Lessons from Job

Is there a lesson to learn from Job,
the man who seemed to have no hope,
the man who was riddled with despair,
whose bad luck followed him everywhere?

He lost his kids and income in an instant,
but his pursuer was still insistent
that this was not yet quite enough -
this adversary proved too tough.

He would make Job cringe in pain
so life would no longer hold any gain,
and then his wife would start to swear,
making his burden still harder to bear.

He would curse the day he was born,
sickness had left him ravaged and worn,
yet in God He placed unshakable trust,
even if his whole world had gone bust.

His friends gathered close, but failed him too,
telling him what he should and shouldn’t do,
listening to evil spirits in the night,
trying to make sense of Job’s senseless plight.

Job did not heed man, woman or beast,
he could not be bothered by them in the least -
he took his problems straight to his God
from Whom he was determined not to depart.

His rantings and ravings did not make sense,
but he was looking at things through a clouded lens,
he was searching for answers he did not know,
wondering why he had been brought so low.

When God finally answered, it fell into place -
He had deliberately been hiding His face,
so that all who would suffer in times yet to be,
would know God rewards those who stay faithfully.

Job was healed and restored in good time,
but before I conclude this narrative rhyme,
take note that he needed to pray for his friend
whose faith was tested when Job met his end.

An original poem by Miekie (Marietjie Uys)

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:

You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

God still talks to us

Why would God not talk to me,
be less than He, as God, could be?
Did He not send His Holy Spirit
to stay, and not to merely visit?
With God alive inside this temple,
I’d imagine talking should be ample,
for is this not what He’s always done,
from creation right through to His Son?
If you examine the gifts of the Ghost,
you’ll find that talking occurs the most;
knowledge, wisdom and prophecy
are all meant for communication, you see.

When you love someone the way He does you,
you should not be surprised when they talk to you.

An original poem by Miekie (Marietjie Uys)

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:

You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

A bouquet of people

I picked a bouquet of people
along my route today,
I gave them to our Father
without knowing what to say.
I told Him that I loved them,
was worried about their care,
that this was why I brought them
and wanted to leave them there.
Our Father took them from me,
looked at each one in their turn,
when He smiled and held them close,
asked what I wanted in return.
I told Him I’d like nothing more
than His Fatherly embrace,
so each one of these friends of mine
could look upon His face.

An original poem by Miekie (Marietjie Uys)

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:

You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

God se woord staan vas

Die son in my gesig
en my rug op die wind,
weet ek verseker
ek’s die Koning se kind.
Soos ek stap deur die veld
sien ek die blomme juig -
veelkleurige bloeisels
wat van God getuig.

'n Jan Groentjie roep,
'n duif sit en koer,
'n akkedis skarrel weg,
sit my uit die bos en beloer.
Die branders breek rustig
die aard’ gaan sy gang
al sedert die Skepping
gebeur dit soos God verlang.

'n Oorspronklike gedig deur Miekie (Marietjie Uys)

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:

You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

God will come through

Perhaps you are holding on to a Godly dream, and have been doing so for years, but you are starting to loose hope that you will ever see this realized. Perhaps you are starting to doubt that this has ever been God's will for your life. Perhaps you are starting to manipulate the circumstances of your life so that you can see the realization of this dream, buying into the untruth that God will only help those who help themselves. Perhaps your disappointment is so great that you are loosing faith in God. Perhaps you think there was some small thing you did, some inconsequential wrong decision you made, that has forever altered the course of your life, so that you will now no longer see that Godly dream realized. If any of the above scenarios is true of you, then you should read today's blog.
Let us first examine what a Godly dream is. A Godly dream is an idea born from God. This could be the result of prophecy that has been confirmed by more than one person, as well by God Himself in your own heart. It can be the result of a Godly vision or prophetic dream. It can be the result of a conversation (prayer) you've had with God. There are probably a myriad other ways a Godly dream can come to you that I can't think of right now. The important thing is to know that it is some plan that God has for your life. This can be long term, or short, small scale, or large, it doesn't matter. The point is that it is inspired by God.
We see such an example of a Godly dream in the Biblical story of Abraham and Sarah, when God promises them a son. They probably wished for this when they were much younger, but by now the ideal had vanished. They were too old. It was no longer a dream they had for their own lives. Not that it would be unwanted, they had simply resolved to be content without children. Then God makes this promise... and nothing happens. Sarah does not fall pregnant. This is when Abraham decides that he needs to step up to the plate to ensure that God's word will come true. Today, much too frequently, I hear people say the words 'God only helps those who help themselves.' Not so! All Abraham had to do, was to wait upon God to do EVERYTHING. When he intervened with his own manipulating schemes, it did not change God's plan an iota. God did not alter His plan. He did not accept Abraham's compromise solutions. God simply did what He said He would do, when He was ready to do so, with complete disregard for even the laws of nature! Not even Sarah's inability to reproduce at her ripe age, could stand in God's way. Does God need your help to make true on His promises? No! Sit back, relax, trust God, and let Him do what He does best - which is to keep His word.
Can you, or someone else, do something to derail God's plans for your life? No! Let's look at the story of Joseph. He gets a godly dream, confirmed by a second, about his family honouring him by bowing to him. His brothers take offence. It gets so bad that they plot to kill him, but at the last moment they sell him to traveling tradesmen. He is then sold into slavery and all hope seems to be lost that he will ever see his family again, never mind them honoring him in any way. We are all of us familiar with his stint in prison and being released and raised to a position of honour, which is where his family did find him eventually, bowing down to him, exactly as God said it would happen. Joseph probably lost hope. He probably gave up on the dream altogether. There must have been a time when he couldn't be bothered less about anybody honouring him, he simply wanted to make it through the day alive and unscathed. Nothing that he, nor his brothers, nor his scheming accuser, not the slave traders or anyone else did, could alter God's word. Now think about the two guys with the dreams in prison. One was put to death and the other released. Joseph asked him to remind the officials about his own plight once the man was released, hoping to exonerate himself. The man forgot! He never did this. This is important to take note of, for this whole argument has a flip side. There is nothing anyone can neglect to do, that will change God's word either! Relax, trust God, and see His word come true in your life!
Is there a mountain standing in the way of God's will being fulfilled in your life? Is it casting such a long shadow that you can't even see the light of God reflected on the other side of the mountain anymore? Then I want to remind you of this passage:

Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.
When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.
Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Matthew 21:18-22 NIV)

This passage sums it up so beautifully. That fig tree was not doing what it ought to have been doing for Jesus to do God's will. Jesus needed sustenance. The tree was useless and Jesus removed it from His way. Even nature has to bend to God's will! That mountain standing in your way, pray about it! Have faith! Trust God. No mountain can stand in God's way. If He said something, He will make it come true. Are your mountains any bigger than the ones Abraham or Joseph faced? Perhaps not bigger, only different. Nothing is impossible with God. Pray. Believe. Watch God move the mountains for you.

Now you may be asking yourself how you could grow in faith. Let me share this thought with you. I was sitting on a sand dune, peering out over the ocean, when God started sharing the ideas for this blog with me. He asked me to think of something sturdy and immovable. A great tree with an intricate root system came to mind. God told me that it would be nothing for Him to uproot that tree. I immediately felt a pang of regret over such a beautiful tree as the one I had imagined being uprooted. God knew my thoughts and called me on them. He told me that I saw the tree as dead and dying once it had been uprooted. That is simply a human perspective. God can pull that tree out of the ground and replant it somewhere else and it will flourish. It was only afterwards that I remembered a similar passage in the Bible:

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. (Luke 17:5-6 NIV)

Still on the dune, God told me to find another example of something immovable. I searched my surrounds and noticed the line of dunes hugging the coast. He asked me what it would take to move those dunes. As they were busy with road works in town, I immediately started thinking about the heavy earth moving machinery that would be required to flatten those dunes, the teams of men involved, the availability of fuel where we were in the remote Northern Cape, 100 km from the nearest town and a thousand km from the closest city. I thought about the logistics of getting enough food and water for all those workers to eat, drink and bathe in. I thought about how they would be removed from their families for long stretches of time. Then I started thinking of the unions and all the issues that always seem to arise from this quarter. I have to admit that the whole task seemed daunting. That's when God told me that He could do it in less than an hour. It was on the tip of my tongue to ask Him how He would do it, when suddenly the wind picked up in strength, lifting the sand around me, before quieting down again. Pictures of sand storms in the desert suddenly came to mind and I knew that He was right. No cost, no effort, no organizing of logistical issues, no politics or human effort would be required. If God wanted to move those dunes, they would be gone in less time than it took me to write this article.

This was when God started talking to me about mobility issues. We are so concerned about being in the right place, at the right time, about getting things just right, so that we don't miss God's big plan for our lives. We should stop fretting so much. We focus on things that are established and fixed and try to plan around them. We should stop fretting so much. We consider words pliable and mountains fixed, when with God it is the other way around. Mountains are mobile. God's word is fixed. Stop fretting so much.

"God said it. I believe it. That settles it." Faith is the only action required from you to see God's word fulfilled in your life.

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:

You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

The marvel of being human

Today, as I was walking along the beach, peering into rock crevices and searching tidal pools for signs of life, I marveled at man's ability to think and reason. I love being human. It means I get to fantasize about things like dwarfs and fairies, while at the same time contemplating such weighty matters as the importance of the Pentateuch in the modern Christian's life. What is even more marvelous than the mere fact that the mind is capable of such great leaps, is the fact that it understands so completely that both ideas do not enjoy equal importance and should not be approached with the same level of seriousness. And all the while, this same brain, philosophizing the ridiculous along with the serious, is capable of regulating and adjusting steps and weight distribution to keep me balanced and moving forward over the rocks, without missing a beat on taking in the surrounds of the beautiful scenery, or keeping a watchful eye on the dogs running free around me. Phenomenal! And then I am supposed to believe that all this is due to some accidental explosion aeons ago? No! At last we have found something too great for my mind to grasp. All honour to God, our Father, Jesus, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. He truly has created life to be marvelous.

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:

You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

Grafted, or rooted

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6-7 NIV)

The other day, as I was walking through the veld, I was reminded of this passage in the Bible that tells us that we ought to live lives which are rooted in Christ Jesus. When a branch is rooted in a plant, it takes on the character of that plant. It looks like, tastes like, smells like the real thing, the source of origin. This is not the same for a branch that has been grafted onto a plant.
A grafted branch takes its nourishment from the rooted plant, but it retains its own character. It is dependent on the rooted plant for sustenance and survival, but it will bear its own fruit, have its own taste, feel, aroma, and appearance. It never takes the character of the plant which it is grafted onto.
When we read Paul's words to the congregation of Colossians, we see that he clearly tells us that we should live lives that are rooted in Christ. We should build our lives to look like Christ, take on the appearance of Christ, sound like Him. This will build our faith so that we become more firm in proclaiming what we believe and Who we believe in. The natural outflow of such a life is one of thankfulness. The reason for this is that the more firmly rooted in Christ you become, the more secure you become in the knowledge of your dependency upon Him. You know the source of your life, your words, your actions, and are no longer taking credit for it yourself.
There are popular buzz words flying around society today. Words such as self-actualization, 'being the best you you can be,' etc. Neither these words, nor these concepts can be found in the Bible. The Bible teaches the contrary. It teaches that we should deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. It teaches us that we should not try to preserve our lives, but follow the example of Christ. It teaches that we should strive to be more like Christ, to take on the image of Christ. This is the direct opposite of self-actualization. This is Christ-actualization. A Christ-actualized life is one worth living.
Have we then not been created to be the best version of ourselves we can be? The answer is not a simple yes or no. Initially the answer would have to be a solid NO. No, do not be your natural self. Do not follow your natural instincts. Do not follow your natural urges. Deny yourself. You can flourish as a Christian/Believer in Christ when you are grafted on Christ. This is possible. You can even live a wonderfully good life that impresses people both inside as well as outside the church (with church referring to the global community of believers in Christ Jesus). However, this will never be the best version of you that you could ever be.
That ideal of being the best version of ourselves, can only be achieved when we are rooted in Christ. But remember, being rooted in Christ means that we take on His characteristics, resemble Him. We loose ourselves, only to find ourselves in Christ. Only when we do this, do we become the best version of ourselves that we were created to be. We find our purpose in Christ. We find our identity in Christ. We become more than we would have been outside of Christ, a better version of ourselves than we would ever be able to be outside of Christ Jesus.
Paul did not end his exhortation to the Colossians there. He carried on and it is well worth reading the whole of his letter. However, for purposes of this discussion, I will restrict myself to only one more verse.

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. (v.8)

This is the danger to our faith when we are not rooted in Christ. This is when we lend our ears out to human philosophy, cultural dictates, and humanitarianism. All of those buzz words I referred to above, sounds great on the surface. It sounds as if it is something we should strive towards achieving. It is only when we shed the illuminating light of God's word on it, that we realize that it is in contrast to the instructions and guidelines given to us in the Bible.
Do not be deceived by human philosophy and traditions. Do not be misled by elemental spiritual forces which holds forth that we all have some version of the truth. The truth does not have different versions. There is the correct version, and then there are the distortions.
I am finding it increasingly harder to use the words I believe any longer. I do, because those are really the only ones afforded to me by society's rules. However, I feel that my rootedness in Christ has transcended belief. I now know. It is not longer a matter of trusting in something I can not detect with my five senses. My relationship with our Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, has become more intimate than this.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)

  I am not trying to sound boastful. As a matter of fact, I heard Angus Buchan say the same thing the other day on television, when He laid claim to the fact that Christ was more real to him than the animate objects in his surrounds. This is what I am talking about. I do not believe in Jesus, I know Him. I talk to Him, I walk with Him, and I hear Him when He speaks to me in an inaudible voice. I have often given testimony to this in these blogs, such as when He awoke me to go to someone who was going to commit suicide one day, with the clear instructions to do just that and with the reason given. You can read this testimony in a blog called Wake up! God needs you. More recently, I told you the story of the Five worms from God. There are many more of these testimonies which I can give. As a matter of fact, the origin of this blog is the result of a conversation I had with God.
You too can have this kind of living relationship with God. The question is control. Do you wish to live a grafted life, where you retain your own identity and characteristics and make your own choices, or are you willing to surrender everything and to become rooted in Christ? The best you you can be, can only be realized when you are rooted in Christ Jesus.

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:

You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

Stofpad

Soos 'n voël sonder 'n veer,
lyk die pad sonder sy teer,
met gate wat soos poele lyk,
voos gery en opgebruik.

Net so, voel ek ook dan vandag,
wonder waar kry ek weer krag
om uit die bed uit op te staan
en met die lewe aan te gaan.

Die lewe het my platgetrap,
heen en weer oor my gestap,
my stukkend in die stof gelaat
asof my menswees niemand baat.

Maar toe almal ver verby my loop
waar ek sit van my hoop gestroop,
toe vind 'n vreemdeling my daar
waar hy my langs die pad gewaar.

Hy buk en tel my uit die stof
selfs al was ek onbeskof,
en toe ek eindelik beter word,
bly hy sy liefde oor my stort.

Ek wonder wie’s die vreemde man,
wat is sy naam en wat sy van?
In wie se huis word mens so groot
dat jy ander raaksien in hul nood?

Sy naam klink soos die van jou en my,
dit was sy van wat my bybly,
want sy Vader was my God gewees
wat ek al die jare mis wou lees.

In die storie van die Samaritaan,
was ek die weldoener op sy baan,
nooit gedink ek kan die ‘victim’ wees,
dit altyd met arrogansie gelees.

Maar die dag toe die wêreld my trap,
my vriende wye kringe om my stap,
daai dag toe stuur ons Vader Sy kind,
en dis toe ek my Vader weer vind.

An original poem by Miekie (Marietjie Uys)

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:

You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

Intercession

Yesterday I sang a song
of counting blessings one by one,
and as the words with me still lingers,
I found I have clean run out of fingers.

There are so many things to praise You for
that I hesitate to ask for more,
but I have some friends who seem to lack
and I promised each I had their back.

So, let me bring these friends to You
without telling You what You should do,
but simply telling You about their plight
and the constant battles which they fight.

Father, there are stories of betrayal,
of lies and deceit, that makes me wail,
stories of violence and abuse
for which I find there’s no excuse.

Some of my friends are in such pain
that it could drive one quite insane -
their bodies, minds and spirits need
for me to promptly intercede.

Father, You have always answered me
and never ignored a single plea,
so I bring them to You wholly confident
that Your intervention will be evident.

An original poem by Miekie (Marietjie Uys)

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.

Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

Vadershulp

O Vader, hoor my hart!
Nader tot my in my smart.
U ken die seer in my gemoed
en ken die bron waarop dit voed.

O Vader, hoor my hart se pyn,
en gee dat dit ook sal verdwyn.
Maak my stukkend-wees weer heel
voor dit meer van my lewe steel.

O Vader, mense hou hul doof,
dink ek praat uit ongeloof,
hul weet nie dat ek steeds nog ly
en dat hierdie my steeds onderkry.

O Vader, net U kan my help,
uit hierdie ding wat my oorstelp.
Ek weet nie hoe om aan te gaan,
maar ek weet dat U altyd verstaan.

An original poem by Miekie (Marietjie Uys)

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.

Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
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Menslike feilbaarheid

O Heer, U bly tog so getrou
aan elkeen wat kom in berou
om van U genade af te smeek
met oë wat huil en hart wat breek.

U is so vinnig om ons te vergeef,
al gaan ons weer in sonde leef -
in liefde bly U glo en hoop
dat ons die regte pad sal loop.

Wanneer gaan U dan geduld verloor
en sê al ons kanse is nou oor,
hoe kan U elke keer weer glo
in ons menslike berou vertoë?

Ek dink nie ek sal ooit verstaan
wat in U Vadershart aangaan,
maar ek kom in diepe dankbaarheid
dat U genadig is met my swakheid.

An original poem by Miekie (Marietjie Uys)

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

Good morning, Lord

Sometimes I wonder where to start a prayer,
should I first check if You are there,
should I greet You formally,
or praise Your name abundantly?

I guess there will be rules somewhere
to judge what’s right and what is fair,
but I’m glad that I have not found those
for their ideas might just impose.

I think I’ll put this query to my heart,
about what to say, and where to start,
as my heart beats with endless love for You
and is sure to know what I should do.

Sometimes I’ll talk as to a Friend,
or a Father whose patience has no end,
sometimes I’ll revere You like a King,
and sometimes I’ll simply start to sing.

Whatever I do, and whatever I say,
whether like this, or in another way,
as long as I continue to talk to You,
it matters little what else I do.

An original poem by Miekie (Marietjie Uys)

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

Healing God

Father, I have some friends who are in fear,
desperate that should You draw near,
their bodies seem to falter and fail
and against this sickness I wish to rail.

Your Son took sickness to its death
when He breathed out His dying breath
but then He lived triumphantly,
as He rose from death to set us free.

Why should we still accept the pain
why should our bodies ache and wane?
I pray that You will heal them now,
and make their bodies whole somehow.

I praise You for all that You have done
and thank You for giving us Your Son,
for allowing Your Spirit to live in me
for letting us live triumphantly.

An original poem by Miekie (Marietjie Uys)

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

Jesus took the wheel

Today's poem is a testimony of an actual miracle that I was witness to a little more than a month ago, as I was travelling to my current destination, along with two other people. The driver, for lack of a sensible medical explanation, effectively passed out behind the wheel of the vehicle we were travelling in. The truck veered off the to right, and just as it started to tip into a roll, it would be brought back to the left of the road. This happened three times before I finally realized that the driver next to me had lost control of the vehicle. As I grabbed the steering wheel, I almost let go again, for it was so evident that it was already under Someone else's control.

You have been watching over me,
when there were things I could not see,
dangers that would lurk about,
smoldering embers, quickly put out

Yet, for what You did the other day
I can not find the words to say,
to express my heartfelt gratitude,
for Your protection, so astute

The car veered off the road that day
as it began to heave and sway,
but You held the steering wheel so tight
that I did not even get a fright

I could feel car regain control,
just as I thought it’d start to roll,
and as I grabbed a hold of the wheel,
You were already steering it, I could feel

Then it suddenly dawned on me
what You’d been trying to make me see
as we pulled away from the stop
and Your reassurances came non-stop

You told me that we would safely arrive,
that You would keep us all alive,
and I wondered why You were persisting
when I had no worries over this thing

Then, when the car rolled to a halt
and everyone wondered who was at fault,
I could only bring You heartfelt praise -
my Shepherd is with me, all of my days!

An original poem by Miekie (Marietjie Uys)

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

Consistent God

When oceans rush upon the shore,
as it has done for years before,
because You said it should be done,
then I know the battle has been won.

When I fretted, feared and faltered,
though Your word has never altered,
I wonder at my unbelief
and how it causes my own grief.

I should look upon the oceans more
to see where You have been before,
how You keep it going by Your might,
and take a lesson from this sight.

You’re my past, present and tomorrow,
You’ve stood by me through joy and sorrow,
and upon Your word I will rely
to keep me till the day I die.

An original poem by Miekie (Marietjie Uys)

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

God's holy name

Father, I would like to know -
where did all the good men go,
the ones who held You in revere,
the ones who spoke Your name with fear?

I hear men speaking all around,
but how I hate that dreadful sound,
for they use Your Godly name in vain,
and yet they seem to feel no shame.

Jesus is another name they use
in their rhetorical abuse,
and yet they seem oblivious
of how powerful that name is.

Sickness can not hold its ground
before the power of that sound,
demons too, pick up and flee
before the name that sets man free.

Not even death can hold its own
but is recorded to have flown
when Jesus’ name was spoken there
where all seemed lost and in despair.

My God! My God! how can it be
that man has no respect for Thee?
Our egos are disproportionate
to the small space in which we sit.

Allow me then to lift You high,
to sing Your praises to the sky,
and when no worshipers are found,
let Your name from me resound!

An original poem by Miekie (Marietjie Uys)

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

Ons Koning kom!

Op die wolke sal Hy kom
en Hy sal elke mens verstom
wanneer Hy weer terug sal keer
om in liefde te regeer.

Maar sy ryk is nie van hier,
Hy’s deur Sy Vader teruggestuur
om die gelowiges terug te vat
na 'n plek waar hul vry is van smart.

Op daardie dag sal almal juig
wat van Sy reddingskrag getuig,
gewillig, gereed om saam te gaan,
met Hom wat hul ken en reeds verstaan.

Ons Koning kom! Ons Koning kom!
Met redding vir die gans’ mensdom!
Dus, kry jou dink en doen nou reg,
dan neem Hy jou ook daai dag weg.

An original poem by Miekie (Marietjie Uys)

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

God's best

Why would I settle for anything less
than God’s perfect will and His very best?
No indeed! I will listen and do as He says
forsaking my own will to enter His rest.

I have opinions that are quite my own,
a strong will and mind directs where I go,
yet, in an instant I’ll forget all I’ve known
and follow a new course that He will show.

The lessons I’ve learned I can not deny,
in this relationship with my Father on high.
Sometimes I still wonder, and even ask why,
but the outcomes all seem to end in a contented sigh.

An original poem by Miekie (Marietjie Uys)

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

Prioriteite

Sorgeloos net soos 'n kind
het ek my aan die reënboog se punt bevind
ek het daar afgegly
en net daar gebly,
deur klatergoud totaal verblind.

Maar op 'n dag toe kry U my
waar ek aan die einde van die reënboog bly
en die dag toe U my daar vind,
toe is ek skielik nie meer blind,
maar van al die onbelang bevry.

An original poem by Miekie (Marietjie Uys)

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

Innerlike stryd

Vanoggend voel my menswees broos,
kom soek ek by my Vader troos
Ek het die hele nag weer rondgerol,
my lakens inmekaar getol.

Nes ek dink ek’s met dit klaar,
dan staan dit weer reusagtig daar
en dan begin ek weer te hoop -
ek dog ek is daarvan gestroop.

Moet ek hoop en moet ek glo,
of is hierdie ding dalk nie van bo?
Is dit iets wat ek eerder moet vermy,
iets wat my nog seerder sal laat kry?

Ek wens ek kon die antwoord weet,
moet ek onthou, of eerder vergeet
moet ek daarvoor bid, of eerder daarteen -
'n blik in die toekoms kan klaarheid verleen

My Vader staan buite plek en tyd
en by Hom is daar nie eensydigheid,
dus gee ek dit weereens aan Hom oor
en vra wat hou Sy wil vir my in stoor.

An original poem by Miekie (Marietjie Uys)

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

Karma or grace?

Do you live by karma or by grace? You need to choose, for the two are not reconcilable. Karma seeks retaliation. It seeks revenge. If I were to stretch Jesus' words out of context, I would even be able to find some sort of Biblical principle for it -

And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. Luke 6:31 NKJV

Why is this stretching Jesus' words out of context? Jesus did not say that as you do unto others, it will be done to you. He did not say, as others do to you, will it be done to them. What He said was that we get to set the standard that we ourselves live by. In a perfect system of sowing and reaping, it means that people will treat us likewise. Yet, perfection only exists in God. Mankind is fallible at best. Man is subject to misunderstandings, misinterpretations, emotional baggage, flawed reasoning, etc. Therefore, it doesn't follow that people will treat you the way you treat them. It merely means you set the standard for your own conduct. You have no control over the actions of others.

Let us examine another scripture that seemingly leans towards the principle of karma.

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. Galatians 6:7 NKJV

There is no law of nature at play here. Nor is it a law of the universe. There is simply the Godly principle of receiving the rewards for your own conduct. If you live a fleshly (worldly) life, you will reap corruption. If you live a spiritual life, you will reap everlasting life (Gal. 6:8). This too is then not a matter of karma. It is the principle of John 3:16-18

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (NKJV)

You either believe in Jesus and receive eternal life as a reward (sowing and reaping), or you don't believe in Jesus and die eternally as a result of your own unbelief (sewing and reaping).
This is not karma. This is not the universe/nature returning some fortune or misfortune unto you that you have caused in someone else's life. This is you determining the outcome of your own earthly life by the choice you make to believe in Jesus, or not. It goes no wider than this. It does not include anything else. It does not affect anything else. It is ONLY about believing in Jesus. It is important to understand this.
Many believers today live under the fear or bondage of what I shall loosely term Biblical karma. We take the above scriptures out of context and apply them to all aspects of life. This may have a sound humanitarian undertone, but it is not a Biblically sound teaching. What is at the root of such thinking? In essence, it implies that we can determine the outcome of our own lives. This is the birthplace for such thinking as, that if we do enough good deeds, we will certainly be rewarded by being allowed into heaven, and others like it. No such thing! Read John 3:16-18 again if you are uncertain about this. It is only faith in Christ Jesus that will result in eternal life. You can not save yourself.
This brings me to the topic of grace. Grace is undeserved favour. It is being forgiven without having done anything to deserve it. This is in direct contrast to karma, which holds that we are rewarded according the good or bad that we do in this life already. Grace has nothing to do with the next person - it is solely between yourself and God. You can not hide behind the worse deeds of others, or your own good deeds. Grace does not have space to hide. It only has space to forgive. God can not forgive you if you are hiding behind something or someone else. You need to stand before Him, stripped of all your excuses, in your own guilt, to accept His forgiveness. This grace and forgiveness can only be found in Jesus.
Why is it important to realize that grace is only between yourself and God? Because it means that another relationship can exist between God and your enemy - and this can also be a relationship of grace. Karma begs for retaliation on our enemies. Grace allows for mercy and forgiveness.
I want to remind you of Jesus' words in Matthew 6:14-15

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (NKJV)

If we are going to hold grudges against others, our just and fair God will have to hold our own guilt against us. If we forgive, then we make it possible for God to exercise grace and to forgive us - as is His will to do.
Let us examine justice. Can God be called just and righteous and fair if He is willing to forgive all kinds of wrongdoing? Yes! For it would be unjust and having a double standard if His forgiveness were only for an elect set of trespasses, or an elect few. Instead, it covers all sin and every person.
You need to come into right standing with God, if you still hold something against another person. God is good and merciful and just. He will forgive you - if you are willing to do the same to others.

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

Repeated Prayer

My Father God, come hear my plea
take heed to what You hear and see,
I have no new request to bring
but merely the same repeated thing
that I have brought to You before,
but I need to bring it here once more.

I know that You have heard my prayer,
so in a sense it seems unfair
that I should harp upon it still,
if I already know Your will,
but Lord, my heart still aches with pain
and that is why I’m here again.

I know You do not mind my being here,
that You hold my every heartbeat dear,
and I find such comfort in Your care;
Your presence gives me strength to bear
the time between answer and request
while I wait for Your very best.

An original poem by Miekie (Marietjie Uys)

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

Abandoning the name of Christ

During the first half of my life, if someone had asked me if I was a Christian, I would proudly have answered in the affirmative, possibly even using the words 'of course' to reinforce the certainty with which I was willing to confess my allegiance to this group. These days, when I'm asked that question, I flinch. It is not that I have become ashamed of Christ, or that I have abandoned my faith. Not at all! If anything, I am even more firmly settled in my belief in God the Father, Christ, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. I flinch, because of the stigma that surrounds the word Christian.
I want to interrupt my own train of thought here to first take a look at the meanings of the words Christ and Christian.  Christ comes from the Greek word Kristos which means 'anointed one' or 'chosen one'. This term is used to refer to Jesus, the Son of God, anointed and chosen by the Father as the last sacrificial Lamb that would bring about a restored relationship between God and mankind. This was achieved through His death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave, by which He has made atonement for all of our sins, bringing forgiveness about.
The word Christian is also taken from the Greek Kristen, and simply refers to a follower of Christ, someone who believes in Jesus, as He personifies what I summarized in a nutshell above. It is therefore a word which associates us with Christ. More than that, this word also entails that, on a lesser scale, we too have been anointed by God and have been chosen to do His will.
This is why it hurts me in the core of my being when my knee-jerk reaction to being called a Christian, is to flinch. I am not ashamed of being associated with Jesus Christ. I also know that I have been selected and anointed to do God's will, as has every other believer in the history of the world.
What makes me flinch is the mud that has been caked around the name of Christ through the abuse of that name by Christians. We have essentially taken the gospel of the good news of Jesus and rolled with it in the mud. We have trampled it, abused it, used it for our own gain, used it to abuse others (be they fellow believers or not), we have hidden our dark works behind the facade of religion and honesty and in the process we have made Christ the laughing stock of the world. We have stripped Him of His holiness. We have stripped Him of His miracle working power. We have made Him a cheap byword in the eyes of the world.
Today Christians, or should I rather choose to use the word believers, will openly shirk and tell you that they do not believe in miracles anymore. They do not practice the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as this is off-putting to society. Faith and religion has a time and a place, and should certainly not interfere with daily life!
Earlier this week I was at table with a new acquaintance at a small party when she piped up about a friend she has at home who would start preaching to anyone within earshot at social gatherings, making them feel guilty and dampening the party spirit. When this was directed at the woman at the table, she asked the 'preacher' if she believed in extraterrestrial life. She answered in the negative. This woman, in her own self-proclaimed witty wisdom, then responded by quoting from the Bible where Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for us and that He would return to fetch us when this was ready. She concluded by asking how this 'preacher' then could not believe in extraterrestrial life. This was a good joke around the table.
I did not laugh. I had heard of this before, though I had hoped I would never be witness to it myself. When the scribes and Pharisees in the times of the Gospels, wanted to trick Jesus, they also came at Him with God's written word, twisting it to suit their own purpose. Is this what Christianity has come to? Shame on us!
This past Sunday I was listening to Angus Buchan talking on the television. Even though this was not the topic of his sermon, he too mentioned in passing how he shirks at being called a Christian these days. Perhaps the table conversation the previous evening, along with this remark by Angus, is what prompted the writing of this blog. I don't know. All I know, is that it is overdue in saying.
I do not think we should abandon the name of Christ. I do not think we should step away from the word Christian, disassociating ourselves with it. I think we should make a point of restoring it to what we had inherited from the first believers, the first Christians.
God is the same, yesterday, today and forever. Neither the Father, nor Jesus, nor the Holy Spirit has changed one iota. If God worked miracles through the first believers, He still can and will work it through us today. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are as relevant and applicable today, as ever! We are still chosen by the Father, through His Son Jesus Christ, and anointed with the Holy Spirit to work miracles and signs and wonders in the world today.
It is time for us Christians to step up to the plate and to show our fellow believers who God really is. Not to mention, clearing the weeds from the good seeds in the community of Christians. We should hold each other accountable. We should live transparent lives where we cannot hide dark works behind a facade of Christianity. Frankly, if what we say dampens the mood of the party spirit, we are entertaining the wrong spirit anyway! We should reintroduce people to the fellowship and anointing of the Holy Spirit of God!

This article by no means attempts to criticize Angus Buchan for what he said - it was much rather written from a place of compassion, for as I've said, I have shared those same sentiments and will continue to do so, until the wrongs have been put right.

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
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