, a handicapped son from Guatemala, and another son from Vietnam. All of the children were born with very serious illnesses or defects, and neither Tim nor Christine was prepared for the tremendous demands such a family would bring.
And with the grueling schedule of major-league baseball demands, Tim was seldom around to help. After searching his soul and deciding on his life’s true priorities, Tim did something that amazed everyone – he gave up his dream career in major league baseball. When reporters asked him to explain this unbelievable decision, he simply said, “Baseball is going to do just fine without me. But I’m the only father my children have.”
Heroes are in short supply these days. And Tim Burke is one of them. Dad, you can be another one. Most investments in life involve risk and can lead to regret. But you will never regret a moment of the love, time, and effort you invest in your children. So, be a father.
Soul food: Matt 5:6; Ps 63:1-5; Rom 3:21-23
Maleagi 4:6 NLV
In 1985 het Tim Burke se kinderdroom waar geword toe die Montreal Expos-bofbalspan hom as ‘n gooier aangestel het, wat hom ‘n jaarlikse salaris van $600,000 besorg het. (Destyds was dit groot geld vir ‘n speler). Na vier jaar in die klein ligas is hy uiteindelik ‘n kans gegun om in die groot ligas te speel. Hy het vinnig sy waarde bewys deur ‘n rekord as ‘n nuweling-gooier op te stel.
Intussen het Tim en sy vrou, Christine, vier kinders met spesiale behoeftes aangeneem – twee dogters van Suid-Korea, ‘n gestremde seun van Guatemala en nog ‘n seun van Viëtnam. Al die kinders is met baie ernstige siektes of gebreke gebore en nóg Tim nóg Christine was voorbereid op die geweldige eise wat so ‘n gesin sou meebring.
Met die uitmergelende skedule van hoofliga-bofbal was Tim selde tuis om te help. Nadat hy sy siel deursoek het en oor sy lewe se ware prioriteite besluit het, het Tim iets gedoen wat almal verbaas het – hy het sy droomloopbaan in hoofliga-bofbal prysgegee. Toe verslaggewers hom vra om hierdie verstommende besluit te verduidelik, het hy eenvoudig gesê: ‘Bofbal sal steeds goed vaar sonder my. Maar ek is die enigste pa wat my kinders het.’
Helde is deesdae skaars. Tim Burke is een van hulle. Pa, jy kan ook een wees. Die meeste beleggings in die lewe behels risiko en kan tot spyt lei. Jy sal egter nooit ‘n oomblik spyt wees oor die liefde, tyd en moeite wat jy in jou kinders belê nie. Wees dus ‘n pa.
Sielskos: Matt 5:6; Ps 63:1-5; Rom 3:21-23
