I remember hearing this contemporary hymn, "Tomorrow", for the first time as a young girl. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB_xxO0jBBI )

 

Jesus said, "Here I stand, Won't you please let me in"

And you said, "I will tomorrow"

Jesus said, "I am He, Who supplies all your needs"

And you said, "I know but tomorrow"

 

[Chorus]
… I'll give my life tomorrow, I thought about today, But it's so much easier to say

Tomorrow, Who promised you tomorrow, Better choose the Lord today

For tomorrow very well might be too late

 

Jesus came to dwell among humanity as a stunning reversal to what happened in the Garden of Eden. And he paid the ultimate price: humanity killed him.

 

As we have seen, some who heralded his coming, or loved him during his earthly sojourn, were confronted with suffering, isolation, hardship, etc.

 

Those who answer the call to “Follow Me” today, have to count the cost. This generation, too, will endure hardship and perhaps persecution. Until Jesus' Second Coming, he has sent his Counsellor, the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth. "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 1:13)

 

His Shekinah glory as we have come to understand has not been absent; fire is also a symbol of the Holy Spirit. As I said right in the beginning, we are not alone. God truly is with us – no matter what. We can, indeed, face tomorrow.

 

"Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, Because He lives, all fear is gone

Because I know He holds the future, And life is worth the living, Just because He lives."

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPW9xYEyijQ&list=RDoPW9xYEyijQ&start_radio=1)

 

If you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, please don’t wait until tomorrow to read about Jesus in the Scriptures.

 

The late Nabeel Qureshi, a former Muslim, put it like this, “It is worth all suffering to receive this truth and follow him. God is more beautiful than this life itself, and the one who loves him is ready to die when death comes, not just to glorify him but to hasten to his arms. Though we will die, we will live.”

 

May God find us worshipping the King of kings, glorifying the name higher than any other name. Let us consider just "How Great is our God", the God who wipes away our tears.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlILURVJ5NE&list=RDGMEMMib4QpREwENw3_jAc0YgNw&start_radio=1)

 

Prayer: We are privileged to have a relationship with the God of the universe. Grant us the strength to glorify your name every day, Lord. Amen.

 

Hy sal al die trane van hulle oë afdroog. Die dood sal daar nie meer wees nie. Ook leed, smart en pyn sal daar nie meer wees nie. Die dinge van vroeër het verbygegaan.” Openbaring 21:4, 1983-vertaling

Ek onthou dat ek die hedendaagse gospellied, "Tomorrow", vir die eerste keer as 'n jong meisie gehoor het. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB_xxO0jBBI)

 

"Jesus said, "Here I stand, Won't you please let me in"

And you said, "I will tomorrow"

Jesus said, "I am He, Who supplies all your needs"

And you said, "I know but tomorrow"

 

[Koor]:

I'll give my life tomorrow, I thought about today, But it's so much easier to say

Tomorrow, Who promised you tomorrow, Better choose the Lord today

For tomorrow very well might be too late."

 

Jesus het onder die mensdom kom woon – 'n treffende ommekeer van dit wat in die Paradys gebeur het. En Hy het die hoogste prys betaal: die mensdom het Hom doodgemaak.

 

Soos ons gesien het, is sommige mense wat sy koms aangekondig het, of hom tydens sy aardse lewe liefgehad het, met lyding, isolasie en ontberings gekonfronteer.

 

Diegene wat vandag antwoord op sy roepstem "Volg My" moet ook die koste bereken. Hierdie geslag sal ook ontberings en miskien vervolging beleef. Tot met sy wederkoms het Hy sy Raadgewer, die Heilige Gees gestuur om ons in alle waarheid te lei. "Deur Christus het ook julle deel geword van die volk van God toe julle die waarheid wat aan julle verkondig is, die evangelie van julle verlossing, gehoor en tot geloof gekom het. In Christus het die Heilige Gees wat deur God belowe is, julle as die eiendom van God beseël." (Efesiërs 1:13)

 

Die sigbare heerlikheid van God (Shekinah-heerlikheid) is nie afwesig nie; vuur is ook 'n simbool van die Heilige Gees. Soos ek reg aan die begin van hierdie reeks gesê het, ons is nie alleen nie. God is werklik by ons – maak nie saak wat gebeur nie. Ons kan inderdaad kans sien vir môre.

 

"Omdat Hy leef, sien ek kans vir more

Omdat Hy leef is daar geen vrees

Omdat ek weet, ja ek weet Hy hou die toekoms, is die lewe nou die moeite werd

Omdat Hy leef." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-hzVQ1s2jk)

 

As jy nie Jesus as jou Heer en Verlosser ken nie, moet asseblief nie tot môre wag om meer oor Hom in die Bybel te lees nie.

 

Wyle Nabeel Qureshi, 'n bekeerde Moslem, het gesê: "Alle lyding is die moeite werd om hierdie waarheid te ontvang en Hom te volg. God is mooier as die lewe self, en die een wat Hom liefhet is gereed om te sterf wanneer die dood kom, nie net om God te verheerlik nie, maar om hom na God se arms te haas. Al sterf ons, sal ons leef." [Vry vertaal]

 

Mag God vind dat ons die Koning van alle konings aanbid en die Naam bo alle name verheerlik. Kom ons dink na oor hoe groot ons God is, die God wat al die trane sal afdroog.

 

Gebed: Here, hoe bevoorreg is ons nie om 'n verhouding met die God van die heelal te hê nie. Gee aan ons die krag om u Naam elke dag te verheerlik. Amen