Walking the streets of London, I stop and wonder how I got here? Walking streets I once only saw in books. Standing on mountains that quietly declare the glory of God.
Hearing accents that remind me how wonderfully vast His creation is. Traveling has become more than seeing new places. It has become another way my Father whispers, “I see you.” I have discovered that His love rarely arrives with noise. It is found in the gentle details.
A sunrise that steals my breath. A train that arrives just on time. A conversation with a stranger. The perfect seat overlooking a valley. A moment where my heart suddenly becomes still. They seem ordinary to everyone else, yet they feel deeply personal to me.
Little fingerprints of a Father who delights in His children.
The greatest privilege of my life has never been traveling. It has always been knowing the One who walks every step with me. Jesus never forces His way into my day. He patiently waits for my attention.
Like the gentle knock in Revelation 3:20, He simply stands at the door and waits. Then, the moment my heart turns toward Him, He meets me there with such tenderness that I wonder how I ever thought I was alone. There is a beautiful rhythm that has formed between us. I wander. He calls. I listen.
He reassures. I rest. Then we walk together again. It feels like learning the steps of a dance where He never misses the beat, even when I do.
There are days when my confidence feels unshakable. Then life happens. My guard drops. Anxiety quietly slips into places I thought were already surrendered. Thoughts begin racing ahead of grace. My heart starts carrying tomorrow before tomorrow has even arrived.
Then He comes. Never with condemnation.
Never with disappointment. Always with peace.
He gently reminds me, “My child, I am still here.”
Isaiah 41:10 has become one of those sacred promises I return to often. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Those are not just beautiful words on a page. They have become my experience.
He steadies me. He lifts my eyes.
He reminds me that His plans have never changed.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jer 29:11).
I have learned that favor is not mea-sured by destinations or opportunities. Favor is His presence going with me wherever I am.
Moses understood this when he prayed, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” (Exo 33:15).
That is the favor I long for. His presence.
Everything else simply becomes the scenery. Travel reminds me that the world is breathtaking, yet the One who created it is even more beautiful.
Every mountain, every lake, every city and every winding road quietly points back to Him.
Sometimes I still ask, “Lord, why are You so good to me?”
The only answer my heart can find is grace. I am known. Known in my weakness. Known in my fears. Known in my joy.
Known before I even knew how to look for Him.Jesus said in John 10:14, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”
What a gift. To be fully known by Heaven. To be gently pursued by the Shepherd. To be lovingly reminded, over and over again, that I never walk alone.
So today my heart is simply grateful. Grateful for the journey. Grateful for every reminder. Grateful for every quiet whisper that says, “Keep walking, daughter. I have gone before you.” And somehow, every single time, He proves Himself faithful once again. (VICKY LUDICK)
Bring wat jy het
Skriflesing: Johannes 6:9 – “Hier is ‘n seuntjie met vyf garsbrode en twee vissies; maar wat is dit vir so baie mense?” (AFR83).
Hierdie vers kontrasteer menslike beperkings met goddelike voorsiening, en illustreer hoe klein offerandes oorvloedig word in
Jesus se hande en moedig gelowiges aan om prys te gee wat hulle besit, ongeag die grootte.
Onvoldoendheid is nie ’n hindernis nie; die dissipels se siening van skaarste verskil van God se siening van offerandes as begin vir oorvloed.
Die seun se bereidwilligheid om te deel, is ’n voorbeeld van totale vrygewigheid.
God gebruik dikwels die oor die hoof gesiene om groot dinge te bereik. Die garsbrode en visse voorspel Jesus as die “Brood van die Lewe”, wat goddelike krag beklemtoon wat menslike hulpbronne oortref.
Wanneer ons ons min in Jesus se hande plaas, is dit meer as genoeg. Hoe dikwels sê ons: “Here, ek het nie genoeg nie?” Ons voel ons geloof is te klein, ons kennis te beperk, ons finansies te min of ons vermoëns onvoldoende.
Dit is presies hoe die dissipels gevoel het toe hulle na die groot skare gekyk het. Hulle het net die tekort gesien.
Maar God kyk anders. Hy kyk nie eerste na hoeveel jy het nie; Hy kyk na jou gewilligheid om dit aan Hom te gee.
Die held van hierdie verhaal is nie net Jesus nie, maar ook ‘n onbekende seuntjie wat bereid was om sy middagete af te staan.
Hy het waarskynlik nie geweet wat Jesus daarmee sou doen nie. Hy het eenvoudig vertrou.
Dink aan Moses. Hy het net ’n staf gehad (Exodus 4:1-25).
Dawid het net ’n slingervel gehad (1 Sameul 17:50).
Die weduwee van Sarfat het net ‘n handvol meel en ’n bietjie olie gehad (1 Konings 17:7-24).
God het telkens gewone dinge gebruik om buitengewone wonders te verrig.
Ons wag dikwels totdat ons “genoeg” het voordat ons God wil dien. Ons sê: Wanneer ek meer tyd het. Wanneer ek meer geld het. Wanneer ek sterker geloof het. Maar God vra nie vir meer nie; Hy vra vir getrouheid met wat jy reeds het.
Jesus kan nie vermenigvuldig wat ons terughou nie. Maar wat ons gewillig in Sy hande plaas, kan Hy gebruik op maniere wat ons nooit sou kon voorstel nie. Begin klein. God doen groot dinge deur klein beginne.
Gebed
Here Jesus, ek gee vandag vir U alles wat ek het. Al voel dit klein en onvoldoende, vertrou ek dat U dit kan gebruik vir U eer. Help my om nie op my tekorte te fokus nie, maar op U almag. In die wonderlike en magtige Naam van Jesus, bid ek. Amen.
Mag die Here jou hart vandag met Sy vrede vul, jou huis met Sy teenwoordigheid, en jou verhoudings met Sy genesende genade. (PETER WESTLEY)
Gemeenskap genooi na lofprysingsaand
NG Kerk Oudtshoorn-Wes maak op Sondag 2 Augustus die kerk se deure vir die gemeenskap oop vir ’n lofprysingsaand, waar mense van alle ouderdomme uitgenooi word om saam die Here deur sang en aanbidding te prys.
Die geleentheid begin om 17:00 by die kerk op die hoek van Tuin- en Buitekantstraat. Toegang is gratis en almal is welkom.
Volgens Adam Barnard, een van die organiseerders, het die behoefte aan die lofprysingsaand ontstaan omdat daar, veral onder jongmense, ’n verlange is om die Here deur lofprysing te dien.
“Ons wil hê mense moet kom soos hulle is en die aand saam met ons geniet,” sê Barnard.
Hy verduidelik dat die doel van die aand is om ’n ontspanne omgewing te skep waar mense gemaklik hul liefde vir die Here kan uitleef.
Die lofprysing word gelei deur ’n groep sangers en musikante van NG Kerk Oudtshoorn-Wes, naamlik Hanrü Storm, Philip Boshoff, Elizmari Sieberhagen, David McKinnon, Eduan Strydom, Adam Barnard, Roné du Pisanie, Ruan Strydom, Karin Strydom, Ockert du Pisanie en Salie Nortjé.
Hoewel die aand ontstaan het uit ’n behoefte onder jongmense, beklemtoon Barnard dat almal welkom is om dit by te woon.
“Ons wil graag hê mense moet deur lofprysing nader aan God beweeg en daardie verhouding uitleef met mekaar en die wêreld daarbuite.”
Dit is die tweede lofprysingsaand wat deur die gemeente aangebied word.
Volgens Barnard is daar reeds planne om nog so ’n aand aan te bied, hoewel die datum nog nie vasgestel is nie.
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