Andrea Sieberhagen
To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:21, NIV
To God be the glory! A thought we grow up with. A familiar thought, yet one we need to be reminded of more often. So often we achieve something we never thought possible. Or an unexpected blessing crosses our path and fills us with joy.
It could be the achievement of a child that makes us exclaim, “We must celebrate!” And that is right, we should celebrate. But first there must always be the acknowledgment: “To him be the glory.”
It is in that moment when we grow quiet in humility and realise that all prosperity is grace, directly from the hand of God – and that it flows from our relationship with Christ Jesus. When we are aware of God’s presence every day, we see more and more of his blessing in our lives, even in the smallest, everyday things. And when we are aware of this, we will immediately say thank you and give God the glory without hesitation, because we know deep down that we are not clever, strong or capable enough to bring this good thing about ourselves. To God alone be the glory!
Prayer:
We bow before you now.
You bind us together — we are your church
through your Spirit who works in us.
We bring you the glory,
now and for ever.
Andrea Sieberhagen
Aan Hom kom die eer toe, in die kerk, deur ons verbondenheid met Christus Jesus, deur al die geslagte heen tot in alle ewigheid. Amen. Efesiërs 3:21, 1983-vertaling
Aan God kom die eer toe! 'n Gedagte waarmee ons grootword. 'n Gedagte wat nie vir ons vreemd is nie, maar 'n gedagte waaraan ons meer dikwels herinner moet word. So dikwels “vermag” ons iets wat ons glad nie verwag het moontlik kon wees nie. Of 'n onverwagte groot seëning kom oor ons pad wat ons met vreugde vervul.
Miskien is dit 'n prestasie van 'n kind wat ons die woorde laat uitroep, “ons moet dit vier!” En dit is reg, ons mag ons vreugde vier, maar daar moet altyd allereers die erkenning wees: “Aan Hom kom die eer toe”.
Dit is wanneer ons 'n oomblik doodstil word in nederigheid en besef dat alle voorspoed genade is, direk uit die hand van God en dat dit 'n direkte gevolg is van ons verhouding met Christus Jesus. As ons elke dag bewus is van God se teenwoordigheid, sien ons al hoe meer sy seën in ons lewens – ook in die kleinste alledaagse dingetjies wat gebeur. En as ons bewus is daarvan sal ons sonder uitsondering onmiddellik dankie sê en aan God die eer gee omdat ons diep onder die indruk is dat ons nie self so slim of sterk of oulik was om hierdie goeie ding in ons lewe te bewerkstellig nie. Nee, alleen aan God die eer!
Gebed:
Ons kom buig nou voor U neer
U bind ons saam, ons is u kerk
deur u Gees wat in ons werk.
Ons bring aan U die eer
nou – tot in ewigheid.
Andrea Sieberhagen
Now to him 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, NIV
In our humanity, we underestimate God and his almighty power far too often. Perhaps because we stare at our own inability and measure with earthly standards. But Ephesians 3:20 tells us that God can do immeasurably more than we ask or think. Immeasurably more! That means there are absolutely no limits, yet in our limited vision we often cannot fully grasp this reality, and so we often become “careful” in prayer, afraid to ask for “too much”.
Is it not time we fully claim God’s power? Is it not time we acknowledge his power that works in us every day? If we will simply take hold of it and open ourselves to it, we may experience the full blessing of it in our lives. If we stand before him in quiet dependence, aware of how small and sinful we are, deeply aware of his almightiness, then we can surrender to God and humbly claim the wonders that only he can do.
Suddenly we are free from human limitations. Suddenly we can become excited about the greater blessings that await us. God will exceed our expectations. His blessing often stretches far wider than our human understanding can imagine.
Hold onto that!
Prayer:
Before your power we stand in awe.
Our weakness, our sin
makes us tremble before your will.
Make us small
before your almightiness, Lord.
Andrea Sieberhagen
Aan Hom wat deur sy krag wat in ons werk magtig is om oneindig meer te doen as wat ons bid of dink … Efesiërs 3:20, 1983-vertaling
In ons menslikheid is ons dikwels baie geneig om God en sy almagtigheid heeltemal te onderskat! Miskien omdat ons in ons eie onvermoë vaskyk en met aardse maatstawe wil meet. In Efesiërs 3:20 staan daar dat God magtig is om oneindig meer te doen as wat ons bid of dink. Oneindig meer! Dit beteken daar is absoluut geen beperkings nie, maar in ons beperkte visie kan ons nie die implikasie heeltemal begryp nie en daarom is ons ook heel dikwels “versigtig” wanneer ons bid om nie “te veel” te vra nie!
Is dit nie tyd dat ons aanspraak maak op God se volle magtigheid nie? Is dit nie tyd dat ons erkenning gee aan sy krag wat elke dag in ons werk nie? As ons dit maar net wil aangryp en onsself oopstel daarvoor kan ons dalk die volle seën daarvan in ons lewens ervaar. As ons in stille afhanklikheid, bewus van hoe nietig en sondig ons is, voor Hom gaan staan, diep onder die indruk van sy almagtigheid – dan kan ons onsself onderwerp aan Hom en in die proses nederig aanspraak maak op die wonderdade waartoe Hy in staat is.
Skielik is ons vry van menslike beperkings. Skielik kan ons opgewonde raak oor groter seën wat op ons wag. God sal ons eie verwagtings oortref. Sy seën strek dikwels veel wyer as wat ons menslike verstand kan visualiseer.
Hou vas daaraan!
Gebed:
Voor u almag staan ons stil.
Ons onvermoë , ons sondigheid
laat ons sidder voor u wil.
Laat ons klein word
voor u almagtigheid.