Andrea Sieberhagen
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’). Matthew 1:23, NIV
December. There are Christmas decorations everywhere, fruitcakes on shop shelves and Christmas carols playing in shopping centres. All intended to remind us that Christmas is around the corner. Although the goal may be to convince people to spend more money on Christmas shopping than they planned, the festivity is still fitting. We should indeed celebrate the birth of Jesus with joy, as long as we remember what the joy is truly about.
When Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem, he became human in our world – in humility. There in the stable the wise men from the East found him. “We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:2)
Thus, Jesus grew up and moved among all the other people as a human being.
God with us.
So, this is our reassurance, that God was among people then and is still with us today. He was truly human, and constantly treated the people around him with compassion. An example for all of us. An example of humility and of gentleness. We see this continually in the way that he interacts with people and the choices he makes.
Let us follow his example in this Christmas season. Let us live humbly and with empathy. Let us celebrate his birth with joy while we also worship him, as is fitting.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, grant us humility and empathy in this Christmas season and make us aware that you are always with us. Amen
Andrea Sieberhagen
"Die maagd sal swanger word en 'n seun in die wêreld bring, en hulle sal Hom Immanuel noem. Die naam beteken God by ons." Matteus 1:23, 1983-vertaling
Desembermaand. Kersversierings oral, vrugtekoeke op winkelrakke en Kersliedere in winkelsentrums. Alles bedoel om ons te herinner dat Kersfees om die draai is. Hoewel die doel is om mense te oortuig om dalk meer geld te spandeer op Kersinkopies as wat hulle wou, is die feestelikheid tog gepas. Ons mag maar die geboorte van Jesus met vreugde vier, so lank ons onthou waaroor die blydskap eintlik gaan.
Toe Jesus gebore is in 'n stal in Betlehem het hy mens geword in ons wêreld. In nederigheid. Daar in die stal het die sterrekykers uit die ooste Hom gevind: “Ons het sy ster sien opkom en ons het gekom om aan Hom hulde te bewys.” (Matteus 2:2)
So het Jesus grootgeword en as mens tussen al die ander mense beweeg.
God by ons.
En dis die gerusstellende wete, dat God toe tussen mense was en vandag nog by ons is. Hy was ware mens en het die mense om Hom konstant met deernis behandel.
'n Voorbeeld vir almal van ons. 'n Voorbeeld van nederigheid en 'n voorbeeld van sagmoedigheid. Dit sien ons telkens in die manier waarop Hy met die mense om Hom omgaan en die keuses wat Hy maak.
Kom ons volg sy voorbeeld na in hierdie Kersseisoen. Kom ons leef nederig en met empatie. Kom ons vier sy geboorte met vreugde terwyl ons ook aan Hom hulde bring soos wat dit hoort.
Gebed: Hemelse Vader, skenk aan ons nederigheid en empatie in hierdie Kersfeestyd en maak ons bewus daarvan dat U altyd by ons is. Amen
Louise Gevers
But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it – they will be blessed in what they do. James 1:25 NIV
I awoke one morning, with the words, “What does the Lord require of you?” coming into my mind. Through half sleep I responded, “To do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly before thy God,” instantly connecting back to High School assembly, which, each morning, the Principal began with a Scripture verse. The school would respond, in unison, with the response learnt on arrival in Grade 8. I felt grateful for the inspiration and the memory.
Thinking back to the array of verses we’d learnt, I marvelled at the wisdom and sound instruction that still enriches my daily life. I appreciated assembly, whether we were being praised or castigated, because I always learnt so much. I’m so grateful to God for this committed woman, with high integrity, who “continued” in her faith, in her approach to educating students with knowledge and understanding of the significant things in life.
James emphasises significance too – of looking “intently into the perfect law” of God’s Word, hearing the gospel of Salvation, and forgiveness of sin, but understanding that we need to accept His grace which sets us free from sin and shame, and gives us new life in Christ. This is a call for action to live by faith in Christ, forgiven and free, and “continue in it.” But, when we hear the gospel, but don’t connect with God’s heart, and then forget what we’ve heard, we go back to square one and become disillusioned and unfulfilled.
It enables me to appreciate why Paul encouraged the Colossians to allow “the word of Christ [to] dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs …” (Colossians 3:16, ESV) Sharing in this together encourages us in trying times, and keeps us rich in memories as we mature.
This is a far cry from what’s portrayed in the book that has recently won the Booker prize, which describes a barren experience of life. In a transcript of a conversation between a journalist and a book critic discussing the book, the critic observes, “We’re living in this world … that lacks moral champions … this book makes you feel that with almost a physical ache. There’s no one in this book to admire ... There’s no sense that a better education, a better upbringing, makes you a better person. It’s an amoral world that Szalay shows us.”
Living in Jesus brings fulfilment and blessing. As we remain steadfast in Him, not abandoning our belief when times are tough, we grow rich in faith that is “more precious than gold” (1 Peter 1:7, ESV) and experience peace, hope and joy, found in nothing else.
Have you experienced this fulfilment and joy?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You bring fulfilment and meaning beyond words into my life. Help me always to be a doer of Your Word, strong in You. Amen
Louise Gevers
Maar wie diep in die volmaakte wet van vryheid inkyk en daaraan hou, sal gelukkig wees in wat hy doen, omdat hy nie 'n vergeetagtige hoorder is nie, maar 'n doener. Jakobus 1:25, 2020-vertaling
Ek het een oggend wakker geword met die woorde: "Wat verlang die Here van jou?" in my gedagtes. Half deur die slaap het ek geantwoord: "Om te doen wat reg is, troue liefde te bewys en om nederig die pad met my God te loop." Hierdie woorde het my onmiddellik verbind met my Hoërskool saalbyeenkomste wat die prinsipaal elke oggend met 'n Bybelvers begin het en dan het die leerders geantwoord met dié woorde wat ons reeds in graad 8 geleer het. Ek is so dankbaar dat ek dit steeds onthou en inspirasie daaruit put.
Dink ek terug aan die verskeidenheid Bybelversies wat ons geleer het, staan ek steeds verstom oor die wysheid en goeie instruksies daarvan wat steeds my daaglikse lewe verryk. Ek het die saalbyeenkomste, of ons nou geprys of berispe is, altyd waardeer want ek het so baie geleer. Ek is God so dankbaar vir daardie toegewyde vrou van integriteit wat aan haar geloof vasgehou het in haar benadering om leerders met kennis en begrip vir wat belangrik in die lewe is toe te rus.
Jakobus beklemtoon ook die belangrikheid – om diep in "die volmaakte wet van vryheid" van God se woord in te kyk, nie net die evangelie van verlossing en vergifnis van sonde te hoor nie, maar te verstaan dat ons moet aanvaar dat deur God se genade ons van sonde en skuld vry gemaak word en die nuwe lewe in Christus ontvang. Dit is 'n oproep tot aksie, om deur geloof in Christus te leef, vergewe en vry, en om daaraan te hou. Wanneer ons egter die evangelie hoor, maar dit ons nie met God verbind nie en ons vergeet wat ons gehoor het, val ons terug en is ons ontnugter en onvervuld.
Dit stel my in staat om Paulus se aanmoediging aan die Kolossense te waardeer toe hy gesê het: "Laat die woord van Christus in sy volle rykdom in julle woon. Leer en vermaan mekaar, in alle wysheid, deur met dankbare harte psalms, lofgesange en geestelike liedere tot eer van God te sing. (Kolossense 3:16) Om dit met mekaar te deel en dit te onthou, bemoedig ons in moeilike tye, maar help ons selfs in ons volwasse lewe.
Dit is ver verwyderd van wat uitgebeeld word in die boek wat onlangs die Booker Prys gewen het en waar 'n leë lewe beskryf word. In 'n afskrif van 'n onderhoud tussen 'n joernalis en 'n boekresensent lees ek die volgende wat die resensent sê: "Ons leef in hierdie wêreld ... met 'n gebrek aan morele leiers ... hierdie boek laat jou dit met amper 'n fisiese pyn voel. Daar is niemand in hierdie boek om te bewonder nie ... Daar is geen teken dat beter onderwys, 'n beter opvoeding, van jou 'n beter mens sal maak nie. Dit is 'n amorele wêreld wat Szalay hier vir ons beskryf."
Deur in Jesus te leef bring vervulling en geluk. As ons standvastig in Hom bly en nie in moeilike tye ons oortuigings oorboord gooi nie, groei ons in geloof wat "baie kosbaarder is as goud" (1 Petrus 1:7) en ervaar vrede, hoop en blydskap wat in niks anders te vinde is nie.
Het jy al hierdie vervulling en blydskap ervaar?
Gebed: Here Jesus, U vervul en gee betekenis aan my lewe meer as wat woorde kan sê. Help my om altyd 'n doener van u Woord te wees en standvastig in U te bly. Amen.