Lauren Appolis
Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Luke 12:7, NIV
One of my favourite memories from the early days of marriage is moving into our first home. We started with only the basics to furnish the space. At the time, home-contents insurance seemed unnecessary: the excess payable in the event of a break-in would likely have exceeded the value of everything we owned at the time.
Slowly but surely, we purchased more expensive home items. Suddenly, leaving the contents uninsured felt risky. The inside of our house had become too valuable to leave exposed. You see, when the house was nearly empty, a break-in seemed unlikely – thieves would have wasted their time. Once there was value inside, the stakes were raised.
I can’t help but to see parallels with our lives in Christ. Scripture is filled with reminders of how God sees us: created in his image (Genesis 1:27), wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), chosen and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12). In Luke 12:7, Jesus tells us we are so valuable that God even numbers the hairs on our heads.
Here’s the truth: we are co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), each carrying a God-ordained purpose. God desires to use us for the work of his Kingdom. That makes you incredibly valuable. Yet Scripture reminds us that we have a very real enemy who comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). It’s no surprise, then, that the enemy often tries to distort our identity through self-doubt, fear, comparison, and lies.
The point is simple: never doubt your value. Thieves don’t waste time on empty houses. You matter so much to God that even the smallest details of your life are known to him.
Seasons of opposition often confirms the value God has placed on your life. Perhaps the strength formed in hardship will elevate you. Perhaps your testimony will draw someone closer to Jesus. Maybe you will be the one to break generational patterns.
Whatever God has entrusted to you, take heart. “You are worth more than many sparrows.” And if God cares so faithfully for the birds of the air, how much more will he care for you – his masterpiece?
You are immeasurably valuable, and you are covered by the Most High God.
Prayer: Father God, thank you for valuing me so deeply. Help me to silence every lie that causes me to forget who I am in Christ. Strengthen me to walk boldly in my calling, confident in your love and protection. Amen.
Lauren Appolis
Selfs die hare op julle kop is almal getel. Moenie bang wees nie. Julle is meer werd as baie mossies.” Lukas 12:7, 1983-vertaling
Een van my gunsteling herinneringe aan my vroeë huwelikslewe is toe ons in ons eerste huis ingetrek het. Ons het begin met net die basiese om die plek te meubileer. Op daardie stadium het huisinhoudsversekering onnodig gelyk: die bybetaling in die geval van 'n inbraak sou heel moontlik die waarde oorskry het van alles wat ons toe besit het.
Stadig maar seker het ons duurder items vir die huis aangekoop. Skielik was dit 'n risiko om die inhoud nie te verseker nie. Die inhoud van ons huis was te waardevol om dit nie te dek nie. Toe die huis feitlik leeg was, het 'n inbraak onwaarskynlik gelyk – diewe sou hulle tyd gemors het. Soos die inhoud egter waardevoller geword het, het die kanse vir 'n inbraak ook toegeneem.
Ek kan nie help om hier 'n vergelyking met ons lewe in Christus raak te sien nie. Die Bybel is vol beskrywings van hoe God ons sien: geskep na sy beeld (Genesis 1:27), op 'n wonderbaarlike wyse geskep (Psalm 139:14) en God se uitverkorenes wat Hy baie liefhet (Kolossense 3:12). In Lukas 12:7 sê Jesus dat ons so waardevol is dat God selfs die hare op ons kop getel het.
Die waarheid is dat ons mede-erfgename met Christus is (Romeine 8:17), elkeen met 'n Godgegewe doel. God begeer om ons vir werk in sy koninkryk te gebruik. Dit maak jou uiters waardevol. Die Bybel leer ons egter dat daar 'n vyand is, 'n dief wat kom om te steel, te slag en uit te roei. (Johannes 10:10) Dit is dus geen verrassing dat die vyand dikwels probeer om deur onsekerheid, angs, vergelykings met ander en deur leuens, ons van ons identiteit te beroof nie.
Die boodskap is eenvoudig: moet nooit aan jou waarde twyfel nie. Diewe mors nie tyd met leë huise nie. Jy is so belangrik vir God dat Hy selfs die kleinste besonderhede van jou lewe ken.
Tye van teëstand bevestig dikwels die waarde wat God aan jou lewe heg. Miskien sal jy deur swaarkry sterker word. Miskien sal jou getuienis iemand anders nader aan Jesus bring. Miskien is jy die een om gedragspatrone van generasies te verbreek.
Wat ookal God aan jou toevertrou het, hou moed: Jy is "meer werd as baie mossies." En as God die voëls van die hemel so getrou versorg, hoeveel te meer sorg Hy nie vir jou nie – sy meesterstuk?
Jy is van onskatbare waarde en jy word deur die Allerhoogste God beskerm.
Gebed: Hemelse Vader, dankie dat ek so baie vir U werd is. Help my om elke leuen te ignoreer wat probeer om my te laat vergeet wie ek in Christus is. Gee aan my krag om met vrymoedigheid my roeping uit te leef, vol vertroue in u liefde en beskerming. Amen
Lauren Appolis
... so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19, NIV
There is indeed reason to celebrate love this month – but praise God, not the fleeting, conditional kind of love defined by the world. As children of the Most High God, we have access to the unearned, undeserved, unmerited, unfailing, far-reaching, never-ending love of God.
The truth of the matter is, however, that we will miss the fullness and transformative power of love if we try to experience it outside of and apart from God. The world’s view of love is rooted in conditions and self-interest: I love you because you love me. I love you because you are good to me. Although these sentiments are lovely to hear, if we think about it, human love is often earned.
But what happens when someone disappoints, offends, or fails? Are they still worthy of love? Our human nature struggles here: resentment after an offense or rejection after a failure. By the world’s standards, love is conditional.
Praise be to God for the freeing power of the love of a Saviour!
We will never love others the way God intends if we try to do so the world’s way. More importantly, we will fall short in truly loving others if we do not first grasp God’s personal love for us.
Ironically, to grasp Christ’s love is to understand that it is so “wide and long and high and deep” that it “surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:18). It doesn’t make sense – and yet it is true. We were born sinners, yet even in our sin, Jesus died for us (Romans 5:8). He knows every mistake we have made and will make, and still delights in us (Psalm 103:13-14). Even when we wander far from him, his love relentlessly pursues us; He leaves the ninety-nine to find the one (Luke 15:4-7).
There is absolutely nothing you can do – or not do – that will separate you from the love of God (Rom. 8:38-39).
Simply, dear friend, God’s love does not depend on what you do or who you think you should be. God already loves you – more than the human mind can comprehend.
Let us dedicate this month to meditating on the overwhelming love of Christ. And as we are filled “to the measure of all the fullness of God”, may we overflow with love for others.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your unfailing love. Help me to receive it fully and to love others as you love me. Amen.
Lauren Appolis
... dat Christus deur die geloof in julle harte sal woon en dat julle in die liefde gewortel en gegrondves sal wees. Mag julle in staat wees om saam met al die gelowiges te begryp hoe wyd en ver en hoog en diep die liefde van Christus strek. Mag julle sy liefde ken, liefde wat ons verstand te bowe gaan, en mag julle heeltemal vervul word met die volheid van God. Efesiërs 3:17-19, 1983-vertaling
Daar is inderdaad rede om vandeesmaand die liefde te vier – maar prys die Here nie die vlietende, voorwaardelike soort liefde soos deur die wêreld gedefinieer nie. As kinders van die Allerhoogste, het ons toegang tot die onverdiende, onfeilbare, verreikende, nimmereindigende liefde van God.
Die feit van die saak is egter dat ons die volheid van liefde en die veranderlike krag daarvan, sal mis as ons probeer om dit sonder God te ervaar. Die wêreld se siening van liefde is gewortel in voorwaardes en selfbelang: Ek het jou lief omdat jy my liefhet. Ek het jou lief omdat jy vir my goed is. Alhoewel hierdie lieflike woorde is om te hoor, is menslike liefde, as 'n mens daaroor nadink, dikwels iets wat jy moet verdien.
Maar wat gebeur wanneer iemand jou teleurstel, aanstoot gee of misluk? Is hulle steeds jou liefde werd? Die menslike aard vind dit moeilik: 'n wrok word gekoester na 'n oortreding of daar is verwerping na mislukking. Gemeet aan wêreldse standaarde, is liefde voorwaardelik.
Prys die Here vir die vrymakende krag van die liefde van 'n Verlosser!
As ons probeer om dit op die wêreldse manier te doen, sal ons nooit daarin slaag om ander lief te hê soos God wil hê ons moet nie. Boonop sal ons tekortskiet om ander waarlik lief te hê as ons nie God se persoonlike liefde vir ons begryp nie.
Ironies, om Christus se liefde enigsins te begryp, moet ons verstaan dat dit so "wyd en ver en hoog en diep" is dat dit "ons verstand te bowe gaan". (Efesiërs 3:18-19) Dit maak nie sin nie, en tog is dit waar. Ons is in sonde gebore, tog het "Christus vir ons gesterf ... toe ons nog sondaars was." (Romeine 5:8) Hy ken ons met al ons foute en tog ontferm Hy Hom oor ons. (Psalm 103:13-14) Selfs as ons ver van Hom af dwaal, sal sy liefde ons volg; Hy laat die nege en negentig skape staan om die verlore een te soek. (Lukas 15:4-7)
Daar is absoluut niks wat ons kan doen – of nie doen nie – wat ons van die liefde van God kan skei nie. (Romeine 8:38-39)
Dit is eenvoudig, liewe vriend, God se liefde hang nie af van wat jy doen of dink jy behoort te doen nie. God het jou reeds lief – meer as wat die menslike verstand kan begryp.
Kom ons gebruik hierdie maand om oor die oorweldigende liefde van God na te dink. En soos ons "vervul word met die volheid van God", mag ons oorloop met liefde vir ander.
Gebed: Dankie Vader, vir u onfeilbare liefde. Help my om die volheid daarvan te begryp en om ander mense lief te hê soos U my liefhet. Amen