Is the translated title of a book by Rev. Leon Oosthuizen.
This book was lent to me by a friend and neighbour some 18 months ago.
I felt uplifted and inspired by the reading thereof and phoned the publishers to find out the current address of the author. I wrote a short letter thanking him for his inspired message of hope.
A couple of months later, one Sunday afternoon, I was sitting at a show-house on behalf of a friend, when a lovely vibrant lady walked in to view the house. She emanated energy and an inner beauty. I felt drawn to her as if I had some kind of kinship with her, and it turned out that we shared a name and that she loved arranging and working with flowers, something I also enjoy.
She obviously enjoyed the feel of the house and lingered for some time. We chatted and agreed that my friend would telephone her the next day to make the necessary arrangements for her husband to also view the property.
However, just before time to lock up and go, she returned with her husband. Again, I was aware of an immediate affinity with her husband and after he had viewed the property, and my friend arrived, the two of us had opportunity to converse. It turned out that he was in fact the author of "Hoop het vleuels"!
This man of God has indeed experienced tremendous physical challenges. Challenges that brought immense changes to their lives and circumstances. Changes that would have Job tearing his clothes and covering his head with ashes... Yet, in my spirit I sensed that God was willing and waiting to use even these changes to enlarge the ministry of this man of God to an extent that he may not as yet envisage.
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Rom. 8:18
"For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through
Christ." 2 Cor. 1:5
Even with the writing of his first book, he had reached many people like myself, who never heard him speak and probably never would have. Who is to say what God intends in the future?
I am reminded of Paul, who being under house arrest in Rome, wrote epistles to the various congregations and churches throughout the then known world, which epistles are still reaching and changing the lives of people around the globe today.
"For it is fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in
bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through
sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all
of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying:
'I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will
sing praise to You.'
And again:
'Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.' " Heb. 2:10-13
Thank You, Lord, that even though we may want to choose a different path to bring glory to Your name, You often use our challenges and suffering to bring us to that one quiet place where You can have complete control of our time, our gifts and our attention so that we may be used to Your honour and glory.
Sunday, 31 July 2011
Saturday, 30 July 2011
BE THOU GLORIFIED
A member of our congregation, a mother and wife, is in hospital recuperating after a hip replacement operation.
In to-day's world, with modern technology, techniques and medical expertise, this in itself is not amazing or an extraordinary feat.
However, what is amazing is this woman's faith in and love for God and her continued spiritual strength and courage. Her diabetes is so severe that her kidneys are no longer functioning at all - she undergoes dialysis three times a week. Because of this malfunction of the kidneys and the medication and treatment, her arteries are hardening and calcifying to the extent that stents have been permanently implanted into veins in her upper left arm to allow for the dialysis and intravenous medication to be administered when necessary. This has caused her left arm to be twice the circumference of her right arm.
She is extremely thin.
Her eyesight is severly impaired.
For almost two years she has been unable to walk and has been cloistered either to her bed or a wheelchair.
Her thyroid gland has been affected by the disease and the subsequent treatment and is not functioning properly.
Her muscles and neurological system have suffered considerable damage. She needs assistance to bath and dress.
She fell during December last year and X-rays showed that her hip was cracked. Having been in pain ever since, she was X-rayed again last week and the shocking news was that her hip was, in fact, fractured and that she required a full hip replacement.
Her doctor advised her that the surgeons at the hospital were not prepared to operate on her because of the risks involved. They then contacted a professor from a training hospital, who during an interview told her that he was prepared to operate, but explained to her the very real risk to her life if the operation is performed.
She replied that God being God, He could do whatever He wished with her - if she died, she would have a glorified body which would be better still than having a hip replaced in the old one!
"If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable."
1 Cor. 15:19
Her continuous testimony to all around her about the love and goodness of God, and her godly ways and attitude strengthens every person who comes into contact with her.
When you visit to encourage her, you come away encouraged.
God in continuously being glorified in and through her life and testimony! When I speak with her I am reminded of the title of a book "The Imitation of Christ" by Thomas à Kempis.
"For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His
Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethern. Rom. 8:29
We heard this morning that the operation was a success and that she was being moved ffrom ICU to a general ward today.
God is good - all the time - and all the time God is good. Praise His name.
"But we have this treasure in earthern vessels, that the excellence of the power
may be of God and not of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed,
we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down,
but not destroyed - always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus,
that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is
working in us, but life in you. And since we have the same spirit of faith according
to what is written "I believed and therefore spoke" we also believe and therefore
speak." 2 Cor. 4:7-13
Thank You, Lord, for living testimonies to Your goodness and power and grace. Thank you that You are capable of keeping and nurturing life, when we cannot see tomorrow for the troubles of today. Thank You for strength for every day.
In to-day's world, with modern technology, techniques and medical expertise, this in itself is not amazing or an extraordinary feat.
However, what is amazing is this woman's faith in and love for God and her continued spiritual strength and courage. Her diabetes is so severe that her kidneys are no longer functioning at all - she undergoes dialysis three times a week. Because of this malfunction of the kidneys and the medication and treatment, her arteries are hardening and calcifying to the extent that stents have been permanently implanted into veins in her upper left arm to allow for the dialysis and intravenous medication to be administered when necessary. This has caused her left arm to be twice the circumference of her right arm.
She is extremely thin.
Her eyesight is severly impaired.
For almost two years she has been unable to walk and has been cloistered either to her bed or a wheelchair.
Her thyroid gland has been affected by the disease and the subsequent treatment and is not functioning properly.
Her muscles and neurological system have suffered considerable damage. She needs assistance to bath and dress.
She fell during December last year and X-rays showed that her hip was cracked. Having been in pain ever since, she was X-rayed again last week and the shocking news was that her hip was, in fact, fractured and that she required a full hip replacement.
Her doctor advised her that the surgeons at the hospital were not prepared to operate on her because of the risks involved. They then contacted a professor from a training hospital, who during an interview told her that he was prepared to operate, but explained to her the very real risk to her life if the operation is performed.
She replied that God being God, He could do whatever He wished with her - if she died, she would have a glorified body which would be better still than having a hip replaced in the old one!
"If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable."
1 Cor. 15:19
Her continuous testimony to all around her about the love and goodness of God, and her godly ways and attitude strengthens every person who comes into contact with her.
When you visit to encourage her, you come away encouraged.
God in continuously being glorified in and through her life and testimony! When I speak with her I am reminded of the title of a book "The Imitation of Christ" by Thomas à Kempis.
"For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His
Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethern. Rom. 8:29
We heard this morning that the operation was a success and that she was being moved ffrom ICU to a general ward today.
God is good - all the time - and all the time God is good. Praise His name.
"But we have this treasure in earthern vessels, that the excellence of the power
may be of God and not of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed,
we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down,
but not destroyed - always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus,
that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is
working in us, but life in you. And since we have the same spirit of faith according
to what is written "I believed and therefore spoke" we also believe and therefore
speak." 2 Cor. 4:7-13
Thank You, Lord, for living testimonies to Your goodness and power and grace. Thank you that You are capable of keeping and nurturing life, when we cannot see tomorrow for the troubles of today. Thank You for strength for every day.
Friday, 29 July 2011
A DIRECT TELEPHONE LINE
One Monday evening as we were closing with prayer after an evangelical outreach information meeting at the onset of the year, my cell phone rang. I had forgotten to switch it off. After prayer I checked and the missed call was from my mother, who at the time was aged 86. She and my stepfather, aged 89 at the time, were still living in their own home, doing all their own housework and gardening.
She was distressed as my stepfather had taken ill, and asked that I go there immediately, which of course, I did.
Arriving at their home, I found him seated next to the kitchen table where they had been having their devotional time after the 7 pm news. My mom said that he became agitated whilst she was praying and when she opened her eyes, he was unconscious. He was in and out of consciousness after I arrived, unable to speak, body stiff as an ironing board, unable to move, and his breathing was laboured and irregular.
I have been in the presence of several people at their demise, and I thought that he was on his way home.
I telephoned for an ambulance, then telephoned the medical aid client service line for authorization for the ambulance, as I was accountable to my stepdad's childen for my actions, after which mom and I laid hands on him and prayed for him. I asked the Lord for an immediate miracle in the name of Jesus.
By the time the ambulance arrived some 45 minutes later, he was conscious, moving his arms and legs and although still very confused, was at least responding to questions. We were able to get him to walk to the ambulance supporting him on both sides, prompting and helping him to move his feet from time to time!
The extent of his recovery during this time was indeed a miracle, especially when his age is taken into account.
A week later he was up and about again, laughing and joking.
God is indeed a good God.
"And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified
in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." John 14:13-14
Thank You, Lord, for modern technology which enables us to communicate with one another promptly in crises situations. And thank you also, Lord that we do not need modern technology to communicate with You during a crisis and that You are indeed more prompt in responding than even the ambulance or health services!
She was distressed as my stepfather had taken ill, and asked that I go there immediately, which of course, I did.
Arriving at their home, I found him seated next to the kitchen table where they had been having their devotional time after the 7 pm news. My mom said that he became agitated whilst she was praying and when she opened her eyes, he was unconscious. He was in and out of consciousness after I arrived, unable to speak, body stiff as an ironing board, unable to move, and his breathing was laboured and irregular.
I have been in the presence of several people at their demise, and I thought that he was on his way home.
I telephoned for an ambulance, then telephoned the medical aid client service line for authorization for the ambulance, as I was accountable to my stepdad's childen for my actions, after which mom and I laid hands on him and prayed for him. I asked the Lord for an immediate miracle in the name of Jesus.
By the time the ambulance arrived some 45 minutes later, he was conscious, moving his arms and legs and although still very confused, was at least responding to questions. We were able to get him to walk to the ambulance supporting him on both sides, prompting and helping him to move his feet from time to time!
The extent of his recovery during this time was indeed a miracle, especially when his age is taken into account.
A week later he was up and about again, laughing and joking.
God is indeed a good God.
"And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified
in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." John 14:13-14
Thank You, Lord, for modern technology which enables us to communicate with one another promptly in crises situations. And thank you also, Lord that we do not need modern technology to communicate with You during a crisis and that You are indeed more prompt in responding than even the ambulance or health services!
Thursday, 28 July 2011
SARAH'S LAUGHTER
Sarah bears a child at the ripe old age of 90, and calls him Isaac, which means "laughter" for, she said,
"God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me." Gen. 21:6
Ninety years old and barren all her married life - and now a child, a son. She had reason to laugh; to be glad and full of joy, just as we have reason to be glad, laugh and be full of joy because of all the blessings that we receive from God's hands.
There is a saying: "Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone." I wonder if it has its origin in Sarah's words.
It is very true. This event is recalled in many sermons, by many different preachers from many different denominations, in different countries. After all, is it not a miracle that Sarah could have conceived a child at age 90, with her husband, Abraham, 100 years old?
This child was indeed a miracle; and it is a miracle which God performed more than once throughout Scripture.
Think of Hannah, whom god granted a son, Samuel;
think of the woman accommodating Elisha, whom God granted a son;
think of Elizabeth, John the Baptist's mother, who was granted a son.
It would seem as if God has a soft spot for childless mothers, although they certainly were not all 90 years old!
I recall, many years ago having a friend in Durban, who had been married for at least six years and had been unable to conceive. They were visiting Israel, and she was standing in the tomb at the garden grave, when she softly, secretly asked the Lord to answer her prayers for a child. She related how, when stepping over the threshold leaving the tomb, and having to stoop as the door opening is very low, she experienced a very sharp pain in her abdomen... nine months later her only child, a son, who later schooled with my son, was born!
Now Sarah, according to the Bible, was 127 years old when she died, which would have made Abraham 137 years old at the time of her death. And you know there are six other miracles from Scripture that are handly ever noticed or mentioned. After Sarah died, when Abraham was more than 140 years old, he took another wife called Keturah, and she bore him six more children!! Six children after the age of 140 - those certainly should be called miracles as well!
What a wonderful God! Obstacles certainly do not daunt Him - He simply sees no obstacles - because He is God. We, however, often cannot see God over the obstacles in our way.
Thank You, Lord, that we may know that You are bigger than any obstacle that may be in our way, in whatever situation or circumstances. Thank you that we may know that there simply is not a hurdle big enough to present itself as a dificulty to You.
"God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me." Gen. 21:6
Ninety years old and barren all her married life - and now a child, a son. She had reason to laugh; to be glad and full of joy, just as we have reason to be glad, laugh and be full of joy because of all the blessings that we receive from God's hands.
There is a saying: "Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone." I wonder if it has its origin in Sarah's words.
It is very true. This event is recalled in many sermons, by many different preachers from many different denominations, in different countries. After all, is it not a miracle that Sarah could have conceived a child at age 90, with her husband, Abraham, 100 years old?
This child was indeed a miracle; and it is a miracle which God performed more than once throughout Scripture.
Think of Hannah, whom god granted a son, Samuel;
think of the woman accommodating Elisha, whom God granted a son;
think of Elizabeth, John the Baptist's mother, who was granted a son.
It would seem as if God has a soft spot for childless mothers, although they certainly were not all 90 years old!
I recall, many years ago having a friend in Durban, who had been married for at least six years and had been unable to conceive. They were visiting Israel, and she was standing in the tomb at the garden grave, when she softly, secretly asked the Lord to answer her prayers for a child. She related how, when stepping over the threshold leaving the tomb, and having to stoop as the door opening is very low, she experienced a very sharp pain in her abdomen... nine months later her only child, a son, who later schooled with my son, was born!
Now Sarah, according to the Bible, was 127 years old when she died, which would have made Abraham 137 years old at the time of her death. And you know there are six other miracles from Scripture that are handly ever noticed or mentioned. After Sarah died, when Abraham was more than 140 years old, he took another wife called Keturah, and she bore him six more children!! Six children after the age of 140 - those certainly should be called miracles as well!
What a wonderful God! Obstacles certainly do not daunt Him - He simply sees no obstacles - because He is God. We, however, often cannot see God over the obstacles in our way.
Thank You, Lord, that we may know that You are bigger than any obstacle that may be in our way, in whatever situation or circumstances. Thank you that we may know that there simply is not a hurdle big enough to present itself as a dificulty to You.
Wednesday, 27 July 2011
ONS VIR JOU SUID-AFRIKA
Soos 'n verflenterde, lankvergete lappop -
onder jou eie bed ingeprop, of geskop -
met kledingstukke in jou keel afgedruk en om jou kop gedraai...
eenkant, alleen...
Minagtend van jou regte as kind, as mens, ontneem.
Sonder inagneming van ouderdom, ras, kultuur of persoon
is jy prinsessie, brutaal, binne jou ouerhuis onttroon.
Net vier jaartjies oud; jou liggaampie nou grotesk styf en koud:
van jou is geëis die duurste prys te betaal
vir die afgryslike 'eer' om die misdaadstatistiek van die Suid-
Afrikaanse demokrasie te verhaal.
Nkosi 'Sikelele Afrika!
"Diverse volke verenig" ons leuse: die leuen, die tragiek van ons lewe.
Tussen water en elektrisiteit tekort
walm ons alkohol deurdrenkte asems haatspraak
en is die tik van bedwelmde nagtelike ure in rookgevulde 'underground' ons kinders se vermaak.
(Selfs ook diè wat geen tuiste het behalwe die straat)
en ons...
Ons jaag om uit frustrasie, woede, jaloesie en met frenetiese haas
mekaar agteraf te beskinder, te besteel, te bedrieg, te kaap of sommer
net 'goedsmoeds' van die gras af te maak!
Rondom ons, dwarsdeur ons wonderskone land,
geprys vir natuur- en politieke wonders - van hoek tot kant
word lewens afgemaai; sterf mense soos vlieë om elke draai,
terwyl polisiemanne berzerk hulself die ewigheid instuur
liewer as om langer die las en stres van die "job" te verduur.
Nog ander wat nie kan oorleef op karige salarispakket (vir die beskerming
van ons burgers, misdaadvoorkoming en handhawing van die wet!)
bestee hul tyd om hul beloning deur afdreiggelde aan te vul en het derhalwe nie
die begeerte of die wil om elke nietige misdaad en misdaadtoneel deurdag te ondersoek.
Landsburgers se belasting betaal
vir die regte en geleerdheid van die krimineel
in oorvol tronke; hulle wat ons daagliks ons eiendom, eer, veiligheid, en lewens
ontneem,
wyl derduisende kinders van honger of Vigs vergaan en ons kos,
petrolpryse en opvoedkundige isntansies se fooie maandeliks die hoogste pryse
haal - en 'n té klein getal, buite die tronkmure, 'n voldoende opvoeding geniet!
Wyl anargie en loonstakings heers, sit regeringsamptenary, op alle vlakke, sonder
om die nodige dienste te lewer, met bultende sakke vol bonusse en kieste blink-
vet van bedrog in weelde om gelaaide tafels op die 'gravy'-trein en in straler-
tuie vanwaar hulle hulself verdedig as onbekwaam, sonder 'skills', en agterge-
blewe en neem dienooreenkomstig besluite om ons kulturele tradisies, plek- en
straatname, asook ons godsdienstige leer, saam met geregtigheid, wettige huwelike
én ons ongebore babas, te aborteer.
"Ons sal lewe...
Ons vir jou, Suid-Afrika!"
onder jou eie bed ingeprop, of geskop -
met kledingstukke in jou keel afgedruk en om jou kop gedraai...
eenkant, alleen...
Minagtend van jou regte as kind, as mens, ontneem.
Sonder inagneming van ouderdom, ras, kultuur of persoon
is jy prinsessie, brutaal, binne jou ouerhuis onttroon.
Net vier jaartjies oud; jou liggaampie nou grotesk styf en koud:
van jou is geëis die duurste prys te betaal
vir die afgryslike 'eer' om die misdaadstatistiek van die Suid-
Afrikaanse demokrasie te verhaal.
Nkosi 'Sikelele Afrika!
"Diverse volke verenig" ons leuse: die leuen, die tragiek van ons lewe.
Tussen water en elektrisiteit tekort
walm ons alkohol deurdrenkte asems haatspraak
en is die tik van bedwelmde nagtelike ure in rookgevulde 'underground' ons kinders se vermaak.
(Selfs ook diè wat geen tuiste het behalwe die straat)
en ons...
Ons jaag om uit frustrasie, woede, jaloesie en met frenetiese haas
mekaar agteraf te beskinder, te besteel, te bedrieg, te kaap of sommer
net 'goedsmoeds' van die gras af te maak!
Rondom ons, dwarsdeur ons wonderskone land,
geprys vir natuur- en politieke wonders - van hoek tot kant
word lewens afgemaai; sterf mense soos vlieë om elke draai,
terwyl polisiemanne berzerk hulself die ewigheid instuur
liewer as om langer die las en stres van die "job" te verduur.
Nog ander wat nie kan oorleef op karige salarispakket (vir die beskerming
van ons burgers, misdaadvoorkoming en handhawing van die wet!)
bestee hul tyd om hul beloning deur afdreiggelde aan te vul en het derhalwe nie
die begeerte of die wil om elke nietige misdaad en misdaadtoneel deurdag te ondersoek.
Landsburgers se belasting betaal
vir die regte en geleerdheid van die krimineel
in oorvol tronke; hulle wat ons daagliks ons eiendom, eer, veiligheid, en lewens
ontneem,
wyl derduisende kinders van honger of Vigs vergaan en ons kos,
petrolpryse en opvoedkundige isntansies se fooie maandeliks die hoogste pryse
haal - en 'n té klein getal, buite die tronkmure, 'n voldoende opvoeding geniet!
Wyl anargie en loonstakings heers, sit regeringsamptenary, op alle vlakke, sonder
om die nodige dienste te lewer, met bultende sakke vol bonusse en kieste blink-
vet van bedrog in weelde om gelaaide tafels op die 'gravy'-trein en in straler-
tuie vanwaar hulle hulself verdedig as onbekwaam, sonder 'skills', en agterge-
blewe en neem dienooreenkomstig besluite om ons kulturele tradisies, plek- en
straatname, asook ons godsdienstige leer, saam met geregtigheid, wettige huwelike
én ons ongebore babas, te aborteer.
"Ons sal lewe...
Ons vir jou, Suid-Afrika!"
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
BUILDING YOUR FAITH
One morning whilst herding his sheep, David gets a message from his father, Jesse, to go to the battlefield and enquire about his brothers, who were soldiers in Saul's army. He was also to take some food to them.
He duly sets off and when he reaches the battlefield, he leaves his baggage and goes to look for his brothers.
He finds them and hears a man daring the Israelites to "send a man to fight with him". This man, Goliath, the giant, of course, promises that if any Israelite can beat him, then the Philistines will be the slaves of the Israelites.
David also happen to hear that the king, Saul, promised many valuable gifts to the man who could defeat this Goliath. He sets out to have these promises confirmed by other soldiers and then tells them that he would be prepared to fight this giant.
He gets taken to Saul, who first tries to discourage him from going into battle with the giant, but as Saul has no other volunteer, he agrees that David may go on behalf of the Israelites.
To give David some protection when facing the giant, the king then dresses David in his own armor, a bronze helmet and a coat of mail and gives him his own sword for the fight.
The king's own armor surely represented the highest authority in the land, and his sword wielded the most power in the country.
David, however, had never during all his battles with animals, amongst which were a lion and a bear, which he killed to protect his herd, had any weapons except his bare hands, his sling and stones, and probably a club of some kind, because he says:
"I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when
it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it"
1 Sam. 17: 35
David sets forth to tell the king exactly how he managed to save his herd and how he killed the bear and the lion with the help of his God and that the same God would help him to also kill the giant. Can you imagine this young man, probably a teenager still, in the field, having just killed a lion lying on the ground, probably nursing his wounds, because I cannot imagine a young boy killing a lion without him receiving a blow or two in return, or a mighty scratch of those powerful paws. Anyway, see him lying there, thanking God for his deliverance and laughing with excitement and joy at the momentous victory he has just gained over his enemy.
He proceeds to explain to the king that he would not be able to use the king's armor and sword and I just absolutely adore the reason his gives the king for his decision:
""...I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them." So David took them off."
1 Sam. 17:39
He had never done anything under the authority of the king. He had never called on his citizenship to enable him to achieve anything. He had never relied on the power and authority of any man. He had only ever relied on his God to help him in every instance and crisis. And he would do so yet again this day...
He would learn in time that no man is to be trusted for even the king, who had promised him his daughter as a bride, failed to honor his word and gave the daughter to someone else as wife!
I am sure before he accepted the challenge, the scenes of his battles in the field flashed through his mind. He saw again as if in technicolour every blow in every fight and the dead bodies of his very powerful enemies lying helpless before him. He strengthened his faith in God remembering just how God had helped and protected him during these fights.
And so strengthened:
"Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from
the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling
was in his hand. and he drew near to the Philistine." 1 Sam. 17:40
He acted on his faith.
The rest of the story we know very well...
If David had not learnt to trust in God in the small crises for the small victories, then he would not have had the faith to trust in God for this the biggest fight of his life.
We should learn from him. We should start asking for God's assistance in the very smallest of things, such even as finding a parking space, and trust Him for something different and bigger each day, so that we may build up our trust to have the necessary faith in Him to deliver us and assist us in the biggest of crises. Then when we do meet the big crisis, we will have confidence to ask God for his help and faith that He will hear and answer and give us the victory.
You see, if you can trust God, then all the devil ever manages with every attack of his, is to give us a new testimony of the help and faithfulness of God!
Thank You, Lord, that You teach us that if we have faith as big as a mustard seed, which is surely one of the smallest seeds on earth, then we will be able to move mountains. Help us to trust you from day to day in every crisis that we may meet. Remind us to look back at what You have already done for us and to build our faith from day to day to trust You even more.
He duly sets off and when he reaches the battlefield, he leaves his baggage and goes to look for his brothers.
He finds them and hears a man daring the Israelites to "send a man to fight with him". This man, Goliath, the giant, of course, promises that if any Israelite can beat him, then the Philistines will be the slaves of the Israelites.
David also happen to hear that the king, Saul, promised many valuable gifts to the man who could defeat this Goliath. He sets out to have these promises confirmed by other soldiers and then tells them that he would be prepared to fight this giant.
He gets taken to Saul, who first tries to discourage him from going into battle with the giant, but as Saul has no other volunteer, he agrees that David may go on behalf of the Israelites.
To give David some protection when facing the giant, the king then dresses David in his own armor, a bronze helmet and a coat of mail and gives him his own sword for the fight.
The king's own armor surely represented the highest authority in the land, and his sword wielded the most power in the country.
David, however, had never during all his battles with animals, amongst which were a lion and a bear, which he killed to protect his herd, had any weapons except his bare hands, his sling and stones, and probably a club of some kind, because he says:
"I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when
it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it"
1 Sam. 17: 35
David sets forth to tell the king exactly how he managed to save his herd and how he killed the bear and the lion with the help of his God and that the same God would help him to also kill the giant. Can you imagine this young man, probably a teenager still, in the field, having just killed a lion lying on the ground, probably nursing his wounds, because I cannot imagine a young boy killing a lion without him receiving a blow or two in return, or a mighty scratch of those powerful paws. Anyway, see him lying there, thanking God for his deliverance and laughing with excitement and joy at the momentous victory he has just gained over his enemy.
He proceeds to explain to the king that he would not be able to use the king's armor and sword and I just absolutely adore the reason his gives the king for his decision:
""...I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them." So David took them off."
1 Sam. 17:39
He had never done anything under the authority of the king. He had never called on his citizenship to enable him to achieve anything. He had never relied on the power and authority of any man. He had only ever relied on his God to help him in every instance and crisis. And he would do so yet again this day...
He would learn in time that no man is to be trusted for even the king, who had promised him his daughter as a bride, failed to honor his word and gave the daughter to someone else as wife!
I am sure before he accepted the challenge, the scenes of his battles in the field flashed through his mind. He saw again as if in technicolour every blow in every fight and the dead bodies of his very powerful enemies lying helpless before him. He strengthened his faith in God remembering just how God had helped and protected him during these fights.
And so strengthened:
"Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from
the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling
was in his hand. and he drew near to the Philistine." 1 Sam. 17:40
He acted on his faith.
The rest of the story we know very well...
If David had not learnt to trust in God in the small crises for the small victories, then he would not have had the faith to trust in God for this the biggest fight of his life.
We should learn from him. We should start asking for God's assistance in the very smallest of things, such even as finding a parking space, and trust Him for something different and bigger each day, so that we may build up our trust to have the necessary faith in Him to deliver us and assist us in the biggest of crises. Then when we do meet the big crisis, we will have confidence to ask God for his help and faith that He will hear and answer and give us the victory.
You see, if you can trust God, then all the devil ever manages with every attack of his, is to give us a new testimony of the help and faithfulness of God!
Thank You, Lord, that You teach us that if we have faith as big as a mustard seed, which is surely one of the smallest seeds on earth, then we will be able to move mountains. Help us to trust you from day to day in every crisis that we may meet. Remind us to look back at what You have already done for us and to build our faith from day to day to trust You even more.
Monday, 25 July 2011
BABY GIRL
Sterile theatre
bright fluorescent lights
team dressed in green; scrubbed clean
silent mother breathing deep
watchful monitors beep
father watches expectantly
atmosphere intense
Scalpel cuts decisively quick
a gash bright red and deep
silent blood drops seep
a head appears
a tiny body is lifted high
a first gusty wail assaults the atmosphere
joy
love
peace
gratitude untold
another miracle has taken place...
all glory to God!
Our precious baby girl, Jenee, is born!
bright fluorescent lights
team dressed in green; scrubbed clean
silent mother breathing deep
watchful monitors beep
father watches expectantly
atmosphere intense
Scalpel cuts decisively quick
a gash bright red and deep
silent blood drops seep
a head appears
a tiny body is lifted high
a first gusty wail assaults the atmosphere
joy
love
peace
gratitude untold
another miracle has taken place...
all glory to God!
Our precious baby girl, Jenee, is born!
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