Tag: trust

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Roots

Lesedauer 3 Minuten

The roots of a tree cannot be seen, but they are of the greatest importance for growth and prosperity. The roots are the solid foundation on which the tree stands, the foundation. A whole network is formed that spreads deeper and deeper in several directions underground. , When I go for a walk in the forest I see a lot of huge, big trees. Many are strong and steadfast in any weather. Storm, hot or cold weather, cannot harm them, nothing can bring them down so quickly. To be so strong, the tree needs deep roots that extend far into the earth. Through these roots, it absorbs the nutrients and water that it needs to grow.

When I transfer that to my life, I realize how important are the roots in which I am founded . Just as the roots of the tree form more and more branches over time, so it is in my life.

Where am i rooted What holds me?

  • The environment – the place where I grew up and the place where I live today
  • my parents’ house, my family values ​​that i learned, positive and negative experiences
  • my family, husband, children
  • Relationships
  • Experiences I’ve had
  • faith in God – be at home in God
  • spiritual family

It is important and very helpful and instructive for me to take a closer look at where I took root in my life. In this way I can get to know myself better, understand my own behavior and thinking patterns, let go of what is not good and stretch myself out and go deeper, like the roots of the tree, and thereby continue to grow and produce new fruit.

I personally want to habe my roots more and more in the love of God, a love that exceeds everything. A love that is so profound that I can go deeper in it all my life and yet I will never fully understand it. I am protected and anchored in his love. It guides me through every storm . I want to keep growing towards him, his presence is my home, where I am safe. I am not a single root, but a network of roots together with my brothers and sisters. In his love we are a community and together we are strong. As soon as a forest consists of several trees that strengthen each other, we also need each other.

Ulrike Nägele

Bibelverses:

“You believe in the message that has been announced to you and have placed yourself under Jesus Christ as the Lord. That is why all your behavior should be directed at him! Be rooted in him, build your life on him do not let go  from what you have been taught. You cannot thank Him enough for what God has given you! —Colossians 2: 6-7 “

” So that Christ may have his place in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and based in love, may have strength to see with all the saints how wide and long and high and deep it is, and to have knowledge of the love of Christ which is outside all knowledge, so that you may be made complete as God himself is complete. Now to him who is able to do in full measure more than all our desires or thoughts, through the power which is working in us. To him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations for ever and ever. So be it.”

Poem by Herrmann Traub:

I want to be as strong as a tree.
  Nothing should knock me down so quickly
  what gets in my way.
  I want to be as firm as a tree.
  Nothing should put me off so quickly
  from my decisions.
  Much stronger than a tree
  can be your trust.
  Much firmer than a tree
  can be your decisions
  if you rely on the Lord
  who made heaven and earth.

What i wish you (Jörg Zink)

Not that you are the most beautiful tree that stands on this earth.
 Not that you shine year after year from flowers on every branch.
 But that every now and then a branch breaks open,
 that every now and then something beautiful succeeds, a word of love finds a heart,
 I wish you.
 Not that you grow as tall as a tree, so strong and motionless.
 But that you look up now and then where the crowns are and the sky.
 That you stop and stop running.
 That you learn to stand and grow like a tree.
 Because you are not there.
 You have the strength in you that is also in the tree:
 The power to grow.
 You are still called to something.
 Stand still. look up
 and feel the power from God
 that wants to grow in you.
 I do not wish you
 that you are “free” and without people alone in the wide country.
 I wish you friends, helpful and disturbing,
 those that you need and those that need you.
 I wish you,
 that you find a hold like an ivy, on a firm trunk,
 and have the strength to be a tribe for those you are supposed to carry

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God does extraordinary things through ordinary people

Lesedauer 6 Minuten

Reading the Christmas story in the Bible, this year especially Mary, the mother of Jesus, moved me and I thought about her person and her role in God’s great plan.

What do we read about Mary in the Bible?

Maria was an ordinary young girl from Nazareth. She was a housewife and was engaged to the carpenter Josef. She had grown up in poor conditions. She had dreams and plans like many other girls of that age. One day the angel of the Lord appeared to her with a greeting and told her that she would get pregnant and give birth to a son to whom she should give the name Jesus. This Jesus will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High and his kingdom will never perish. We can imagine how scared Maria must have been. She was probably very scared. The angel said to her:

“Do not be afraid, because you have found grace in God.” Luke 1:30

Since Mary was still a virgin, she asked the angel how all this could happen. The angel answered

“The Holy Spirit will come on you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child you will give birth to will be holy and will be called the Son of God ”Luke 1,35

He told her about Elisabeth, who was pregnant in her old age and was now in the 6th month.

“Because with God nothing is impossible” Luke 1.37

When reading the story, I am particularly moved by Maria’s answer. She answered:

“I am the servant of the Lord and I bow to His will. May everything you said come true and happen to me. ”Luke 1:38

Mary was chosen by God, although she had nothing special to show, in the eyes of society at that time she certainly seemed unsuitable for carrying out an important task for God. She was young, poor and a woman.

What are the characteristics of Mary that have led God to implement His plan through her?

    Mary was a believer, knew and lived the Old Testament scriptures, and knew about the prophets’ predictions about the birth of Jesus.

“Therefore the LORD himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin is pregnant and will give birth to a son, whom she will call Immanuel. “Isaiah 7.14

When Jesus was born in the Bethlehem stable and the shepherds came to Mary and Joseph and told that they had received the message from the angel that this child was the promised Savior and Messiah, there was no doubt in Mary’s mind.

“But Maria kept all these things in her heart and often thought about them” Luke 2:19

    Maria trusted God
    Maria was willing to make herself available to God
    Maria had love for God
    Maria was obedient
    Maria had a yes to God’s plan for her life
    Maria was a servant of God
    Maria was full of sacrifice and devotion
    Maria was loyal
    Maria was fearful of God
    Maria was humble

Maria realized that God would do great things through her life, yet she was not proud or arrogant. Maria knew that this story was not about her, but something much bigger. She did not consider herself special, she had no special honorary position, she was aware that she too was a person who needed a Redeemer. Mary herself gives all honor, adoration, admiration, praise, worship to her God. This is expressed in her song of praise to God:

“My soul praises the greatness of the Lord / and my spirit rejoices over God my Savior. / Because he looked at the lowness of his maid. / Behold, from now on all genders blessedly praise me. / Because the mighty has done great things to me and his name is sacred. / He has compassion from gender to gender for all who fear him. / He performs powerful deeds with his arm: / He scatters who are arrogant in the heart; / he overthrows the mighty and heightens the low. / He gives gifts to the hungry and leaves the rich empty-handed. / He takes care of his servant Israel and thinks of his mercy / / which he has promised to our fathers, Abraham and his descendants forever. “Luke 1, 46-55

I can learn from Mary that God wants to use each of us and has a special task for everyone. Maria was a person like us, she heard God’s speech and acted accordingly. Your willingness was important to make God’s calling come true for your life. Besides her, God has called many ordinary people to make extraordinary things come true. Maria was important, but everyone is important to God.

“While he was still speaking, a woman in the crowd shouted:” Happy is your mother who gave birth to you and nourished your breasts! “But he replied:” Yes, but happy are all who hear an do the word of god “

“When he was still talking to the people, behold, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to talk to him. Then one said to him, Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside and want to speak to you. But he answered and said to him who told him: Who is my mother and who are my brothers? And he stretched out his hand over his disciples and said: Behold, this is my mother and these are my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. Matthew 12.46-50

What we can still learn from Mary is prayer. In the story of the wedding at Canaa. When the wine ran out, Mary turned to Jesus because she knew that he could help.

“Jesus replied to her: Woman, this is MY thing, not yours. MY hour has not yet come ”John 2: 4

Mary herself could not do miracles, it was God’s business, but Mary expected the miracle from Jesus:

“She speaks to the servants: What He tells you does” John 2: 5

For me, Mary is a role model in her faith, her humility, her devotion, her loyalty, her sacrifice, in her trust, in her obedience, in her love, in her willingness, in her humility, in her fear of God and in her yes to God. No more and no less. It shows me that God alone deserves all worship and honor for what he can do in us humans. That is why I do not worship her and for me she is not an intermediary or advocate with God. My mediator and advocate with the Father is only Jesus.

“Because there is a God and an intermediary between God and man, namely the man Christ Jesus” 1 Timothy 2: 5

We can ask ourselves today:

    Are we ready to listen to God’s speech, give ourselves to him, do we have a yes to HIS plan in our lives?
    Do we also believe that God can do great things in our lives?
    Are we ready to make ourselves available to God and to be obedient?
    Do we also believe and trust in God’s miracles?
    Is our heart also open to the love of God?
    Are we also humble to make sacrifices for God?
    Are we willing to serve faithfully?
    Are we ready to submit to God, to worship and praise Him for what He is and does?

God wants to use you and me to make His glory visible in the world.

Finally, a text by Peter Reid:

Every time I say, “Jesus, I can’t do that,” Jesus says, “I know, but I can.” Every time I say, “Jesus, I am not capable”, he says: “So what? I am capable. “And every time you say:” Jesus, it is not me “, then Jesus says:” Don’t worry! I am “. It doesn’t depend on you. It all comes down to Jesus! And the next time you think you have an excuse for why God can’t use you, think of the following people I’m listing now: Noah got drunk. Abraham was too old. Isaac was a day dreamer. Jakob was a liar. Lea was ugly. Josef was mistreated. Moses was a murderer – like David and Paul. Deborah was a female judge. Gideon was scared. Samson even had long hair. Rahab was a prostitute. David was too young – by the way, like Jeremiah and Timothy. David pretended to be insane – had an affair and ran away from his son; Elia was a suicide candidate. Jeremiah was depressed. Isaiah preached naked. Jonah ran away from God and Naomi was a widow. Job lost everything. John the Baptist ate grasshoppers. Peter was angry. Johannes was self righteous. The disciples slept while praying. Matthew was a thief. Simeon was fanatical. Martha took care of everything. Maria was lazy; Maria Magdalena was demon-obsessed. The boy with the fish and bread was unknown – until today. The Samaritan slept with several men. Zacchaeus was too small. Paul was alone. Markus gave up. Timothy had an ulcer and Lazarus was dead. What is your excuse? Please give me one more reason why God can’t use you? God wants and can use you! Certainly not because you are so great. But because he gave you a new life: And that is Christ in you. And from his strength you can learn to live.