Lydenstyd-oordenkings - 20 Maart 2010

Nadat Jesus dit gesê het, het Hy na die hemel toe opgekyk en gesê:

"Vader, die tyd het gekom. Verheerlik u Seun, sodat die Seun U kan verheerlik.
U het Hom immers die volmag oor die hele mensdom gegee om aan almal wat U Hom gegee het, die ewige lewe te gee. En dit is die ewige lewe: dat hulle U ken, die enigste ware God, en Jesus Christus, wat deur U gestuur is. Ek het U op die aarde verheerlik deur die werk te volbring wat U My gegee het om te doen."

Joh 17:1-4 (NAV)

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

"Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do."

John 17:1-4 (NIV)

Gods Heart

What does it mean to live in the world with a truly compassionate heart, a heart that remains open to all people at all times? It is very important to realize that compassion is more than sympathy or empathy. When we are asked to listen to the pains of people and empathies with their suffering, we soon reach our emotional limits. We can listen only for a short time and only to a few people. In our society we are bombarded with so much ‘news' about human misery that our hearts easily get numbed simply because of overload.

But Gods compassionate Heart does not have limits. Gods Heart is greater, infinitely greater, than the human heart. It is that divine heart that God wants to give to us so that we can love all people without burning out or becoming numb.

It is for this compassionate heart when we pray when we say: "a pure heart create for me, O God, put a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, nor deprive me of Your Holy Spirit" (Ps 51).

The Holy Spirit of God is given to us so that we may become participants in Gods compassion and so reach out to all people at all times with Gods Heart.

Henri Nouwen