Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. Joh 6:35
There are times when the one thing you want is the one thing you never get… You pray and wait. No answer. You pray and wait. May I ask a very important question? What if God says no? What if the request is delayed or even denied? When God says no to you, how will you respond? If God says, "I've given you my grace, and that is enough," will you be content? Content. That's the word. A state of heart in which you would be at peace if God gave you nothing more than he already has. In the Grip of Grace (Max Lucado) "Jy mag maar jou koffie slurp of in jou piering gooi.
Jy mag met vuil voete uit die komposhoop oor ons wit mat loop. Jy mag jou naels byt, vals sing, swak groente huis toe bring, die badkamer omkrap, die nat vloer opdroog met my waslap... Jy mag maar snags hard snork, oor koue voete brom... as jy net terug kan kom" So lees Hester Heese se bekende gedig. Ja, hoeveel van ons het al gewens dat die lewe 'n "rewind" knoppie het. Dat ons kans kan kry om óór te leef: Om terug te gaan op ons spore en dinge ánders te doen. Dan kon ons dalk meer begrip toon, meer geduld hê en met groter deernis optree. Ons kon dan meer aanvaar, minder kritiseer, meer luister, minder praat, meer omgee en minder ongenaakbaar wees... Dan kon ons ons lewensspel oor speel, beter verhoudings bou en meer liefhê. Maar nou weet ons: die lewe is toe nié 'n kleedrepetisie nie. Ons is nóú reeds besig met die finale verhoogstuk van ons lewens. Dis 'n wakker-skrik-gedagte wanneer ons besef dat ons ook in ons verhoudingslewe besig is met die finale spel. En vir ons almal is gister vir altyd verby... en môre ons dalk nie beskore nie. Tóg het ons vandág! Hierdie dag is aan ons gegee sodat ons positiewe deposito's kan maak in die lewens van hulle wat aan ons geleen is. Daarom kan ons kies om - ongeag al ons onperfekte gisters - 'n groter rol in die liefde tussen mense te speel. Ons kan dit doen deur: * Minder te veroordeel en ander met groter onvoorwaardelikheid te aanvaar. Ja, ons kan dit doen deur lief te wees vir die ander vir wie en wat hulle ís. Nie vir wat ons nog van hulle wil máák nie; * Minder krities te wees oor die kléín, onbelangrike dingetjies en meer ingestel te wees op die groot dinge wat wél reg, goed en bewonderingswaardig is; * Minder selfsugtig en selfgesentreerd te wees en ander se belange hoër as ons eie te stel; * Minder geïrriteerd en ongeduldig te wees en te bid vir 'n hart vol sagmoedigheid, nederigheid en geduld; en * Minder humeurig, opvlieënd en haatdraend te wees omdat ons diep onder die besef is van God se sagte liefde en onverdiende genade in óns lewens. Onthou Albert Einstein se woorde dat nie alles wat getel kan word, tel nie. En nie alles wat tel, getel kan word nie. Gaan leef die maand vir die dinge wat regtig tel... It was the day before Thanksgiving the first one my three children and
I would be spending without their father, who had left several months before. Now the two older children were very sick with the flu, and the eldest had just been prescribed bed rest for a week. It was a cool, gray day outside, and a light rain was falling. I grew wearier as I scurried around, trying to care for each child: thermometers, juice, diapers. And I was fast running out of liquids for the children. But when I checked my purse, all I found was about $2.50 and this was supposed to last me until the end of the month. That's when I heard the phone ring. It was the secretary from our former church, and she told me that they had been thinking about us and had something to give us from the congregation. I told her that I was going out to pick up some more juice and soup for the children, and I would drop by the church on my way to the market. I arrived at the church just before lunch. The church secretary met me at the door and handed me a special gift envelope. "We think of you and the kids often," she said, "and you are in our hearts and prayers. We love you." When I opened the envelope, I found two grocery certificates inside. Each was worth $20. I was so touched and moved, I broke down and cried. "Thank you very much," I said, as we hugged each other. "Please give our love and thanks to the church." Then I drove to a store near our home and purchased some much-needed items for the children. At the check-out counter I had a little over $14.00 worth of groceries, and I handed the cashier one of the gift certificates. She took it, then turned her back for what seemed like a very long time. I thought something might be wrong. Finally I said, "This gift certificate is a real blessing. Our former church gave it to our family, knowing I'm a single patent trying to make ends meet." The cashier then turned around, with tears in her loving eyes, and replied, "Honey, that's wonderful! Do you have a turkey?" "No. It's okay because my children are sick anyway." She then asked, "Do you have anything else for Thanksgiving dinner?" Again I replied, "No." After handing me the change from the certificate, she looked at my face and said, "Honey, I can't tell you exactly why right now, but I want you to go back into the store and buy a turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie or anything else you need for a Thanksgiving dinner." I was shocked, and humbled to tears. "Are you sure?" I asked. "Yes! Get whatever you want. And get some Gatorade for the kids." I felt awkward as I went back to do more shopping, but I selected a fresh turkey, a few yams and potatoes, and some juices for the children. Then I wheeled the shopping cart up to the same cashier as before. As I placed my groceries on the counter, she looked at me once more with giant tears in her kind eyes and began to speak. "Now I can tell you. This morning I prayed that I could help someone today, and you walked through my line." She reached under the counter for her purse and took out a $20 bill. She paid for my groceries and then handed me the change. Once more I was moved to tears. The sweet cashier then said, "I am a Christian. Here is my phone number if you ever need anything." She then took my head in her hands, kissed my cheek and said, "God bless you, honey." As I walked to my car, I was overwhelmed by this stranger's love and by the realization that God loves my family too, and shows us his love through this stranger's and my church's kind deeds. The children were supposed to have spent Thanksgiving with their father that year, but because of the flu they were home with me, for a very special Thanksgiving Day. They were feeling better, and we all ate the goodness of the Lord's bounty and our community's love. Our hearts were truly filled with thanks. ** I hope this story will inspire you to reach out to someone this year. Maybe a neighbor? Someone in your church? A friend? "What increases the likelihood of a child living in poverty, dropping out
of school, and becoming a juvenile delinquent? What increases the probability of a child abusing alcohol, taking drugs, engaging in sexual promiscuity and committing suicide? What cripples hundreds of thousands of young people when they marry and creates fear, insecurity, and a higher likelihood that their marriages will not last a lifetime? It's divorce, divorce, divorce." (Dennis Rainey) We need to work to curb all of the divorcing that's happening to the best of our ability and put the heart of Christ back into marriage, where He has been crowded out. We need to reclaim the sacredness of marriage. Read what Dennis Rainey, the Executive Director of Family Life Today (Familylife.com) says on this subject (adapted from his book, "One Home at a Time"): "Marriage is not just a private experiment, littered with prenuptial agreements and an attitude of 'Try me out! If it doesn't work, you can always bail out!' Marriage is not some kind of social contract --something you just 'do' for as long as you both shall 'love.' Marriage is a sacred covenant between one man and one woman, and their God for a lifetime. It is a public vow of how you will relate to your spouse as you form a new family unit. "Any covenant --including the marriage covenant, is a binding, weighty obligation. In Proverbs 20:25, we read, 'It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider his vows.' God says, 'I hate divorce' (Malachi 2:16). The Lord didn't stutter when He spoke these words. It is time for us to embrace and proclaim God's sacred view of marriage, as well as His corresponding hatred for divorce. [MARRIAGE MISSIONS NOTE: While God hates the act of divorce, He does not hate the divorcee.] "Reclaiming the sanctity of marriage begins with several commitments: "COMMITMENT #1: Do Not Get Married Unless You Plan to Keep Your Vows. Both churches and individuals have a holy trust and responsibility to take radical measures to restore meaning to the covenant of marriage. Churches, for example, could refuse to marry couples who will not take a church- prescribed marriage preparation course; marry only couples who agree to sign and be held accountable to such a public document, and assign a mentoring couple to all newlyweds before they get married. "Before they are married, individuals could agree to faithfully fulfill all of the church's requirements for marriage preparation, including the signing of a marriage covenant. They could refuse to sign any type of prenuptial agreement. And they could pledge to each other, to their new extended family, and to the community to never divorce and to solemnly fulfill the marriage vows. "By no means is this a comprehensive list of all that needs to be enacted, nor will it eliminate failure, but it does give us a helpful pro-active starting point. "COMMITMENT #2: Fulfill Your Vows by Staying Married. If you are married, you have a scared covenant obligation. Fulfill it! Too many marriages begin to unravel when one of the spouses mentally entertains the possibility of divorce. The notion that divorce is a solution must be rejected. We must fight tenaciously to restore the ideal of marriage for a lifetime. Marital commitment demands perseverance. "The church needs to restore the model of one man and one woman bound together before God for a lifetime. We need more couples like J.L. and Hilda Simpson, godly Christians who wrote a profound note: 'September 9, 1995, made us 46 years together. I was 15 and J.L was 17 when we married. We are now 61 and 63. We could have divorced dozens of times but because we love each other deeply, and because God hates divorce, WE DIDN'T WANT TO BRING THE CURSE OF DIVORCE INTO OUR FAMILY, SO WE DIDN'T.' "Barbara and I have been married since 1972, and we have had our share of illness, tragedy, and disagreements. But the word, 'divorce' has never passed through our lips. May I challenge you to do the same? You need to keep your covenant. You MUST keep your covenant. Your children's marriages, your legacy and strength of the church depend upon it. "COMMITMENT #3: Fulfill Your Vows by Maintaining Emotional and Moral Fidelity. For too many people, adultery is the first step out of a marriage. An emotional or sexual attachment to someone other than your spouse creates intense passions that sabotage trust and steal marital intimacy. To maintain emotional and moral fidelity to your mate, you need to, first, maintain a healthy relationship. Lovingly study your mate to learn what will keep him or her interested and satisfied. Cultivate the fine --and often forgotten -- art of romance. Second, you need to guard your heart in relation to the opposite sex. Restrict your gaze and refuse the temptation to look longingly at members of the opposite sex. Don't fantasize about someone else. Build boundaries around your heart by making yourself accountable to a friend for your secret thoughts. "COMMITMENT #4: Fulfill Your Vows by Praying Faithfully With Your Spouse. Why do so few Christian couples pray together? What could seem more natural than a husband and wife talking intimately together with the One who provides the glue to hold a relationship together? Yet prayer is one of the most challenging disciplines for any married couple to practice. "I think I know why. The enemy of our souls knows how effective prayer is. He'll do anything to prevent it in a marriage. And our flesh gets in the way, too, because prayer demands humility before God. It is hard to be in the midst of some selfish behavior and then pray with your spouse --I know, I've tried and failed! Daily prayer prevents divorce and makes marriage stronger. A national survey commissioned by Family Life Today showed the couples who pray together frequently (at least three time per week) have higher levels of marital satisfaction than those who don't. "What would happen to the divorce rate in the church if husbands & wives would consistently pray together? I believe that the number of divorces could be cut in half within months, and that within a decade divorce would be uncommon in the Christian community. If there's one practical action step you can take to divorce-proof your marriage, this is it: Begin praying daily with your spouse." Many years ago Cindy and I established starting our day by praying together (no matter what time our "day" starts). Yes, it was awkward at first. But it soon became the best part of our day. We can't explain how it strengthens and deepens our relationship, it just does. We also believe it has led to a deeper degree of marital satisfaction for both of us. If you're not currently doing this as a couple we URGE you to start. At least try it for 30 days and see what happens. Don't stress about it; just do it. God doesn't care if you stumble through it. He will honor the intentions of your heart. "You will pray to Him and He will hear you..." (Job 22:27) Let's work to reclaim the "sanctity of marriage," starting with praying together as husbands and wives. We pray you'll have a blessed week. God Bless! Steve and Cindy Wright I was in Honolulu to speak at a large national conference. I scheduled an
extra day onto the trip since I had never been to Honolulu and because a few great friends were also at the conference. The day after the conference, we awoke at the crack of dawn to visit Pearl Harbor. As we stood above and looked down upon the sunken USS Arizona, the depth of our experience came to life. It was moving and humbling. Upon our return to the hotel, I had some time to spare before departing to the airport. A couple of my friends and I decided to rent a raft large enough to hold three adults. We targeted the white-capped waves, out in the distance, as our destination. With the incoming waves, we had a hard time getting away from the shore. At first, there seemed to be enormous momentum keeping us "grounded." Slowly, but surely, we began to make progress. It seemed to get easier. We eventually got within a few feet of the whitecaps and decided to board our raft and relax as a celebration of our efforts. It was in our moment of pause that we felt the reality of our situation. Drifting two feet out and one foot in. Again, two feet out and one foot in. We all felt the unsettling formula of our ever-so-gentle drift out to sea. We immediately abandoned the raft and grasped for safety, with one arm holding the raft and the other arm aggressively swimming. I have never scissor-kicked so hard in my life. Twenty minutes later we had made minimal progress. Out of nowhere, a Lifeguard on a kayak appeared on the scene asking why we were so far out. Feeling the comfort of his presence, we laughed for a moment, lightly commenting about our distance from the shore. He wasn't laughing. The orange balls had warned us, and we unknowingly ignored them. Infrequently placed across the ocean's surface, they created an invisible line on the ocean's floor. They silently warned us not to drift beyond them regardless of our vision or mission. "You see those big orange balls on top of the water?" the lifeguard inquired. We could see them, but they didn't look very big from where we were still struggling in the water. They did, however, give us the insight that we were basically five times farther out than we should be. I think the lifeguard was trying to teach us a lesson. He didn't leave us, but he didn't assist us either. Forty-five minutes later we walked up on the shore. I was shaking from exhaustion. I began, for the first time, to feel the numerous cuts on my legs and feet from the sharp coral rocks lining the ocean floor. We had briefly noticed the orange balls on our way out. We had paid little attention to them and certainly had not given any thought to their significance. We had been too focused on our mission to get to the white- capped waves in the distance! We don't go running away from our values. We go drifting away, and one day wake-up in a place we never meant to be, drifting in a direction we would have never chosen. Christus se volgende gelykenis oor 'n verlore silwer muntstuk: "Of watter vrou wat tien silwer muntstukke het en een raak weg, steek nie 'n lamp op en vee die huis uit en soek sorgvuldig totdat sy dit kry nie? En as sy dit kry, roep sy haar vriendinne en buurvroue bymekaar en sê: 'Wees saam met my bly, want ek het my geld wat weggeraak het, weer gekry.'" (8-9 NV). Daar is twee dinge wat hier belangrik is: 1) Die persoon wat veronderstel was om dit op te pas, het die muntstuk verloor. 2) Dit was verlore, al was dit in die huis. Dis 'n prentjie van almal wat elke Sondag in die kerk sit en wat dink dat persoonlike verbetering, kerklidmaatskap, familieverbintenisse of goeie dade hulle sal red. Wat het hierdie vrou gedoen? Sy het 'n lamp opgesteek, die huis uitgevee en die muntstuk gesoek tot sy hom gekry het. Dit is wat Bybelgebasseerde, Christusgefokusde prediking doen. Alles wat in mense se pad staan om na Christus te kom, moet uitgevee word. Kom ons steek die lamp van God se Woord aan. Kom ons verkondig die enigste boodskap wat mense van hul sonde kan red: "... die evangelie... is 'n krag van God tot redding van elkeen wat glo..." (Romeine 1:16 NV). Hierdie vrou moes waarskynlik ander takies doen, maar dit als het onbelangrik geword. Wat ons vandag in die kerk nodig het, is 'n lamp vir lig, 'n besem om skoon te vee en 'n toewyding wat nie verslap voor al die verlorenes in God se huis gevind en gered is nie.
Sielskos: Eks 39-40; Joh. 8:42-59; Ps 123; Spr. 25:18-20 Daar word soms na Lukas 15 verwys as die "verlore-en-gevind-rubriek" van die Bybel. Daar sal jy die vergelykings van die verlore skaap, die verlore silwer muntstuk en die verlore seun vind. Kom ons kyk na die verlore skaap. Net soos ons, het hy nie bedoel om te verdwaal nie. Hierdie gelykenis wys ons twee wonderlike goed oor Jesus, ons Herder: 1) Die waarde wat God aan jou heg! Party van ons sou sê: "Dis net een skaap uit 'n honderd; niemand sal agterkom hy is weg nie." Verkeerd - die Goeie Herder sal! Jy moet besef dat selfs as jy die enigste mens was wat ooit geleef het, sou Jesus net vir jou aan die kruis gesterf het. Onthou dit 'n bietjie as jy weer waardeloos en ongeliefd voel. 2) Die moeite wat God sal doen om jou te red! Om Kornelius, 'n nie-Jood, te red, het God sosiale en godsdienstige struikelblokke uit die pad geruim en vir Petrus, 'n Jood, na Sesarea gestuur om die evangelie aan hom te verkondig! Die hemel kan nie doof bly vir die smeking van een verlore siel nie! Toe Kornelius gebid het, het God geantwoord: "God het jou gebede gehoor." (Handelinge 10:4 DB). En hier is 'n juweel: "En dan sal jy hom met blydskap op jou skouers huis toe dra." (Lukas 15:5 NLV). Jesus sal jou nie net red nie; Hy sal jou "dra" wanneer dit voel asof jy nie meer kan nie. Sy belofte is: "Ek sal jou nie los nie. Ek sal jou nie in die steek laat nie." (Hebreërs 13:5 NLV).
Sielskos: Eks 36-38; Joh. 8:31-41; Ps 30; Spr. 25:13-17 John 4:14
'But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.' - God has a source of life for you and me and can change our lives. - As we receive what He has for us, we receive something life-giving. - God wants you to live with something living bubbling within you. - Let His living water come and flow over your soul. PRAYER: Lord, I pray that Your living water will come and flow over me today. Wash away the hopelessness and fear and cause something to come alive within my heart and soul. Amen. |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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