Stay with us Lord‚
because it is becoming evening
and the day is almost over.
Stay with us and with all people.
Stay with us in the evening of the day‚
in the evening of life‚
in the evening of this world.
Stay with us
during nights of sadness and fear‚
nights of doubt and temptation‚
nights of bitter death.
Stay with us
and with all your other children
in time and eternity.
amen

——————————————————————–

Bly by ons Heer‚
want dit wil aand word
en die dag is byna verby.
Bly by ons en by alle mense.
Bly by ons in die aand van die dag‚
in die aand van die lewe‚
in die aand van hierdie wêreld.
Bly by ons
ook in die nag van droefheid en vrees‚
die nag van twyfel en aanvegting‚
die nag van bittere dood.
Bly by ons
en by al u ander kinders
in tyd en ewigheid.
amen
Ou Nederlandse kerkgebed

Here‚
wanneer alles rondom my woestyn word
en dit nie meer help om te huil nie …
hoor U my.
Wanneer U sien hoe alles voor my doodgeloop het‚
hoe dit doodgegaan het binne-in my …
dan is dit U wat op die regte tyd
’n nuwe pad voor my oopstoot
sodat ek kan uitkom uit my vasgeloopte situasie.
Dan buk U af‚
en red my onder my besembos uit‚
in ’n nuwe lewe in.
amen

—————————————————————-

Lord‚
when everything around me has become a desert
and it makes no more different to cry …
you hear me.
When you see who everything in front of me has reached a dead end‚
how everything died within me …
then it is you who open a new path for me
at your right time
so that I can leave behind my stranded situation.
Then you bow down‚
and save me from my broom bush‚
into a new life.
amen
Barend Vos

Christ Jesus‚ our Lord‚
in dark times
when we are so aware of our weaknesses –
give us the knowledge of the presence
of your love and comfort.
Give us perfect trust
in your protective proximity
your life-giving strength –
so that nothing will concern or scare us‚
because you have opened our eyes to see that
your hand‚
your goal‚
your perfect will
are behind everything that occurs.
amen

———————————————————

Christus Jesus‚ ons Here‚
gee ons tog in donker tye
wanneer ons so bewus is van ons swakheid –
die wete van u teenwoordigheid‚
van u liefde en u troos.
Gee ons volkome vertroue
in u beskermende nabyheid
u lewegewende krag –
sodat niks ons sal bekommer of bang maak nie‚
omdat u ons oë open om te sien:
u hand‚
u doel‚
u volmaakte wil
is aan die werk agter alles wat gebeur.
amen
Ignatius van Loyola

Our heavenly Father‚
You who have given us love‚
a love we don’t deserve‚
and who suffered so bitterly on the cross –
help me to never‚ ever again
respond to your love
with a cold shoulder
of little pieces of scrimped time‚
or a bit of lukewarm love.
You have given everything.
You deserve my everything.
amen

————————————————————

Ons hemelse Vader‚
U wat uit liefde vir ons‚
liefde wat ons nooit een dag verdien nie‚
so bitter aan die kruis gely het –
help my om nooit‚ nooit weer
u liefde te beantwoord
met ’n koue skouer
of stukkies afgeknypte tyd‚
of bietjies louwarm liefde nie.
U het alles gegee.
U verdien my alles.
amen
Uit: Gebedeboek vir die lewe (Lux Verbi.BM)

Moerbeibome (figuurlik gesproke) is nie daar sodat jy om hulle moet loop nie‚ maar hulle is daar sodat hulle ontwortel en in die see geplant kan word. “Ek is tot alles in staat deur Jesus Christus wat my die krag gee” sê Paulus. Dit moet jy hom kan nasê‚ want dit wil God opnuut aan jou bevestig. Dink mooi‚ kan jy nog sê dat iets vir jou onmoontlik is? Staan op en jubel en skreeu‚ met my God spring ek oor ’n muur‚ met Hom storm ek ’n leërbende aan.

Jy kan nooit te veel van geloof verwag nie.

——————————————–

Mulberry trees (figuratively speaking) are not there so that you walk around them. They are there so that they can be uprooted and planted in the sea. Paul says that he is capable of anything through Jesus Christ who gives him strength. We must emulate that because God wants to confirm it again. Think carefully‚ can you still say that something is impossible to you? Get up and shout that with God you can jump over a wall‚ with Him you can storm an army.

We can never expect too much of faith.

If only my lips could sing as many songs of praise
as there are waves in the sea …
If only my tongue could speak as many words of gratitude
as there are birds in the air …
If my mouth could fill the heavens with honour to you …
If my face could shine
like the sun and the moon together …
if I could stretch out my hands towards you
like a flight of an eagle in the air‚
and my feet could jump over mountains
like a buck over the crags …
it would be insufficient to express
the honour I want to bestow upon you.
O Lord‚ Lord‚ my indescribably great God!
amen

——————————————————————————–

As my lippe maar soveel lofliedere kon sing
soos daar golwe in die see is …
as my tong maar soveel woorde van dank kan spreek
as wat daar voëls in die lug is …
as my mond die sterrehemel kon vul met eer aan U …
as my gesig kon skyn
soos die son en die maan tesame …
as my hande na U kon uitstrek
soos die vlug van ’n arend in die lug‚
en my voete oor die berge kon spring
soos ’n klipbok oor die kranse …
sou dít nie genoeg wees om uiting te gee
aan die hulde wat ek aan U wil bring nie.
O Here‚ Here‚ my onbeskryflik grote God!
amen
(Uit: Die Groot Gebedeboek – Lux Verbi (BM)

You have one of two possibilities: You either allow your fear and doubt to engulf you. You will then only sink deeper and deeper into it – like in quicksand. Or you could call to God in your fear and doubt. The Bible assures you that God has not forsaken you even if it feels like it. Never depend on your feelings or experiences. You may call. He is close to you. By his spirit‚ He lives inside you. He will hear. He will awaken your doubting trust in Him so that you too‚ even in your doubting‚ will call out: I trust in God – even if I still doubt! And the miracle is that He gives the gift of faith through the Holy Spirit to enable us to hold on to Him even in our deepest darkness of doubting. We will then be sure: He will hold us even if we do start doubting again‚ because He is a safe haven; an eternal rock.

——————————————————————————-

Jy het een van twee moontlikhede: jy kan toelaat dat jou angs en vertwyfeling jou oorweldig. Dan gaan jy net dieper daarin wegsink – soos in dryfsand. Of jy kan in jou angs en vertwyfeling tot God roep. Die Bybel verseker jou dat God jou nie verlaat het nie‚ al voel dit vir jou ook so. Jy mag nooit op jou gevoel of ervaring staatmaak nie. Jy kan maar roep. Hy is naby jou. Deur sy Gees is Hy in jou. Hy sal jou hoor. Hy sal jou twyfelende vertroue in Hom weer lewend maak sodat ook jy‚ selfs in jou vertwyfeling‚ sal uitroep. Ek vertrou God – al twyfel ek steeds! En die wonder is dat Hy deur die Heilige Gees aan ons die gawe van die geloof gee om Hom in ons diepste vertwyfeling vas te gryp. Dan kan ons seker wees: Hy sal ons vashou‚ al sou ons weer in twyfel verval‚ want Hy is ’n veilige toevlug; ’n ewige rots.

The Lord is the everlasting God‚
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary‚
And his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
And increases the power of the weak.”
(Isaiah 40: 28-29)

——————————————–

“Die Here is die ewige God‚
Skepper van die hele aarde.
Hy word nie moeg nie‚
Hy raak nie afgemat nie
en sy insig is ondeurgrondelik.
Hy gee die vermoeides krag‚
Hy versterk dié wat nie meer kan nie.”
(Jes. 40:28-29)

In Jesaja 45:17 word aan die adres van mense wat die Here daarvan beskuldig dat Hy wegkruipertjie speel‚ hierdie belofte van troos gegee:

“… Israel word deur die Here gered
met ’n blywende redding.
Hulle sal nie verleë staan nie
en nooit teleurgestel word nie.”

Here‚ baie dankie dat u gewone mense gebruik
om u nabyheid aan ons te demonstreer.
Here‚ baie dankie dat U my daaraan herinner het
dat U nie net vandag nie‚
maar elke dag by my is
selfs nader as ’n vriend‚
nader as my vel.
amen

————————————————————————————-

Lord‚ thank you for using common people
to demonstrate how close you are to us.
Lord‚ thank you for reminding me
that you are with me‚ not only today
but every day
even closer than a friend
closer than my skin.
amen
Edwin Hatch

Vader‚ ek vra dat U die laaste ses maande
van hierdie jaar
ook vir my sinvol maak.
Gee my die insig om elke situasie te kan hanteer.
Bewaar my van hoogmoed en eersug.
Hou my ’n eg nederige mens
sonder aangeplakte vroomheid en skynheiligheid.
Laat u werk nie deur my toedoen skade ly nie.
Mag ek vir niemand ’n struikelblok wees nie.
Laat my naby aan U leef‚ Here.
amen

————————————————————————-

Father‚ I ask that you make the last six months
of this year
meaningful to me.
Give me insight to deal with each situation.
Prevent pride and ambition in me.
Keep me a truly humble person
without feigned piety or hypocrisy.
Prevent me from being damaging to your work.
Prevent me from being a stumbling block.
Let me live close to you‚ Lord.
amen
Ferdinand Deist