“You’ve gone into my future to prepare the way, and in kindness, You follow behind me to spare me from the harm of my past. You have laid Your hand on me!” — Psalms 139:5 (TPT)
God goes before you, preparing the way ahead. You may be facing a difficult journey, but take heart—He has already made a path for you. Nothing in your life catches Him by surprise, for He knows the end from the beginning.
Not only does He go before you, but He also walks behind you, shielding you from the weight of your past. He does not want you to dwell on what is behind, as it could distract you from the great plans He has for your future. His hand is upon you, reassuring you that what lies ahead is far greater than what you leave behind—so keep moving forward.
Imagine a dog being chased by others because it is different. Its owner, who has prepared blessings ahead, also walks behind to protect it from harm. The dog’s focus must remain on what’s in front, trusting that its owner will guard it from the enemies behind.
Likewise, fix your eyes on the path God has set before you, knowing He is both your guide and your protector.
“For here is the way God loved the world—He gave His only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in Him will never perish but experience everlasting life.” — John 3:16 (TPT)
The love of God, our Father, is beyond human understanding. To save you and me, He sacrificed His one and only Son—His most precious treasure—just to show us how deeply He values us. His love is truly unconditional, immeasurable, and beyond comprehension.
Yesterday, many celebrated Valentine’s Day, but for some, it was a lonely reminder of love they long for. If you felt unloved, I want to assure you: your Heavenly Father loves you more than you can imagine. He knows every detail about you—even the number of hairs on your head. You are never forgotten or overlooked in His eyes.
If you’ve had an absent, unkind, or loveless earthly father, I know it can be hard to relate to God as a Father. But I encourage you—trust Him. He is faithful, and He will heal the wounds left by your earthly father. Come to Him and experience a love that surpasses all human understanding.
I choose to visit this restaurant regularly although the food is not the best but for me to enjoy the food in other restaurants like love, peace, happiness etc I must first endure this one.
The menu in this restaurant
Anger
Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were.” – Cherie Carter-Scott
Brokenpromises
A broken promise is a dagger in the heart, leaving wounds that may never heal. I am choosing to pull the dagger and I know it’s going to be painful but the wound will heal thereafter.
Judging unjustly
Judging is preventing us from understanding a new truth. I decide to allow judgement for what is misunderstoond but someday the truth will be my judge.
Shamed with a secret.
Trust is like the air we breathe – when it’s present, nobody really notices; when it’s absent, everybody notices. Sharing a secret was to show my trust but it’s fine. If I could not keep my secret why did I expect you to.
Responsibilities unclaimed.
Avoiding responsibility doesn’t make you strong, it makes you weak. My expectations of taking responsibility was overlooked but that showed how much you value our relationship
I never understood why Jesus would say Matthew 18:22 GNBDC[22] “No, not seven times,” answered Jesus, “but seventy times seven“. This was to say you can’t enjoy any meal in all these restaurants if you don’t taste the harsh menu of forgiveness restaurant.
This is a restaurant that liberates you to enjoy life to the fullest.
I am visiting my children in another District so Yesterday as we drive home from an outing. They start imitating me and their dad. They say I ask their father things which we both don’t have answers of but their father always responds and what is more funny I accept his answers.
I would ask as we pass people standing by the wayside. ‘Where are these people going’ and their father will say ‘Maybe home’ or ask ‘why is this road closed’ maybe there is an accident or they are fixind it ‘and I will be satisfied. They laughed and I also laughed. They indicated that they observe the love between us and their dad’s patience. They all laughed and one said but ‘my dad is a lover’ the other said but ‘ I love how mom believes everything he says’ we all laughed again
This means children watch us as we interact in traveling together. How we talk about useless things but connect. I realized in this discussion how we can make or damage our children by our conversations.
We old now and they are free to give us feedback but I am pleading with young parents that children learn from you, teach them with your actions not words what you want them to learn.
If you had a freeway billboard, what would it say?
We need to be kind to ourselves more, the world is throwing a lot at us. We can’t also be too critical, judgmental and never giving ourselves a break.
Today be kind to yourself if you spill water or any liquid just say ‘it’s a mistake’ don’t use derogatory worlds like I am clumsy, etc.
When you get late for something, try to find positive words of encouragement. The world will judge you harshly for your lateness. Don’t do the same.
You relationship did not work, find a way of accepting . You did nothing wrong for relationship to end even if you did. It was bound to end and find peace within and move on.
Name an attraction or town close to home that you still haven’t got around to visiting.
Marula trees is a tree that grows everywhere in our city. So there is a company using this fruit for various products. We even have a Festival celebrating this fruit in our Province.
I have not visited the plant where they make use of this product and I am even embarrassed to say it.
If you could make your pet understand one thing, what would it be?
A pet is a friend like a human being which needs assurance that you love and appreciate them in your life. In any relationship assurance is critical, we always need to be assured that we add value.
Write about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc.
Charity meaning is love and the bible see it as the crucial element 1 Corinthians 13:13 KJV [13] And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Where did the word charity originate from?
Apart from this original meaning, charity is etymologically linked to Christianity, with the word originally entering the English language through the Old French word charité, which derived from the Latin caritas, a word commonly used in the Vulgate New Testament to translate the Greek word agape.
1 Corinthians 13:4-5 KJV [4] Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, [5] doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; [6] it isn’t happy with injustice, but it is happy with the truth. [7] Love puts up with all things, trusts in all things, hopes for all things, endures all things.
Not being judgemental but I have to ask this question of how do we look at ourselves as Christians. Are we seeing our selves as sinners or the righteous of God? I ask because of what we say as children of God, our statements are either “we are sinners saved by grace” or “we are sinners short of grace”.
Christian brothers and sister when are we going to be the righteous saved by grace? This question always lingers in my mind and it makes me feel like we are undermining the price Jesus Christ paid for our salvation.
In Rom 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.My understanding of this scripture means I was and still am saved. I believed with my heart that I am right with God and nothing has changed.
Looking at my self after the cross, that I was saved and made right with God. I reflect at my life before the cross that is where I see a sinner waiting to be saved and this make me appreciate the cross even more and also acknowledge that I could not do this on my own.
Let us look at the parable of the prodigal son; I don’t know whether our eyes focus on the son coming back seeing himself as a sinner or our focus should be on the father who welcomes him home as a son. Luke15: 21-24 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. When I think of us as people or individuals we are so used to being sinners and its difficult to accept that we can be righteous. Our focus on our daily lives that we do not qualify to be righteous instead of focusing at the price Christ paid for us to receive this gracious gift, its true we do not qualify to be righteous on our own but Christ has made us right with God.
The father did not see a sinner coming home but saw a son coming home and he did not deny that his son was lost or dead but in the midst of it all he acknowledged that his son is found and alive. I wonder whether one day we will see ourselves as our father sees us.
Imagine when God sees us, what is he saying. Is He saying : “There comes my righteous son or daughter” or “There comes my sinning son or daughter”.
1 Chronicles 4:9-10 MSG [9-10] Jabez was a better man than his brothers, a man of honor. His mother had named him Jabez (Oh, the pain!), saying, “A painful birth! I bore him in great pain!” Jabez prayed to the God of Israel: “Bless me, O bless me! Give me land, large tracts of land. And provide your personal protection—don’t let evil hurt me.” God gave him what he asked.
Jabez did not look at his conditions, or painful birth whatever you might be going through there is hope. Some of us are saying Happy New year with stomachs full, money enough, jobs secure and life good.We know where our next bread is coming from. This prayer is for you who is going through something also for the have’s.
1 Chronicles 4:10 CEB [10] Jabez called on Israel’s God: “If only you would greatly bless me and increase my territory. May your power go with me to keep me from trouble, so as not to cause me pain.” And God granted his request. I call God to hear your prayer and bless you indeed-enlarge your territory with blessing. Let 2024 be a year you will have a new song for the Lord.
I pray for your protection from any kind of trouble, may it be sickness, emotional distress, negative thoughts. May the good Lord keep you safe in his saving hand.
I am excited about the New Year and also extend my love to you all.
Sibongile Charity Sehlake's Wisdom 