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Showing posts from September, 2014

Wash Each Other’s Feet (Part 2)

John 13 (NIV) 12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. Feet represent the lowest point of person’s life, those places in one’s heart which are hidden from everyone’s view. In order to be able to engage with these points in someone’s life there is a certain state of heart and mind which we need to embrace. 1) Stooping down to people’s feet requires for you to first stoop in your heart Eve

Wash Each Other’s Feet (Part 1)

John 13 (NIV) 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him… 12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if

Heritage Day 24 September 2014

Today is South Africa's Heritage Day. Some might have lost the meaning behind the day as it has been taken and popularised as National Braai Day. "On Heritage day all are encouraged to celebrate their cultural traditions in the wider context of the great diversity of cultures, beliefs, and traditions that make up the nation of South Africa"(SA History). The celebration of this day got me thinking and reflecting on our collective heritage as Christians. Ephesians 2:11-22 NIV Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.   For he himself is our peace, who

Heart, Head and Hands (3H)

Man was made in God's image and likeness. He is therefore a triune being. Man is a spirit, he has a soul and he lives in a body. Man is spirit God knew you before you were formed in your mothers womb because you started off as a spirit man before the body was formed (Psalm 139:13-16). Just as Jeremiah  was told he had been appointed a prophet even before he was born (Jeremiah 1:5), the days laid out for a person's life are set apart by God (Psalm 139:16). Embracing this understanding will help parents to understand the instruction to '...train up a child in the way he should go, so that when he grows he will not depart from it' (Proverbs 22:6). This instruction brings out how each individual has a particular bent i.e. how they are gifted, wired and structure; also they have a unique purpose which they are meant to fulfill here on earth. Man has a soul The soul is the seat of the human will, emotions and thoughts. The will is the rudder by which a man's sou

Uphill walk (Maclear, Eastern Cape)

[Post from 30/07/2014] Being away from home and not having much to do after field work, I decided to take a walk in the surrounding neighborhood in which the BnB I'm staying in is located. I had intended to do a short trek as I had done the previous day. I however ended up taking a longer route which actually involved a number of inclines- given the hilly nature of th e area. This was just after 17h30 going on to 18h00 and it was getting dark. As I was making my way up the second (and steepest of the 3) incline, I saw an old woman in her late fifties to early sixties walking slowly up the hill in evident pain. To top it up she was holding a lot of small pieces of luggage. I stopped and asked her where she was going and she said "isibedlele" in reference to the hospital which was at the top of the hill. I asked her if I could help her and I took the bags and started walking up the hill with her. Because I had been walking at a fast pace I only realise