Louise Gevers
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16, NIV
The Christian life is full of paradoxes which is always a conundrum to the world’s way of thinking: Jesus became poor so we could become rich; we have to die to live; and God’s power is made perfect in weakness. These realities are precious to us as believers because, as we experience their truth, we also experience joy, that God’s love for us is so great that he works his power within us, regardless of how challenging the situation.
Christian philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard, once said, “Man’s greatest strength lies in his ability to admit his own weakness.” Perhaps this is because, when we do, it humbles us. It obliges us to look beyond ourselves and embrace God, “who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20) and, in so doing, submit to his greater strength.
These reflections echo Paul’s powerful phrase in today’s verse, “we do not lose heart”. Aware of our own weakness, we place our hope and trust in God. As we call on him, we receive his strength – the same divine power of the God who said, " 'Let light shine out of darkness,' [and] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”(2 Corinthians 4:6) It is Christ in us who renews us day by day.
Katherine Wolf recognised this truth during a time when she was “wasting away” in the darkness of pain and suffering – yet it was in that very darkness that God began a new work in her. She embraces the words of Barbara Brown Taylor as a reflection of her experience following her life-altering stroke: “New life starts in the dark. Whether it is a seed in the ground, a baby in the womb, or Jesus in the tomb, it starts in the dark”.
In the hospital, when she finally regained consciousness, but unable to speak, she desperately wanted to tell everybody that she hadn’t changed – that she was still the same Katherine on the inside. It was only her exterior that had been altered. Today, 15 years later, she sees it differently; this no longer applies. She believes that suffering transforms us – that it creates new people. She celebrates the good that has been born from the darkness of her suffering, recognising that it has made her new. And she continues to experience renewal as Jesus sustains her day by day.
We may never face the intensity of Katherine’s suffering, but we are all familiar with the fragility of life on this earth. In every season, may we hold fast to Jesus – never losing heart – but remaining in his presence and delighting in the daily renewal he so graciously provides.
Prayer: Precious Lord Jesus, thank you for blessing and renewing me each day with the treasure of God to sustain me. Amen
Louise Gevers
Om hierdie rede word ons nie moedeloos nie. Al is ons uiterlik besig om te vergaan, innerlik word ons van dag tot dag vernuwe. 2 Korintiërs 4:16, 1983-vertaling
Die Christelike lewe is vol paradokse en 'n totale raaisel vir die manier hoe die wêreld dink: Jesus het arm geword sodat ons kan ryk word; ons moet sterf om te kan leef en God se krag word in swakheid volbring. Hierdie waarhede is vir ons as gelowiges kosbaar omdat wanneer ons dit beleef, ervaar ons terselfdertyd blydskap want God se liefde vir ons is so groot dat Hy, ongeag hoe uitdagend die situasie ook al is, sy krag in ons laat werk.
Die Christen filosoof, Søren Kierkegaard, het op 'n keer gesê: "Die mens se grootste krag lê in sy vermoë om sy eie swakheid te kan erken." Miskien is dit omdat, wanneer ons dit doen, dit ons nederig maak. Dit dwing ons om verby onsself te kyk en God raak te sien, Hy "wat deur sy krag wat in ons werk, magtig is om oneindig meer te doen as wat ons bid of dink" (Efesiërs 3:20) en, deur dit te doen, ons aan sy groter krag onderwerp.
Dit eggo Paulus se kragtige frase in vandag se teks: "ons [word] nie moedeloos nie". Bewus van ons eie swakheid plaas ons ons hoop en vertroue in God. Wanneer ons Hom aanroep ontvang ons sy krag – dieselfde goddelike krag van die "God wat gesê het: 'Laat daar lig skyn uit die duisternis,' het ook in ons harte 'n lig laat skyn om ons te verlig met die kennis van die heerlikheid van God, wat van Jesus Christus uitstraal." (2 Korintiërs 4:6) Dit is Christus in ons wat ons elke dag nuut maak.
Katherine Wolf het hierdie waarheid besef toe sy besig was om te vergaan in die duisternis van pyn en lyding, en tog was dit in daardie donkerte dat God begin het om opnuut in haar te werk. Sy het die woorde van die Amerikaanse skrywer, Barbara Brown Taylor, aanvaar as 'n weerspieëling van haar eie ervaring na haar lewensveranderende beroerte: "New life starts in the dark. Whether it is a seed in the ground, a baby in the womb, or Jesus in the tomb, it starts in the dark."
In die hospitaal, toe sy uiteindelik haar bewussyn herwin het maar nie kon praat nie, was sy desperaat om almal te vertel dat sy nie verander het nie – sy was steeds dieselfde Katherine aan die binnekant. Dit was slegs haar uiterlike wat verander het. Vandag, 15 jaar later, sien sy dit anders, en maak dit nie meer saak nie. Sy glo dat lyding ons verander – dat dit mense nuut maak. Sy vier die goeie wat gekom het uit die donkerte van haar lyding en sy erken dat sy nuut gemaak is. Soos Jesus haar elke dag onderhou, ondervind sy hoe Hy haar nuut maak.
Ons mag miskien nooit die intensiteit van Katherine se lyding beleef nie, maar ons almal ken die broosheid van die lewe hier op aarde. Mag ons in alle lewensomstandighede aan Jesus vashou – nooit moed verloor nie – maar in sy teenwoordigheid bly en ons verbly omdat Hy ons elke dag deur sy genade nuut maak.
Gebed: Dierbare Here Jesus, dankie vir u seëninge en dat U my elke dag deur die skat van God se liefde en genade nuut maak. Amen
Louise Gevers
Ook tot in julle ouderdom is Ek die Here, tot in julle grysheid sal Ek julle dra. Ek het julle gemaak en Ek sal julle vashou, julle dra en julle red. Jesaja 46:4, 1983-vertaling
Watter aangrypende, vertroostende belofte van God vind ons nie in vandag se teksvers nie. Dit weerspieël God se deernis en liefde vir sy kinders, selfs wanneer hulle oud is en hulle hare grys word. Dit wys dat Hy menslike swakhede verstaan. Vandag se teksvers word voorafgegaan met die woorde: "... julle vir wie Ek gedra het van julle geboorte af, wat Ek vasgehou het vandat julle daar is." (Jesaja 46:3b)
Hoe kosbaar is dit nie? God is teenwoordig van voor ons eerste asemteug en bly teenwoordig as 'n getroue Vriend in elke stadium van ons lewe, en in vandag se teksvers beloof Hy om in hulle ouderdom steeds sy kinders te dra, te onderhou en te red.
Hierdie tema word pragtig geïlustreer in Genesis 24:1-10 wanneer ons lees van Abraham, die man wat bekend was as " 'n vriend van God" (Jakobus 2:23) en alhoewel nou reeds baie oud, God steeds volkome vertrou. Abraham staan voor 'n belangrike taak – hy moet 'n vrou vir Isak, sy seun, vind. Abraham steun egter nie op sy eie wysheid en planne nie, maar wel op die getrouheid van God. Daarom kan hy die opdrag aan sy getroue slaaf, Eliëser, toevertrou.
Hierdie gedeelte is 'n getuienis van God se wonderlike vriendskap en dat Abraham presies geweet het wat om te doen om in lyn met God se beloftes aan hom te bly. Hy getuig ook van sy volgehoue geloof in God wanneer hy Eliëser beveel om 'n eed af te lê in die Naam van God, die een ware God in wie hy glo, en dan sal hy, Eliëser, ook ervaar hoe God gebede verhoor en weer eens vir sy eienaar voorsien. En God het hulle nie teleurgestel nie.
Eliëser het gebid en God het hom geantwoord: “Aan die Here die God van Abraham wie se slaaf ek is, kom die lof toe! Die Here het nie sy troue liefde van my eienaar weerhou nie en vir my het die Here reguit gelei na die huis van my eienaar se broer toe.” (Genesis24:27) Daar is geen twyfel aan Eliëser se vreugde oor die sukses wat hy in hierdie belangrike sending behaal het en oor sy verwondering vir wat God deur hom gedoen het nie. Eliëser se woorde getuig van God se onwrikbare teenwoordigheid in Abraham se lewe.
Abraham se lewe getuig van 'n lewenslange vriendskap waartoe God ons ook uitnooi. God se getrouheid gee, as ons lewe in Hom geanker is, selfs tot in die gryse ouderdom vrede en 'n doel vir ons lewe en Hy voorsien vir ons. God gee om vir elkeen van ons. Moet ons nie in verwondering staan oor hoe Hy alles in ons lewe tot die fynste besonderhede uitwerk wanneer ons Hom vertrou en sy vriend word nie?
Laat jy Hom toe om dit vir jou te doen?
Gebed: Hemelse Vader, dankie dat U vir altyd ons getroue vriend is en dat U ons daaraan herinner dat dit nie saak maak hoe oud ons is of wat ons beleef nie, U is altyd daar en gereed om ons te dra, te onderhou en te red. Ons vertrou, net soos Abraham, in u voorsiening en leiding. Help ons om altyd op U te steun en bly te wees in u onfeilbare liefde. Amen
Louise Gevers
Even to your old age and grey hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4, NIV
What a poignant, comforting promise from God is found in our verse today. It reflects God’s faithful compassion and love for his people, even when they age and their hair turns grey, and shows how he understands human frailty. He precedes this verse with, “... I have upheld [you] since you were conceived, and have carried you since birth.” (Isaiah 46:3b)
How precious is that? God is present from before our first breath and then remains as a faithful Friend through every stage of life; and now he promises to carry, sustain and rescue his people in old age.
Beautifully illustrated in Genesis 24:1-10, this theme takes up with Abraham, the man known as “the Friend of God” (James 2:23), who is now well advanced in years but is still walking in deep trust with him. Abraham is faced with a vital mission – to find a wife for Isaac, his son. Abraham’s confidence isn’t in his own wisdom and strategies, but in God’s faithfulness, and so he entrusts the assignment to his faithful servant, Eliezer.
In a wonderful testimony to God’s friendship, Abraham knew exactly what to do to keep in line with God’s promises to him, which also showed Eliezer his continued faith in God, as he instructed him to swear by God, the one true God, whom he worshipped; he, too, would see how God answered prayer and provide yet again for his master. And God did not disappoint.
Eliezer prayed, and God answered. “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.” (Genesis 24:27) There’s no mistaking Eliezer’s joy at the success of this significant mission and his awe at what God has done through him. His words are a beautiful testimony to God’s unwavering presence in Abraham’s life.
Abraham’s story is a testimony to the lifelong friendship God invites us to. His trust, even in old age, reveals how a life rooted in God brings peace, purpose and provision. God cares for each one of us. Don’t we stand in awe of how when we put our trust in God and become his friend, he works out even the most intricate details in our lives from beginning to end?
Are you allowing God to do that for you?
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for being our faithful friend for life, and for reminding us that no matter our age or season, you are near, ready to carry, sustain and rescue us. We trust in your provision and guidance, just as Abraham did. Help us to lean on you in every season, and rejoice in your unfailing love. Amen