Thursday 9, to Tuesday 14 January 2014.
WORD OF THE DAY:
[Isaiah 58:9a] Then you will call and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help and He will say: " Here I Am."
MESSAGE OF THE DAY:
INNER HEALING:
Part 4.
I told you about the young lady who was sexually abused as a child. Let us call her Sarah. (Of course not her real name.) She was present one day when I was ministering to a group of old people on a series of teachings.
Sarah contacted me lateron and requested that I pray for her on the next occasion, as she had cancer.
Sarah was - as agreed upon - present at my next meeting.
She mentioned that she loved the way I was praying for the old people, and added that it would be wonderful to be able to pray to God as if He was her "Daddy."
I explained to her that it is precisely what God is - our "Daddy Lord," in heaven.
I could sense though that something happened in her past that made her feel bitter, insecure and inferior.
I requested that she tells me something about her past: Sarah told me that she lost both her parents when she was 6 years old. She was taken into the home of some distant relatives, who had no children of their own. The couple was very friendly at first.
With bitterness and obvious repugnance and hatred she told me how the man of the house would climb into bed with her many nights - "to comfort her", should she feel sad.
He sexually abused her for many years, and even threatened that he would "drown her in the swimming pool one night," should she tell anybody.
Sarah was certain though that the man's wife was conscious of what was going on.
The lady's friendliness soon changed into dislike, rudeness, meanness, hostility and disapproval. Suddenly she also bombarded Sarah into doing the cleaning up after supper and to perform many other chores in and around the house. Sarah remembered that whenever she was unhappy, her mother would tell her to sing to Jesus: "Jesus loves me, yes I know, for the Bible tells me so . . " The realisation that Jesus really loves children, was always a consolation, and made her feel better.
Sarah loved to study the Psalms and the New Testament of the Bible, and when she had a lot of homework, as well as many things to do in and around the house, she would say softly to herself: "I can do all things through Christ Who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13)
One morning when Sarah was in Grade 10, she felt that she could not handle the physical abuse, hostility and meanness any more, and cried out to God: "Awesome God, You said: "Call upon Me in the day of trouble.'" (Psalm 50:15) "I am calling out to You now dear Lord. Please help me!" She opened her Bible and this is what the Holy Spirit led Sarah to read: 39. "The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; He is their stronghold in time of trouble.
40. "The Lord helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him." (Psalm 37:39-40)
Her eyes also fell on a note that she made on the last page of her Bible: "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." (Psalm 91:1)
Sarah knew beyond a doubt that God Almighty was going to help her that day, and set her free. She slipped her Bible, toothbrush, all her School things and also all her School clothes into her sport and School bags, and quietly left the house by the back door. On her way to School she kept on repeating: "JESUS, JESUS, JESUS!" Why, she did not know, but when she arrived at School, she went straight to the secretary's office. She saw on the notice board that an old lady - staying quite close to the School - was looking for a young little lady to come and stay with her, (if it was at all possible,) in order to help her to bath, and to assist her in general. A "small salary" could also be negotiated.
Sarah went to see the old lady that same afternoon after School. When she saw the kind, wrinkled face of the dear old lady, she was immediately reminded of her mother, and burst into tears.
All the abuse, mentally, physically and spiritually suddenly overwhelmed Sarah. All she could stammer was: "I think God the Holy Spirit sent me here."
The old lady, or Gran, as she wished to be called, was very kind to her and prompted her to tell all.
Gran listened quietly. "You cannot go back there," she then remarked softly. "They have no hold on you, you can stay here for as long as you wish. The law is on our side. I will arrange for a meeting with the School principal tomorrow." This was a new life that started for Sarah. but she still could not escape her past, and all the unpleasant memories sometimes made her feel physically ill. She realised that she can't and never will forgive "that man" who abused her, as well as his unkind, mean and domineering wife.
She matriculated successfully. and followed a secretarial course afterwards. She and Gran had a wonderful relationship of friendship and trust. Then one day suddenly Gran exchanged the temporary with the eternal. It came as a big shock to Sarah. but she realised that her beloved Gran was now safely with Jesus, and that life goes on. Gran left her the house and also some money. Sarah kept on working as a secretary at a local firm.
"All was well now," one would say, but at the age of 30 she developed cancer in her one lung, and then it soon spread through her bones.
The poison of the hatred and unforgiveness was starting to take its toll. . .
(God willing and by His marvellous grace and mercy, I will share with you again tomorrow.)
Donderdag 9, tot Dinsdag 14 Januarie 2014.
WOORD VAN DIE DAG:
[Jesaja 58:9a] Dan sal jy roep, en die Here sal antwoord; jy sal skreeu om hulp, en Hy sal sê: "Hier is Ek!"
BOODSKAP VAN DIE DAG:
INNERLIKE GENESING:
Deel 4.
Ek het u vertel van die jong dame wat seksueel gemolesteer is as kind. Kom ons noem haar Sarah. (Natuurlik nie haar regte naam.)
Sarah was eendag teenwoordig toe ek 'n reeks dienste gelewer het aan 'n groep oumense. Sy het my later gekontak en gevra vir gebed, aangesien sy kanker het.
Sarah was - soos afgespreek - teenwoordig by my volgende diens. Sy het genoem dat sy hou van die manier waarop ek vir die ou mense bid, so asof ek met my Pappa praat. Sy het ook genoem dat dit wonderlik moes wees om met God te kan praat - so asof Hy ons "Pappa" is. Ek het verduidelik dat dit presies is wat God is: ons PAPPA VADER in die hemel.
Ek kon egter aanvoel dat daar êrens in haar verlede groot hartseer was, en dat dit haar baie bitter, onseker en minderwaardig laat voel het.
Ek het haar begin uitvra oor haar verlede.
Sy het my vertel dat beide haar ouers dood is toe sy slegs 6 jaar oud was.
Sy is ingeneem deur veraf familielede omdat hulle nie self kinders gehad het nie. Die egpaar was baie vriendelik aan die begin.
Met groot verbittering en duidelike weersin en haat het sy my begin vertel hoe die man gereeld by haar in die bed geklim het "om haar te troos" as sy hartseer sou wees. Hy het haar jare lank seksueel gemolesteer. Hy het haar selfs gedreig en gesê: "as sy iemand sou vertel, hy haar een nag in die swembad sou verdrink."
Sarah was egter seker dat sy vrou van alles bewus moes gewees het. Haar vriendelikheid het spoedig verander in ongeskiktheid, vyandige oorheersing, gemeenheid, onbeskoftheid en afkerigheid. Skielik het sy Sarah daarin gebombardeer om alles skoon en aan die kant te maak na aandete, en ook om vele ander take in en om die huis te verrig.
Sarah het toe onthou dat haar ma haar vertel het dat wanneer sy ongelukkig is, sy vir Jesus moes sing: "Jesus min my salig lot, ek weet dit uit die Woord van God . . . " Die besef dat Jesus kinders liefhet het haar getroos en altyd beter laat voel.
Sarah was lief om die Psalms en die Nuwe Testament van die Bybel te bestudeer. En wanneer sy baie Skool-werk sowel as verskeie take in en om die huis gehad het om te verrig, het sy altyd saggies vir haarself gesê: "Ek is tot alles in staat deur Christus wat my krag gee."
(Filippense 4:13)
Een oggend, toe sy in Graad 10 was, het sy gevoel dat sy die gemeenheid, mishandeling en skending van haar persoon nie meer langer kon hanteer nie, het sy uitgeroep tot God: "Grote God, U Woord sê: "Roep My aan in die dag van benoudheid," (Psalm 50:15) "Ek roep uit tot U Grote God, help my asseblief!"
Sy het haar Bybel oopgeslaan en die Heilige Gees het haar gelei om die volgende te lees:
39. "Maar die hulp van die regverdiges is van die Here, hulle toevlug in die tyd van benoudheid.
40. "En die Here help hulle en red hulle; Hy red hulle van die goddelose mense en verlos hulle, want hulle skuil by Hom."
(Psalm 37:39-40)
Haar oë het ook geval op 'n nota wat sy op die laaste bladsy in haar Bybel geskryf het: "Hy wat in die skuilplek van die Allerhoogste sit, sal vernag in die skaduwee van die Almagtige." (Psalm 91:1)
Sarah het skielik sonder enige twyfel besef dat God die Almagtige Vader haar daardie dag sou help en bevry.
Sy het haar Bybel, tandeborsel, al haar ander Skoolbenodigdhede en ook haar ander skoolklere in haar tas en sportsak geprop en stilletjies by die agterdeur van die huis uitgeglip. Op pad skooltoe het sy aanhoudend geprewel: "JESUS, JESUS, JESUS."
Waarom weet sy nie, maar toe sy by die Skool opdaag, het sy reguit na die sekretaresse se kantoor gegaan. Op die advertensie-bord het sy gesien dat 'n ou dame - wat redelik naby die Skool bly, die hulp van 'n jong dametjie benodig en sommer - indien dit enigsins moontlik sou wees - by haar kom intrek. Sy moes die ou dame help om te bad, en ook klein algemene takies verrig. 'n Klein salaris vir haar dienste kon ook bespreek word.
Sarah het die ou dame dieselfde middag na Skool gaan sien. Toe sy haar dierbare, geplooide, vriendelike ou gesiggie sien het sy dadelik aan haar eie moeder gedink, en in trane uitgebars.
Al die aanranding en vernedering - verstandelik, liggaamlik en geestelik, het haar skielik oorweldig. Al wat sy kon stamel was:
"Ek dink God die Heilige Gees het my hierheen gestuur."
Die ou dame, of Gran, soos wat sy graag genoem wou word, was dierbaar en vertroostend en het haar uitgenooi om al haar hartseer te deel.
Gran het stilweg na haar geluister, en later sag gesê: "Jy kan nie teruggaan daarheen nie. Hulle het geen houvas op jou nie. Die wet is aan ons kant. Jy kan by my bly solank as wat jy wil. Ek sal jou ook 'n klein salaris betaal vir jou hulp en bystand. Ek sal intussen samesprekinge met jou Skoolhoof reël.
'n Nuwe lewe het vir Sarah begin, maar sy kon steeds nie verlos word van haar verlede nie. Al die onaangename herinneringe het haar somtyds fisies siek laat voel.
Sarah het besef dat sy nooit "daardie man" wat haar so verneder het sal en kan vergewe nie - ook nie sy gemene, onvriendelike en dominerende vrou nie.
Sy het suksesvol gematrikuleer, en daarna 'n sekretariële kursus gevolg.
Sy en Gran het deurentyd 'n wonderlike verhouding van vertroue en vriendskap gehad.
Toe skielik een dag, verruil Gran die tydelike met die ewige. Dit was 'n geweldige skok vir Sarah, maar sy het besef dat haar dierbare Gran nou veilig by Jesus was, en dat die lewe aangaan. Gran het haar die huis en 'n som geld nagelaat.
Sarah het aanhou werk as sekretaresse by 'n plaaslike firma.
Nou sal u sê: "alles het toe tog goed uitgewerk," maar op die ouderdom van 30 het Sarah kanker in haar een long opgedoen. Daarna het dit deur al haar gebeente versprei.
Die gif van die haat en onvergewensgesindheid het sy tol begin eis. . . .
(As dit die wil van God is en deur Sy wonderbare genade en barmhartigheid, sal ek môre verder met u deel.)
Photo by / Foto deur: Martin Heigan.
Photo supplied by John Hagee Ministries
