Time to take a stand? – 25 January 2023
By Benescke Janse van Rensburg
Um(Imi)bhalo weBhayibheli
1 kaJohane 1
Ukuhamba ekukhanyeni
NgokukaMathewu 5
“Enough is enough.” This is how many South Africans feel after the government’s recent announcement that load shedding will be a permanent part of our lives for another two years. To demonstrate their misery, a large number of people will be marching to the Grand Parade in Cape Town and to Luthuli House in Johannesburg today as part of the “Power to the People” marches.
Will it make any difference? I don’t know.
Yet, I wonder what will happen if we decide to inspect our own lives and hearts and decide to take a stand against everything we know is not right in God’s sight – our mediocre marriage, gossip, jealousy, those “grey area” work deals, a bad habit, pride, name it.
Will we experience more freedom? Will we be able to hear the Holy Spirit’s voice clearly because “that thing” might be the blockage in our relationship with God?
In 1 John 1:5 we read: “God is light; in him is no darkness at all.” And in Matthew 5:28-30 Jesus makes it clear that sin is an abomination to God: “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble,cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” (NIV)
Do you want to experience a more meaningful relationship with God this year? Let’s take a stand where we need to. God bless.
Prayer: Father God, thank you for desiring a relationship with each of us. Show me the things that are causing a blockage between me and you and help me to get rid of it. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen
