“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” ― Corrie ten Boom

Haloes! J

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” ― Corrie ten Boom

Ephesians 3:20-21

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen…”

Philippians 3:13-14 

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven…”

“A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago... They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly-missed boarding… ALL BUT ONE!!! He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned.  He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor.

He was glad he did. The 16-year-old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her; no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.  When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?" She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly."  As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister..." He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?"  He stopped in mid-stride... And he wondered. He gently went back and said, "No, I am nothing like Jesus - He is good, kind, caring, loving, and would never have bumped into your display in the first place."  The girl gently nodded: "I only asked because I prayed for Jesus to help me gather the apples. He sent you to help me, so you are like Him - only He knows who will do His will. Thank you for hearing His call, Mister."  Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: "Are you Jesus?” Do people mistake you for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace.  If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day...  You are the apple of His eye even though you, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked up you and me on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit…”

Hierdie storie is ‘n gedagteki op sy eie…  Om net kerk toe te gaan, en die skrifgedeeltes aan te haal, is nie genoeg nie…  Om soos Jesus te wees, beteken dat ons dit daagliks moet LEEF…  Om te bid vir Sy wil in ons lewens, en om dit ten volle uit te leef wanneer ons antwoorde op ons gebede kry J  Om ander te help, wanneer ons eintlik nie die tyd het nie; om partykeer die minste te wees, en ander eerste te stel om vriendelik te wees, en iemand dalk net ‘n drukkie te gee op ‘n dag wat hulle dit nodig het…  Jesus stel ons eerste – Hy het dit vir ons aan die Kruis bewys…  Deur jou EERSTE te stel, het Hy vir jou die Ewige Lewe bewerkstellig…  “Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle…” ~ J M Barrie…   Hoe donker jou lewe ook al mag wees – Jesus het vir jou ‘n doel op hierdie aardbol…  Jeremiah 29:11 is ‘n bewys daarvan…  God sal SORG - Hy sal uitkoms bring - hou net aan vertrou, aan glo en aan hoop...“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…”

Blessings!

Anelxx