Ben Fourie
Give thanks to the LORD, because he is good; his love is eternal. Psalm 136:1, GNT
Psalm 136 is a very interesting psalm consisting of twenty-six verses and every one of them ends with the same refrain: “his love is eternal”. This psalm was used during religious meetings and has been well-known since ancient times. In 2 Chronicles 7, when the first temple was taken into use, this refrain was already used by the priests and Levites to praise the Lord. Usually, the Levite choruses sang the first part of a verse and the people responded with the refrain. Just listen to the beauty of this refrain – his love is eternal. The NIV translation is even more poetic to me – his love endures for ever.
The psalm is made up of three parts with an introductory verse in which the Lord is said to be good. This “goodness” of God is like a well from which flows forth all that the poet of the psalm wants to tell us.
In the first part, God is praised for his greatness, as seen in the words, “Give thanks to the greatest of all gods”(Psalm 136:2) and also his creative power, “By his wisdom he made the heavens”. (Psalm 136:5) Everything that he created is emphasised by the refrain that his love is eternal.
The second part tells us about his great love for his people, as demonstrated by the exodus from Egypt. The people used this refrain to express their understanding that he did it because his love for them is eternal.
In Psalm 136:25, we read about the third part of the psalm, where God is pictured as not only the God of Israel, but the God of the whole creation – “He gives food to every living creature”. God cares for everything on earth because his love for his creation is eternal.
If all of the above is true, you and I can also be one hundred percent sure that his love for us endures for ever.
Prayer: Father, along with everything that you created, we want to thank you for your love that will never end. Amen
Ben Fourie
Prys die Here, want Hy is goed – want vir ewig duur sy troue liefde. Psalm 136:1, 2020-vertaling
Psalm 136 bestaan uit twee strofes en elkeen van hulle eindig met presies dieselfde refrein: “want vir ewig duur sy troue liefde.” Dit is 'n psalm wat tydens godsdienstige samekomste gebruik is en dit was reeds lankal bekend. In 2 Kronieke 7 by die inwyding van die eerste tempel kom die refrein al voor wanneer die priesters en Leviete die Here prys. Die Levitiese kore het die eerste reël gesing en die volk het telkens geantwoord met die refrein. Wat 'n pragtige refrein is dit nie –vir ewig duur sy troue liefde, of soos die 1983-vertaling dit weergee – "Aan sy liefde is daar geen einde nie."
Die psalm val in drie dele uiteen met 'n inleidende eerste vers waar God as “goed” beskryf word. Uit God se “goed wees” vloei dan die res van alles wat die psalmdigter beskryf.
Eers word die grootheid van God besing soos wat dit te voorskyn kom in sy heerskappy, byvoorbeeld: ”Prys die Heer van die here” (Psalm 136:3) asook sy groot skeppingsmag: “wat met insig die hemel gemaak het.” (Psalm 136:5) Elkeen van sy skeppingsdade word beklemtoon met die gedagte van sy groot liefde wat geen einde het nie.
Die tweede deel handel oor God se groot liefde vir sy volk soos wat dit na vore kom met die uittog uit Egipte. Die volk getuig telkens weer met die refrein dat hulle begryp dat dit uit sy liefde vir hulle gedoen is
.
In Psalm 136:25 kom die derde deel na vore wanneer God nie geteken word as net die God van Israel nie, maar ook die Een wat “kos gee aan alles wat leef.” Hy sorg dus vir die hele skepping en hierop volg weer eens die refrein dat sy liefde vir die hele wêreld tot in ewigheid duur.
As alles wat ons hierbo gesê het dan waar is, kan ek en jy ook honderd persent seker wees sy liefde vir ons is grensloos.
Gebed: Saam met die hele skepping wil ek ook vir U dankie sê dat u liefde vir ons tot in ewigheid duur. Amen
Ben Fourie
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength … 'Love your neighbour as you love yourself.' ... Mark 12:30-31, GNT
Mathematics, and particularly algebra, was my nemesis at school. Recently, I found an old school report card from fifty years ago. I should actually keep quiet about it! The marks for algebra were very low, but fortunately, geometry just pulled me through. That is why I at least have an idea how a triangle works, and it seems to be a good metaphor for the relationship between God, myself and other people.
A love triangle usually carries a negative connotation, but in the context I intend to use, it provides a clear understanding of the relationship between the three individuals mentioned. As the angles of a triangle are permanently bound to one another, God, myself and my neighbour should also be permanently bound by love. Jesus sums it up perfectly well in the words of our text.
If any one of the angles gives way, the other two, and therefore the whole triangle, automatically disintegrates. You can make the sum yourselves. I cannot love God while hating my neighbour. They cancel each other out. The same is true about myself and God. I cannot say I love God, but at the same time, hate myself. And so it is with my relationship with other people, yes, even my enemies, whom I cannot love if I do not love God. Worst of all, how can God love me if I hate my neighbour for any reason at all?
Triangles come in a variety of shapes. They are not all in the standard form of an equilateral triangle. Life sometimes distorts even the most perfect shape. Very often, our triangle is pulled into one with two very long sides and one very short side. In such an instance, either God or my neighbour might feel very far from me. Sometimes, I might feel very far removed from myself. Fortunately, if love prevails, our love triangle will always stay together – God’s love will take care of it.
Prayer: I thank you, Lord, that I might be part of our triangle of love. Please help me to be faithful to this relationship every day. Amen
Ben Fourie
Jy moet die Here jou God liefhê met jou hele hart en met jou hele siel en met jou hele verstand en met al jou krag … 'Jy moet jou naaste liefhê soos jouself.' ... Markus 12:30-31, 2020-vertaling
My wiskunde op skool was beroerd. Algebra was my doodsteek. Onlangs ontdek ek 'n matriekrapport van vyftig jaar gelede. Ek behoort liewer daaroor te swyg, want die algebra was treurig, maar die meetkunde het darem gehelp dat ek slaag. Daarom weet ek nog wat 'n driehoek is en kan dit as metafoor van die verhouding tussen God, medemens en myself gebruik.
Die idee van 'n "liefdesdriehoek" het gewoonlik 'n negatiewe konnotasie, maar in 'n hierdie konteks gesien, is dit 'n perfekte beeld om die verhouding tussen bogenoemde drie te beskryf. Soos die hoeke van 'n driehoek onlosmaaklik aan mekaar verbind is, is God, ekself en my medemens onlosmaaklik aan mekaar verbind. Jesus vat dit pragtig saam in die woorde van ons teks.
As een van die hoeke van die driehoek lostorring, verval ook die ander twee. Maak self die som. Ek kan nie vir God liefhê terwyl ek my naaste haat nie. Die twee kanselleer mekaar uit. Net so kan ek nie vir God liefhê, maar myself haat nie. Dieselfde geld ook die verhouding met my medemens, ja selfs my vyand, vir wie ek nie kan liefhê as ek nie vir God liefhet nie. Erger nog, hoe kan God my liefhê as ek my medemens vir watter rede ook al haat?
Driehoeke kom in 'n verskeidenheid vorms. Dit is nie altyd in die mooi vorm van 'n gelyksydige driehoek nie. Die lewe verwring dikwels die mooiste vorm. Dikwels rek die driehoek uit tot twee lang sye en een baie kort sy en ek voel ver van my medemens of van God af. Soms voel ek verskriklik ver verwyder van myself. Ten spyte hiervan kan ons seker wees dat ons driehoek nooit uitmekaar sal val nie. Die geheim daarvan is God se groot liefde wat alles bymekaar hou.
Gebed: Ek dank U dat ek deel kan wees van die driehoek van die liefde. Help my asseblief om elke dag my hoek in stand te hou. Amen