Carina Francke 

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’  By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. John 7:37-39, NIV
 
People like to voice their opinions of other people, especially those in the public eye. In Jesus’ lifetime, it was no different. Opinions of him and his teachings in the temple varied from “He is good” to “He is misleading the people”. They even wanted to arrest him. Amidst these divided opinions, Jesus broke the news that he would shortly return to his Father, the One who sent him. He warned them that it would be of no use to look for Him because where He was, they could not come. Aware of their uncertainty, Jesus extended an invitation to everyone listening to Him, “… Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”(John 7:37b-38)
 
What a loaded invitation to everyone in the crowd, but also to us! Your humanity and mine thirst after something more, something deeper – our salvation. A thirst that can only be quenched by Jesus Christ, the Fountain of life. But then as individuals, we must believe in Him. In this way, we become part of the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy of the eternal truth of salvation: “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” (Isaiah 12:3)
 
But there is more to Jesus’ invitation. He promises that our faith in Him will lead to living waters flowing from our innermost being. The Apostle John makes it clear that “the streams of living water” refer to the Holy Spirit that people who believe in him will receive. And here we see Isaiah’s prophecy of this promise of Christ becoming a reality: “… You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose water never fail.” (Isaiah 58:11)
 
This part of the prophecy was only completely fulfilled when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost. And is still given to Christ believers today. We can declare with steadfast faith and without a shadow of a doubt, “Whoever believes in me, streams of living water will flow from within him.”
 
Prayer: Father, may the flow of living water from within me never be blocked by my “Me-ness”. I admit that You alone are, and will for ever be, the Source of living water. Amen
 
 

Carina Francke 

En op die laaste dag, die groot dag van die fees, het Jesus gestaan en uitgeroep en gesê: As iemand dors het, laat hom na My toe kom en drink! Hy wat in My glo, soos die Skrif sê: strome van lewende water sal uit sy binneste vloei. En dit het Hy gesê van die Gees wat dié sou ontvang wat in Hom glo; want die Heilige Gees was daar nog nie, omdat Jesus nog nie verheerlik was nie. Johannes 7:37-39
 
Mense lug graag hul opinie oor mense, veral oor diegene in die openbare oog. In Jesus se tyd was dit nie anders nie. Opinies oor Hom en sy lering in die tempel, het gewissel van Hy is goed, tot Hy mislei die skare. Hulle wou Hom selfs gevange neem. Te midde van hierdie verdeelde opinies, maak Jesus bekend dat Hy binnekort moet terugkeer na sy Vader, die Een wat Hom gestuur het. Hy waarsku hulle egter dat 'n soektog na Hom niks sal oplewer nie, want waar Hy is, kan hulle nie kom nie. Bewus van hulle onsekerheid, rig Jesus op die laaste en groot dag van die huttefees, 'n uitnodiging aan elkeen wat Hom hoor: “As iemand dors het, laat hom na My toe kom en drink! Hy wat in My glo, soos die Skrif sê: strome lewende water sal uit sy binneste vloei.”(Joh. 7:37b-38)
 
Wat 'n gelaaide uitnodiging aan elke mens in die skare, maar ook aan ons! My en jou menswees dors na iets meer, iets dieper – ons redding. 'n Dors wat net deur Jesus Christus, die Fontein van lewe, geles kan word. Maar dan moet jy as individu in Hom glo. So word jy deel van die vervulling van die profeet Jesaja se profesie oor die ewige waarheid van redding: “Met blydskap sal julle water skep uit die fontein van redding.”(Jesaja 12:3)
 
Daar is egter meer in Jesus se uitnodiging opgesluit. Hy beloof dat my en jou geloof in Hom, daartoe sal lei dat strome van lewende water uit ons binneste vloei. Die skrywer Johannes maak dit baie duidelik dat “die strome van lewende water” na die Heilige Gees verwys, wat diegene wat in hom glo, nog sou ontvang. So word die profesie van Jesaja oor hierdie belofte van Christus, ook 'n realiteit: “Jy sal wees soos 'n tuin wat goed besproei is en soos 'n fontein van waters waarvan die water nooit teleurstel nie.” (Jesaja 58:11, 1933.1953-vertaling)
 
Hierdie gedeelte van die profesie is eers ten volle vervul nadat die Heilige Gees op Pinksterdag uitgestort is. En vandag steeds aan gelowiges gegee word. Ons kan met vaste geloof, sonder 'n sweempie twyfel verklaar: “Hy wat in My glo, soos die Skrif sê: strome lewende water sal uit sy binneste vloei.”
 
Gebed: Vader, mag die vloei van lewende water uit my binneste nooit blokkeer word deur my Ekkigheid nie. Ek erken: U alleen is die Bron van lewende water. Amen
 
 

Carina Francke 

Jesus informs his disciples that He will be going away to prepare a place for them, but that He will come back to take them with him. Until then he will send someone else: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you for ever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." John 14:16-17
 
It seems to me that Jesus wants to ensure that any doubts the disciples may have (and us as believers) regarding the coming of the Holy Spirit have to be rooted out and destroyed. He affirms this promise as well as the involvement of the Holy Spirit in our lives: “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26
 
Two loaded promises! The Holy Spirit, the One who reminds and teaches us, is not a mere human being sent by God to us. No, he is the third Person of the Holy Trinity! He makes his home in ordinary believers – for ever! So that He can teach us. And we can know Him.
 
Jesus appears to his fearful disciples again on the Sunday evening after his resurrection. He greets them, “Peace be with you!” shows them his hands and side, and reiterates, “Peace be with you!” This sets their minds at ease, so much so, that He was able to make an announcement: ”As the Father sent me, I am sending you.” And then He did the unexpected: “And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” (John 20:22)
 
This act is reminiscent of God. There is life in his breath. He created man, but only after he breathed the breath of life into him did he become a living being. (Genesis 2:7) Is it possible then that God, through the breath of Jesus imparted eternal life into his disciples?
Your faith and mine in the reconciliatory death and resurrection of Jesus, assures us of an eternal life with God.
 
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the eternally present Holy Spirit in my life. Open my ears and heart to hear his teaching, and obediently do whatever He wants me to do. Amen
 

Carina Francke 

Jesus deel sy dissipels mee dat Hy weggaan om vir hulle 'n plek te berei, maar dat Hy terugkom om hulle te kom haal. Intussen stuur Hy iemand anders: “Ek sal die Vader vra en Hy sal julle 'n ander Trooster gee om altyd by julle te bly tot in ewigheid: die Gees van waarheid wat die wêreld nie kan ontvang nie, maar julle ken Hom omdat Hy by julle en in julle sal wees.” Johannes 14:16-17
 
Dit wil my voorkom asof Jesus wil seker maak dat enige twyfel by die dissipels en (ons) oor die koms van die Heilige Gees, wortel en tak uitgeroei word. Hy knoop die belofte en die betrokkenheid van die Heilige Gees in ons lewens vas: “Maar die Trooster, die Heilige Gees, wat die Vader in my Naam sal stuur, Hy sal julle alles leer en sal julle herinner aan alles wat Ek vir julle gesê het.” Johannes 14: 26
 
Twee gelaaide beloftes! Die Heilige Gees, die Een wat ons herinner en leer, is nie maar net 'n mens wat gestuur word nie, maar is die derde Persoon in die goddelike Drie-eenheid! Hy kom maak vir ewig huis by die mens – by elke gelowige mens. Sodat Hy ons kan leer. En ons Hom kan ken.
 
Jesus verskyn weer aan sy wegkruip dissipels op die Sondagaand na sy opstanding. Sy groet, “Vrede vir julle!”, die wys van sy hande en sy sy vir hulle, asook die herhaling van die vredeswens, skep genoeg rustigheid by die dissipels dat Hy 'n aankondiging kan maak: “Soos die Vader My gestuur het, stuur Ek julle ook.” Toe doen Hy die onverwagte: “Hy blaas oor hulle en sê: “Ontvang die Heilige Gees!” (Johannes 20:22)
 
Hierdie handeling herinner aan God. Daar is lewe in sy asem. Hy skep die mens, maar eers toe Hy lewensasem in hom blaas, word hy 'n lewende wese. (Genesis 2:7) Is dit moontlik dat God deur die asem van Jesus, ewige lewe in die dissipels geïmparteer het?
 
Maar besef jy dat jou en my geloof in die versoeningsdood en opstanding van Jesus, ons verseker van 'n ewige lewe saam met Hom?
 
Gebed: Hemelse Vader, dankie vir die immer teenwoordige Heilige Gees in my lewe. Help my om my knie te buig en sy leiding te volg in alles wat ek doen. Open my ore en hart om sy onderrig te hoor en om gehoorsaam te doen wat Hy ookal van my vra. Amen
 
Go to top