Min tekste is so bemoedigend soos hierdie woorde van Jesus aan die dissipels: “Julle Vader weet wat julle nodig het, nog voordat julle dit van Hom vra” (Matt 6:8). Paulus vertrou so daarop dat hy (in Fil 4:19) met hierdie sterk belofte die gelowiges van Filippi bemoedig: “My God sal al julle behoeftes vervul volgens die rykdom van sy heerlikheid in Christus Jesus.”
Die probleem is dat ons maklik die rykdom van God beperk tot die vervulling van ons aardse behoeftes – asof dit ál is waarin God wil (of kan) voorsien. Maar, Paulus praat van ‘n rykdom van God wat ‘n onbeperkte hulpbron vir ons is. Soos God se vrygewigheid ons oorvloediglik oorspoel, so word ons weer die vrygewige uitdelers aan ander wat ook pleit om hulp. Dit is wat 2 Kor 9:8 (in die 1953-vertaling) ons leer: “God het mag om alle genade oorvloedig oor julle te laat wees, sodat julle altyd in alle opsigte volop kan hê en oorvloedig kan wees tot elke goeie werk.” Vrygewige oorvloedigheid. En oorvloedige vrygewigheid. ‘n Paar verse verder verduidelik Paulus weer waarom God ons in alles oorvloediglik seën: “Sodat julle in alles ryk kan word tot alle milddadigheid” (v11 – 1953). So vrygewig soos God is, so vrygewig kan en moet ons ook wees.
Dit laat my dink aan ‘n artikel (“The Myth of Scarcity”) wat Walter Brueggemann, die Ou Testament-teoloog, geskryf het, waarin hy sê: “Die Bybelse getuienis bevestig dat die wêreld geskep is as ‘n plek van oorvloed, nie skaarste nie. Dit is ‘n saak van geloof om te erken dat God genoeg vir almal voorsien, en ons taak is om daardie oorvloed te deel en te versprei eerder as om self bloot besitters te wil word.”
God se beloftes van seën het ‘n groter reikwydte as net my hande!
GEBED: Mildelik. Oorvloedig. Vrygewig. Maak hierdie woorde deel van my woordeskat en aksies, asseblief my HERE.
KUNS: Bible Art
MUSIEK: Ons luister. Na “Five Loaves and Two Fishes” deur Corrinne May.
Uit die liriek:
A little boy of thirteen was on his way to school
He heard a crowd of people laughing and he went to take a look
Thousands were listening to the stories of one man
He spoke with such wisdom, even the kids could understand
The hours passed so quickly, the day turned to night
Everyone was hungry but there was no food in sight
The boy looked in his lunchbox at the little that he had
He wasn’t sure what good it’d do, there were thousands to be fed
But he saw the twinkling eyes of Jesus
The kindness in His smile
And the boy cried out
With the trust of a child
He said:
“Take my five loaves and two fishes
Do with it as you will
I surrender
Take my fears and my inhibitions
All my burdens, my ambitions
You can use it all to feed them all”
I often think about that boy when I’m feeling small
And I worry that the work I do means nothing at all
But every single tear I cry is a diamond in His hands
And every door that slams in my face, I will offer up in prayer
So I’ll give you every breath that I have
Oh Lord, you can work miracles
All that you need is my “Amen”
So take my five loaves and two fishes
Do with it as you will
I surrender
Take my fears and my inhibitions
All my burdens, my ambitions
You can use it all
I hope it’s not too small
I trust in you
I trust in you
So take my five loaves and two fishes
Do with it as you will
I surrender
Take my fears and my inhibitions
All my burdens, my ambitions
You can use it all
No gift is too small