Word deel van God se plan vir jou?

Jy rig jou oё na die hemel en jou oё word verlig deur die kleurvolle vuurwerke, wat soos sterre verrys uit die hemelse uitspansel. Die vuurwerke kondig ‘n nuwe jaar aan. Weer het ‘n nuwe jaar aangebreek, met nuwe uitdagings, nuwe perspektiewe, nuwe betekenisse, maar ook nuwe geleenthede.

‘n Nuwe jaar is vir my soos ‘n nuwe begin, nog ‘n kans of selfs nog meer geleenthede? Elke dag is vir God kosbaar, en elke dag is ‘n geskenk van God, wat jy daarmee doen is jou geskenk aan Hom. So as elke dag ‘n geskenk van Hom is, hoe sien jy nou die nuwe jaar in?

Daar kom ‘n dag of ‘n jaar, wat God se plan vir elke mens in werking tree. Moenie my verkeerd verstaan nie, natuurlik was God altyd besig om die plan uit te voer vir jou lewe. Maar, daar kom ‘n dag, wat Hy jou deel van Sy plan wil maak, Sy verlossings plan! Wanneer jy begin wandel in hierdie plan, word jy ‘n soldaat vir Sy koninkryk. Word ‘n medewerker van Sy koninkryk?

Hoe pas jy in God se plan in, of nog meer leef jy al God se plan vir jou lewe uit? Dalk in hierdie nuwe jaar wil God jou deel maak van Sy wonderlike plan vir jou. God het natuurlik ‘n plan met elkeen van ons. God was van die begin af daar, selfs toe jy maar nog net ‘n enkele sel was, in die moederskoot. Psalm 139:13: “U het my gevorm, my aanmekaar geweef in die skoot van my moeder. Ek wil U loof, want U het my op ‘n wonderbaarlike wyse geskep.” Hoor jy die psalm digter se woorde, God het jou wonderbaarlik geskep. Van dag een af wat jou hartjie begin klop het, het jou Skepper Sy oog op jou.

Maar hoe kan God ‘n plan hê met my, ek doen dan soveel dinge verkeerd, ek is so swak in my geloof in Hom, ek het soveel foute. Onthou, Jesus verstaan ons swakheid, en Hy het medelye met ons swakheid want Hy self was aan versoekinge onderwerp. (Hebreёrs 5:15).

Om deel te word van God se plan vir jou, is om in daardie swakheid te erken, jy het Hom nodig. “Here, ek is maar ‘n geringe klein saadjie in U hande. ‘n Saadjie wat breek, wat seerkry, wat deur die stormwinde van die lewe opgepik word en saam gesleur word. ‘n Saadjie wat van tyd tot tyd uitdroog, wat verlang daarna om U lewendige waters in te drenk, en ‘n saadjie wat smag om geestelik deur U gevoed te word.”

God het vir jou as ‘n klein saadjie gevat, Hy het gesien hoe jy in die grond vertrap was, Hy het gesien hoe jy uitgedroog was. Hy het jou geneem in Sy liefdevolle hande, Hy het jou weer geplant, en Hy het jou versorg. Hy was jou skuiling teen die hael in jou lewe, Hy het vir jou skaduwee gegee wanneer nodig. God het nie verander nie, God verander nooit. Hy is steeds jou God, en Hy wil jou deel maak van die plan wat Hy het vir jou lewe.

Onthou net, God se plan hou nie altyd net mooi dinge in nie, dit vra ‘n opregte geloof, dit vra baie liefde en geduld, dit vra volharding. Maar as jy kan volhard in die moeilike en swaar tye, sal jy as ‘n klein saadjie ontpop in ‘n asemrowende sonneblom, wat baie saadjies oplewer vir God se koninkryk, en jy sal verewig skitter met groot vreugde in Hom.

Jy, brose mens, jy het God se genade nodig, om in God se plan te wandel. Ons as mense is maar baie klein, gering en as ons, ons nie bind aan God se genade nie, kan ons nie deel word van God se plan vir ons nie. Hoe word ons deel van Sy genade? 

Ons moet opreg glo, dat God Sy volmaakte liefde aan ons geopenbaar het, toe Hy Sy seun Jesus Christus gestuur het, as versoening vir ons sondes. God is liefde, en wie in Hom glo het Sy liefde in hul harte. Steek ‘n hand van liefde uit na God, en glo in Sy genade, wat deur Jesus Christus se opofferinge aan ons gegee is, en word deel van die plan wat Hy vir jou het.

Voordat jy hierdie nuwe jaar so besig raak, raak stil voor jou God, luister na Sy stem in die wind, sien die saadjies in die blomme in jou tuin en onthou wie jy is in Sy groot hande. Asem die vars lug in, en besin in diepe verwondering, oor hoe jy ‘n beter mens kan word vir God, hoe kan jy deel word van God se wonderlike plan vir jou? Hoe kan jy geestelik ryk word in Hom? 

En wanneer jy met jou vingers deur die bladsye van jou bybel blaai opsoek voordurend na antwoorde in Hom, en die voёls se liedere hoor sing vir hul Skepper, sien dan in jou geestes oog, hoe God jou as ‘n geringe, klein en broos saadjie optel, en in die winde jou wegvoer na Sy plan met jou.

En as jy al wandel in Sy plan vir jou, en jy ‘n instrument in Sy hande is, en jy word gebruik vir Sy koninkryk, maar jy voel dalk moeg, moedeloos, verstrooid en alleen. Dinge het dalk vir jou te veel geword, dan het ons ook die wonderlike troos van God se genade en liefde, dat Hy ons telkemale weer nuwe perspektief, nuwe hoop en nuwe betekenis in ons lewens kan gee. Roep dit ook in dankbaarheid uit in jou hart teenoor Hom, want al voel ons, ons vergaan letterlik in ons self, is God besig om ons te vernuwe in Hom, is Hy altyd nog besig om Sy plan uit te voer met elkeen van ons.



Deur: Marieke Zeevaart

Kersfees ‘n dankbaarheids fees.

Wat beteken kersfees vir meeste van ons? Beteken dit familie tyd, vreugde tyd, of vakansie tyd? As ons kyk na die woord kersfees, staan een gedeelte pertinent vir my uit. Die woordjie “kers” staan vir my uit. As ek aan daardie woordjie dink, dink ek aan die lig van ‘n kers. Die kers wat flikker met al sy vlamme spel, die kers wat ‘n helder lig is in enige donker ruimte of situasie. As ek so na die flikkerende vlam staar, en ek word in my gedagtes deur God meegevoer na Sy helder lig, dan onthou ek my God. Wie is die een wat letterlik ‘n kers opgesteek het vir die wêreld en sy mense? Wie is die een wat steeds die ganse hemelruim verlig met Sy wonderbare en asemrowende lig?

My gedagtes blaai deur die psalmboek na Skrifberyming 3 vers 2. Luister net na hierdie woorde....

“ ‘n Lig het opgegaan,

‘n helder stralebaan,

skiet deur die donker wolke.

Dit is Immanuel,

Die Vors van Israel,

die Lig van alle volke”

Wie se lig het verewig vir ons opgegaan, en vir ewig ons kom verlos van die donkertes en duisternisse van die wêreld? God het Sy enig gebore Seun, Jesus Christus vir ons opgeoffer met soveel liefde en genade aan die kruis, om ons te verlos van die bande en smarte van die sondige wêreld. Hy, Jesus het in daardie donkertes gegaan, en vir ons die ewige lig gebring, Sy lig!

Hierdie kersfees het my net van vooraf weer laat besef, dat ons soveel dinge het om voor dankbaar te wees. Die boodskap van kersfees herinner ons ook daaraan. Wat het Christus vir elkeen van ons gedoen? Dink aan die donkertes en duisternisse en pyn van jou eie lewe, Hy het gekom om jou daarvan te verlos. Hy het gekom om jou uit daardie doodsvalleie en angste uit te lei, na waters waar rus is, daar waar Sy ewige lig vir jou skyn.

As jy in Sy lig wandel, in die lig van Sy ewige en standhoudende Woord sal jy verby die donkertes kan kyk, en net die vreugde, vrede en liefde van Sy ewige lig ervaar.

Dalk is dit tyd dat ons daardie “kers” weer opsoek in ons lewens. Gaan steek ‘n kers aan tot ere van Sy Groot en Heilige Naam, en laat Hom toe om jou aan te raak met Sy lig in jou. Lees weer met soveel passie en liefde en begeerte vir Hom, Sy wonderlike Woord! Dit laat my dink aan die voortrekkers wat so begerig die ou hollandse staten bybel gelees het, terwyl die kers langs hul brand.

En terwyl jy langs daardie kers sit, laat sak jou hoof in diepe dankbare erkentenis voor Hom, en dink na oor alles waarvoor jy dankbaar is in jou lewe teenoor Hom. Blaai deur die gedagtes van hierdie jaar, en sien hoe getrou God bly teenoor jou in alle omstandighede.

En wanneer jy so terugkyk na hierdie jaar in jou lewe, sal jy oomblikke van val en opstaan beleef, oomblikke van pyn en hartseer, maar ook oomblikke van redding, lig en diepe vertroosting en dankbaarheid in Hom.

Dan sal jou hart vol van beroering gaan, want jy het besef hoe groot is God se lig, wat in jou werk. Ek hoop elkeen van julle mag hierdie kersfees weer van vooraf in verwondering en dankbaarheid Sy lig, Jesus se ewige lig in jou lewe sien en waardeer.

Deur: Marieke Zeevaart

The Fireproof Faith

The word “faith” refers to a lot of things, and it is such a indescribable word. I also think that this word, describes your own relationship with God. God wants us to have a fireproof faith in Him. As an example, let’s say God writes all your faithful actions

towards Him down on a piece of paper. Maybe, you are thinking now; “Stop, I don’t think there was a lot of faithful actions in my life.”

If this is your thoughts, then perhaps you are on the right tracks with your life. God says; “Blessed is the one that knows his sins, because he is nearer to God, than the one that says, I don’t have any sins.” That is actually a big proclamation, to acknowledge that you do have sins and even more to proclaim you do make mistakes, and that you are indeed not without faults or brokenness in your life. It takes a lot of courage to say; “I have sins, I do make mistakes!” Surely, you will agree with me, that, these are big words to utter, in fact it takes a lot of faith in God, to come to that point in our lives.

What we don’t know, is that when we find that courage to say those difficult words, it is actually a proclamation of our faith in Him. With those words we proclaim how much we need Him, and that we are lost without Him. The more we realize how dependent we are on God, the more we realize that we need Him in every part of our lives. Once you have managed to reach that point in your faith, you are one step closer towards the circle of fireproof faith in Him.

So now you are standing in front of that fire, one step closer to God in your faith. Your eyes see the circles of the fire going round and round. The heat is so intense that it causes perspiration all over your face and body. Your hands feel clammy and sweaty and your legs feel too weak to take the next step, in your faith. Your eyes become watery and you want to cry out from your heart. “God, please help me. I feel like I am going up into flames all over my body. My body is aching for You, screaming for You, in these flames.”

Standing in front of these blistering flames, I feel a passion towards You, that causes me to burn up in myself. It is a desire towards You, that I can’t describe. It is like the flames are playing with my mind. It is almost as if the flames are spelling out the words in my heart.” The tears are streaming down your cheeks, and this causes a burning sensation in your eyes. You try to read the words, that the flames are laying out for you. The letters are vague, and you focus your eyes closer together to see the words more clearly. Then suddenly, you see the words. “Take a step forward towards Me, my child.” At first you thought; “God, what are you asking of Me? Do You want me to burn up in those flames?” Then God calms your heart again. “My beloved child, your desire and flammable passion for Me, leads you to another victory in your faith in Me.

You are longing for Me, you have a burning passion and desire for Me in your life. In your burning passion and desire for Me, you have proven your love for Me. It is that kind of love for Me, that I am looking for in My children.

Once you found that flame for Me in your heart, you are able to stand more firmly in your faith for Me, in every situation. Maybe the fires of life try to pull you back into danger, hurt and pain of life constantly. But if your love for Me is so flammable, it pushes those flames away from you, because the fire of Love for Me, leads you to victory in Me.”

These thoughts of God cause the anxiety rising in your heart, to calm down. You suddenly feel you have the courage and faith in your heart, to take another step forward in your faith. It is as if the flame of love for God creates space in your heart for new and greater discoveries in God. The flame of love for God clears up a lot of things in your struggle, towards your faith in Him. You feel

like you understand God’s love now. With His love in your heart you are able to receive His love or others love for you. With this love of God in your heart, you are finally also able to reach out to others, to share that love with others and to shower other people with His love. “Thank you God, your flame of love is so precious to me and I will keep it close to my heart.”

You take a deep breath and take one step closer to the flames. It is actually such an irony to you, because on the one side you feel the flames burning you and this causes warnings of greater danger and fear but on the other side of those emotions, you also feel like the flames are inviting you to go deeper into their arms, with the uncertainty of where it will take your faith next.

With another step closer to God, the heat around you rises up again. Now you feel like the flames want to swallow you. Your heart is seeking for your faith in God, but it seems like you can’t find it now. “Why can’t I resist these flames?” Your eyes are seeking for God in the flames. The smoke is causing a burning sensation in your lungs, that rises up through your throat, and it comes out in spasms of severe coughs. Your whole thorax feels like it is ripped apart. With the pain in your chest the tears flow out of the corner of your eyes. You feel like the burden that you are carrying at that moment, has become so heavy, it hurts you to carry it. In the midst of the flames, you want to scream your needs out to God, through your prayers. Although your knees are weak, you fall down to the ground into the flames, raise your hands to God, and you start praying to Him like you never prayed before. The sad, passionate and desperate words of your deep sincere prayers roll over your dry lips. You pray constantly, without stopping, pouring your weak heart out to your loving God.

At that moment you feel a relief in your heart, and it’s with great amazement that you inhale a new breath of hope, while standing in the fire. The new breath in your body reminds you of God’s mercy. God’s mercy for us is so big and strong, but how will we ever know that, if we don’t know God in our lives or if we don’t know His Bible, His precious Word. In your heart you come to the conclusion that, in order for us to know and understand God’s mercy for us, we need to tie ourselves to His mercy. We can’t

complain about the lack of God’s mercy and His support, if our lives do not speak of our relationship with God.

We must grow on a daily basis towards God in His mercy, so that we will be able to fully understand His mercy for us. We can only learn to that, if we full heartedly persist in our faith in Him. Perseverance in your faith leads to a riper holy relationship in God. With these thoughts in your mind, the flames suddenly open up, and create a path for you to walk through the flames. Your heart warms up in you and is full of words of admiration and thankfulness to God. These feelings spark new joy in you. You rejoice in God, for the richness of knowledge and wisdom you received and gained in Him, by going through the flames. Tears of love and admiration for God slide down your cheeks. Standing on the other side of the blissful fire, you finally feel free, you feel accepted, you feel loved and secure in Him.

Facing those fire’s of life is never easy, but if you can learn in those fires to trust God, if you can acknowledge that you need God,

that you love Him dearly with passion, learn to know and understand His mercy, then the fire of faith in you becomes a fire that burns and shines towards victory in God.

Flames that lead your faith to be fireproof in God!

♥ The flame of a need for God.

♥ The flame of love and passion for God.

♥ The flame of prayer to God.

♥ The flame of God’s mercy.

♥ The flame of thankfulness toward God.

♥ The flame of rejoicing in God.

By: Marieke Zeevaart