Mennesker bedømmer hinanden efter det ydre, men Herren ser på hjertet.
1. Samuel 16:7
Hvad så med en mand som Moses? Da Moses mødte Gud i den brændende busk, værgede han sig hele 5 gange, inden han adlyd Gud og gik til Farao. Han undskyldte sig med, at han ikke kunne tale (2. Mosebog kap. 3 & 4) , og spurgte, hvem han var, at han dog skulle kunne stille sig op sådan foran Farao? Men Gud holdt fast, og lovede at være med ham, give ham tegn og undere med, samt lægge ord i hans mund, og til sidst sender han Aaron til Moses som en hjælp. I mødet med den ubeslutsomme Farao oplever han mystiske undere - staven bliver til en slange, vandet til blod, og hele 10 plager ramte Egypten, inden Moses fil lov til at tage sit folk med ud af Egypten og slaveriet.
Gud ser på hjertet.
Og ser vi på Peter, den klippe, Jesus valgte at bygge sin kirke på, burde det efterhånden ikke komme som en overraskelse for os, at også han havde fejl og mangler. Her op til den kommende højtid kommer vi ikke udenom historien om Peter, der fornægter Jesus hele 3 gange på samme nat. Historien, der starter med en viljestærk Peter, der dramatisk erklærer, at om så alle andre svigter, vil han aldrig svigte sin herre og bedste ven. Han er parat til at gå i døden for Jesus! Han går så vidt at hugge et øre af i et forsøg på at forsvare Jesus.
Alligevel svigter han. Hvad mon han ikke selv tænkte, da hanen galede, og det gik op for ham, hvad han havde gjort? Mon ikke han blev overvældet af sorg og smerte? Fiasko og nederlag?
Gud ser på hjertet.
Det lyder meget genkendeligt for mange af os, tror jeg. Fulde af overbevisning om vores egen formåen, kaster vi os begejstret ud i livet - men vender jævnligt tilbage såret, nedtrykt, overvældet af fiasko.
Gud ser på hjertet.
Jeg tror Peter var sønderknust. Hans hjerte var bristet over hans egen fejhed. Men mødt af Jesu kærlighed fandt han styrken til at rejse sig igen.
Måske blev hans brudthed nøglen til hans storhed.
Brudt, sønderknust, ulykkelig – i denne tilstand var Peter ribbet for enhver falsk forestilling eller fremstilling af sig selv. Her var han nøgen, sårbar og helt sig selv.
Når vi rammer bunden – når vi befinder os i lignende tilstande, befinder vi os det samme sted som både Peter, David og Moses. Vi får et valg, et spørgsmål - ”elsker du mig?” spørger Jesus, når han møder Peter på strandbredden efter hans opstandelse (Joh. Ev. 21:15-19)
Samtidig tror jeg, at han spørger ”Er det nu, du er parat til at lade mig komme til?
Samtidig tror jeg, at han spørger ”Er det nu, du er parat til at lade mig komme til?
Må jeg helbrede dig? Må jeg trøste dig? Må jeg tørre dine tåre? Må jeg løfte din byrde?”
David fejlede. Moses led af dårligt selvværd, og Peter var hidsig og svigtede. Men alle 3 tog imod det, Gud kaldte dem til. Alle 3 tog imod den hånd, Gud rakte dem, og den kærlighed, han tilbød. Alle 3 blev til så meget mere, netop fordi de tog imod Guds kærlighed til dem.
Gud ser på hjertet. Vil du lade ham se på dit?
People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7
That is what we read in the story of Samuel's quest and the anointing of Israel's future king - a young, ruddy boy, the youngest in a family of large, strong brothers. David's father did not consider David to be something special, therefore he was not called in when Samuel asked to see all the boys. But every time he looked at a new, powerful and impressive young man, God said no.Why?God looks at the heart.
It should come as no surprise that God looks for other qualities than humans do.Yet we are often surprised that God chooses as he does. Samuel would not have chosen David if God had not told him to. And we all know what subsequently happened - he defeated Goliath with a slingshot and a stone, he became well liked by the reigning king and assumed the throne at last. He had the people's goodwill and was a loved, capable and powerful king.God looks at the heart.
But he also had deficiencies. He lacked willpower every now and then, and showed a lack of sound discernment. He fell into lust, committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband murdered. All this, David was guilty of, and yet he was described as a man after God's own heart.God looks at the heart.
What about a man like Moses? When Moses met God in the burning bush, he defended himself as much as 5 times before obeying God and going to Pharaoh. He excused himself by saying that he could not speak (Exodus chapter 3 & 4), and asked who he was that he could stand up to a man like Pharaoh? But God insisted and promised to be with him, provide him with signs and wonders, and to put words in his mouth, and finally he sends Aaron to Moses as a help. In the meeting with the indecisive Pharaoh he experiences mystical wonders - the staff turns into a snake, the water to blood, and 10 plagues hit Egypt before Moses is finally allowed to take his people out of Egypt and slavery.God looks at the heart.
And as we look at Peter, the rock on whom Jesus chose to build his church, it should most certainly not come as a surprise to us that he also had deficiencies. With easter coming now, there is hardly no way around the story of Peter denying Jesus 3 times on the same night. The story that begins with a strong-willed Peter, who dramatically declares that even if everyone else fails, he will never betray his master and best friend. He is willing to die for Jesus! He goes as far as to chop an ear off in an attempt to defend Jesus.Yet he fails. I wonder what he thought when the cock crowed, and it dawned on him what he had done? Surely he was overwhelmed by grief and pain? Failure and defeat?God looks at the heart.
It probably sounds very familiar to many of us, I think. Full of conviction about our own abilities, we throw ourselves enthusiastically into the bustle of life - but we often return hurt, depressed, overwhelmed by failure.God looks at the heart.
I think Peter was devastated. His heart was broken over his own cowardice. But in the presence of Jesus' love, he found the strength to rise again.
Perhaps his brokenness was the key to his greatness.
Broken, heartbroken, unhappy - in this mode, Peter was stripped of any false pretense or image of himself. He was naked, vulnerable and completely himself.When we hit rock bottom - when we find ourselves in similar situations, we are in the same place as both Peter, David and Moses. We are given a choice, a question - "do you love me?" as Jesus asked when he meets Peter on the shore after his resurrection (John 21:15-19) At the same time I think he is asking "Are you ready now to let me come in?
Shall I heal you? May I comfort you? May I wipe your tears? May I lift your burden? "
David failed. Moses suffered from poor self-esteem, and Peter was angry and he betrayed his best friend. However, all 3 accepted what God called them to. All 3 took hold of the hand that God gave them and the love he offered. All 3 became so much more, precisely because they accepted God's love for them.God looks at the heart. Will you let him look at yours?
It should come as no surprise that God looks for other qualities than humans do.Yet we are often surprised that God chooses as he does. Samuel would not have chosen David if God had not told him to. And we all know what subsequently happened - he defeated Goliath with a slingshot and a stone, he became well liked by the reigning king and assumed the throne at last. He had the people's goodwill and was a loved, capable and powerful king.God looks at the heart.
But he also had deficiencies. He lacked willpower every now and then, and showed a lack of sound discernment. He fell into lust, committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband murdered. All this, David was guilty of, and yet he was described as a man after God's own heart.God looks at the heart.
What about a man like Moses? When Moses met God in the burning bush, he defended himself as much as 5 times before obeying God and going to Pharaoh. He excused himself by saying that he could not speak (Exodus chapter 3 & 4), and asked who he was that he could stand up to a man like Pharaoh? But God insisted and promised to be with him, provide him with signs and wonders, and to put words in his mouth, and finally he sends Aaron to Moses as a help. In the meeting with the indecisive Pharaoh he experiences mystical wonders - the staff turns into a snake, the water to blood, and 10 plagues hit Egypt before Moses is finally allowed to take his people out of Egypt and slavery.God looks at the heart.
And as we look at Peter, the rock on whom Jesus chose to build his church, it should most certainly not come as a surprise to us that he also had deficiencies. With easter coming now, there is hardly no way around the story of Peter denying Jesus 3 times on the same night. The story that begins with a strong-willed Peter, who dramatically declares that even if everyone else fails, he will never betray his master and best friend. He is willing to die for Jesus! He goes as far as to chop an ear off in an attempt to defend Jesus.Yet he fails. I wonder what he thought when the cock crowed, and it dawned on him what he had done? Surely he was overwhelmed by grief and pain? Failure and defeat?God looks at the heart.
It probably sounds very familiar to many of us, I think. Full of conviction about our own abilities, we throw ourselves enthusiastically into the bustle of life - but we often return hurt, depressed, overwhelmed by failure.God looks at the heart.
I think Peter was devastated. His heart was broken over his own cowardice. But in the presence of Jesus' love, he found the strength to rise again.
Perhaps his brokenness was the key to his greatness.
Broken, heartbroken, unhappy - in this mode, Peter was stripped of any false pretense or image of himself. He was naked, vulnerable and completely himself.When we hit rock bottom - when we find ourselves in similar situations, we are in the same place as both Peter, David and Moses. We are given a choice, a question - "do you love me?" as Jesus asked when he meets Peter on the shore after his resurrection (John 21:15-19) At the same time I think he is asking "Are you ready now to let me come in?
Shall I heal you? May I comfort you? May I wipe your tears? May I lift your burden? "
David failed. Moses suffered from poor self-esteem, and Peter was angry and he betrayed his best friend. However, all 3 accepted what God called them to. All 3 took hold of the hand that God gave them and the love he offered. All 3 became so much more, precisely because they accepted God's love for them.God looks at the heart. Will you let him look at yours?
