God Archives - The Word for Today
Wanneer jy nie kry wat jy wil hê nie (2)
Samuel en Susanna Wesley (John Wesley se ouers), was een aand by die aanddiens toe Susanna nie ‘amen’ op haar man se gebed vir Willem van Oranje, wat toe Engeland se koning was, sê nie. Toe hy haar vra hoekom nie, het sy verduidelik dat haar simpatie by die afgesette James die Tweede gelê het. Sy skryf oor wat volgende gebeur het: ‘Hy het onmiddellik gekniel en goddelike wraak op homself en sy nageslag gesweer as hy my ooit weer sou aanraak voor ek nie vir God en sy eie vergifnis gesmeek het nie.’ Hierdie omstandighede het ses maande geduur en is slegs verbreek toe ‘n tragiese brand twee-derdes van hulle huis vernietig het. Mense wat aan hulle wrokke vashou, nie weet hoe om teleurstelling met grasie te hanteer nie, wat ‘n lang geheue het, wat nie kan jammer sê nie en wat kerm en kla en dikmond is, trek altyd aan die kortste ent. Om goed te kan verloor is ‘n kuns wat al die genade wat ons kan bymekaar kan skraap, verg. Dit beteken om die nederigheid te hê om die realiteit sonder verskonings in die gesig te staar, maar met die selfvertroue om nie toe te laat dat verlies ons identiteit definieer of ons minderwaardig laat voel nie. Dit beteken geen verskonings, geen blaam, geen self-bejammering en ook geen self-veroordeling nie. Dit beteken dat jy die onderskeid kan tref tussen wanneer om op te gee en wanneer om te volhard. Dit beteken om ander mense te kan geluk wens. Dit beteken om ‘n uitkoms wat ons nie kan verander nie, te laat gaan, maar om vas te hou aan die wil om voluit en goed te lewe en om God met alles wat ons doen, te eer.
Sielskos: Matt 5:4; Jes 51:1-16; Ps 30; 2 Kor 1:3-7
Verlang huis toe
Filippense 3:20 NLV
Elke jaar kry die Stille Oseaan-salm, wat vyf tot ses jaar in die oseaan geleef het, skielik die drang om na die water van hul geboorte-rivier terug te keer. Met vissermanne, bere en enorme hidro-elektriese damme wat in hulle pad staan, veg hulle hul weg stroom-op om by hulle tuiste uit te kom. Wetenskaplikes weet nie hoe die salm dit regkry om na die presiese rivier waar hulle gebore is, terug te keer nie. Sommige wetenskaplikes dink hulle doen dit omdat hulle die vars water van hulle rivier kan proe of ruik. Ander wetenskaplikes dink dat hulle dalk die sterre gebruik om te navigeer. Ongeag hoe hulle dit doen, weet ons dat hulle nie kaarte en kompasse gebruik nie; hulle reis is instinktief. Hulle het ‘n verlange na ‘n spesifieke rivier en hulle sal nie rus totdat hulle die rivier vind nie. Dis presies hoe dit met ons is. God het ons vir die hemel geskep en niks in ons lewe sal daardie verlange stil nie (sien Prediker 3:11). Net soos daardie salm, is ons in hierdie wêreld, maar nie van hierdie wêreld nie. Ja, ons vind vreugde daarin om die lewenstaak wat God vir ons gegee het te vervul, maar dit is niks teenoor die vreugde wat in die hemel vir ons wag nie. Paulus stel dit so: ‘Ons daarteenoor het ons burgerskap in die hemel. Van dáár verwag ons ook die Here Jesus Christus as Redder. Hy sal ons vernederde liggame verander in liggame met goddelike heerlikheid, soos sy eie. Hiervoor sal Hy dieselfde krag gebruik as dié waarmee Hy alle dinge onder sy gesag bring’ (Filippense 3:20-21 NLV). Soos jou geredde geliefdes die aarde verlaat om hemel toe te gaan, sal jou verlange om by hulle aan te sluit, net groter word.
Sielskos: Eseg 31-33; Mark 16:1-20; Ps 80:1-11; Spr 15:11-14
Some of us are natural fixers. We want to help people and take away their problems. We want to make things better for the person who’s struggling. We throw everything we have into helping someone else. But there are some things we just can’t fix. And we have to remember that being there for others is not the same as fixing things for others. Being there may involve giving some practical help, but it doesn’t give us the pressure of having to get things sorted. God is the One who can fix situations, heal brokenness and provide true comfort in hurt. God is the ultimate fixer. When we’re struggling, God can help us work through the emotions we have and the situations we find ourselves in. He takes us on a journey of manageable steps. He rebuilds our hope. God promised Israel that He’d ‘make the Valley of Achor a door of hope’ (Hosea 2:15 NIV). And He can do the same for us too. Achor means trouble. So God’s saying He’ll turn trouble into hope. When those around us have lost their hope, it can be tricky to know what to say or do to help them regain it. Sometimes we just have to sit there and listen. We have to let people express their emotions. The Bible says: ‘Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn’ (Romans 12:15 NIV). One of the biggest things about being there for people, is to make sure we’re there for them even when the worst of the situation appears to be over. God’s healing is a process. It takes time. And so we need to keep being there for people, throughout the step by step journey God’s taking them on.
Judg 19:16-21:25; Mark 11:27-33; Ps 45; Prov 13:13-16
When God asked Solomon what he wanted, Solomon gave what we might think of as a surprising answer. Out of everything he could have wanted, he asked for the gift of wisdom. He prayed: ‘Give your servant a discerning heart…to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?’ Solomon recognised the value of wisdom. We all need wisdom. From decision making to solving conflicts, we need to be able to make wise choices. And discernment fits in with this. Being able to discern between right and wrong, the truthfulness of a statement or the character of a person, helps us make those wise choices. The Bible says that discernment is a spiritual gift. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul shows us that people are given differing gifts (see v.10). So some of us have discernment as our spiritual gift. But for those of us who don’t, we can ask God to help us be discerning and wise in our everyday decisions, faith, relationships and workplaces. ‘If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you’ (James 1:5 NIV). And when we’re filled with God’s wisdom, the decisions we make will bring peace, justice and goodness. And that will bring glory to God. When Solomon received the gift of wisdom, he was soon put to the test when two women approached him both claiming to be a baby’s mother. He managed to discern who the real mother was and we’re told that the people were in awe of him because they could see God’s wisdom in him (see 1 Kings 3:28). Can people see the same in us?
Judg 7:1-9:33; Mark 10:23-34; Ps 93; Prov 13:7-8