Marcom ICF Delft

Being Single

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Coming Sunday will be the second service in our series on relationships.

For many of you, finding a partner is one of the most important life goals. Some are okay with being single, but most people long for romantic love. Some feel the pressure of finishing studies, going back home and having to find a good husband or wife. Others have been married, but that didn’t work out for whatever reason. One of the Bible writers – Paul – addresses these issues in a letter. Should we long for marriage? Or is being single the better option?

Discover more in our service coming Sunday, 29 October in the Génestet church, Oude Delft 102, 12:15pm.

“God’s direct interaction with people”

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The ICF Delft prayer group will meet on Thursday 19 October from 8-9 PM in the chapel of the Old Church (Heilige Geestkerkhof 25, Delft).
You are most welcome to join. The meeting focuses on the following main activities:

  • Praise and adoration to God
  • Reflection and mediation based on a Bible text
  • Sharing life (joys, gratitude, concerns, needs) with one another in an open, friendly and trustworthy environment
  • Praying together, for example, adoring and thanking God, and interceding and bringing request to God regarding yourself, family, friends, city, churches and the world around
  • Giving and receiving support from one another by being in the meeting and staying connected afterwards

The theme of this meeting’s reflection is, “God’s direct interaction with people”. We will read from Judges 6: 11-14 (see the text below), which is an account of a God’s angel talking to Gideon about saving Israel out of Midian.

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Judges 6:11-14New International Version (NIV)

11 The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”
13 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”
14 The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”

Blessing for Children

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What makes us happy?
The word ‘blessing’ has a very positive connotation in day-to-day language. A surprising success, a happy encounter or a very positive evaluation… we may call it all a blessing. We experience it as a gift, an unexpected fruit that makes us happy and gives us new energy.
How can we be a blessing for others? What is the secret of blessing our study friends, our colleagues, our neighbours, our children or our parents?

Jacob’s blessing of his grandchildren
In the Bible passage that we are going to read coming Sunday (Genesis 48) we come across Joseph’s father Jacob blessing his two grandchildren, Ephraim and Manasseh, just before his death. Their families will grow in number. They will be fruitful in life and take their share in the Promised Land. But then there is a surprise. In laying hands on the heads of the children as a sign of blessing, the old man crosses his arms. The second becomes the first and the first becomes the second.

The paradox of grace
It demonstrates at least that we cannot claim blessings. It shows the ‘paradox of grace’: the blessing is for the little ones in particular, not the ones who think to be entitled for it. Blessing is closely connected with the free, unconditional gift of God. If you may know the blessing of his forgiveness, the undeserved gift of his love, you want to pass it on! Not only to the ones who are dear to you, but also to those who seem to be opponents or even enemies.

Join us for our service and find out more!
Coming Sunday, 22 October in the Génestet church, Oude Delft 102, 12 hrs 15.

Sojourner

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Sojourner

Many of us are sojourners: people who live in a country that is not their home country. Of course it makes a difference if you are here as an international student, an expat or a refugee. But the same question may bother us all: where actually am I at home?

Being at home depends on many factors, like: feeling accepted and affirmed, perspective, relationships and realization of life goals. We feel at home when we have satisfying roles in life for example as a student or researcher, as an employee, friend, family member, son, father or civilian. We feel at home when we experience a solid base for our identity. So the question on what we can base our identity (life security and life vision) is an extremely important one. It may help to allow yourself a form of self-assessment. Why do I do what I do? Why am I in the place where I am?

Where at home?

In ICF-Delft church services we continue the series on the life of Joseph. Coming Sunday (15 October) we see two very different personalities with very different life perspectives that meet one another: Josephs (very) old father Jacob and the Pharaoh (king) of Egypt. Jacob says to the king: ‘I always have been a sojourner. There is no place on earth where I am at home.’ (Genesis 47 verse 9). So, what could affirm his identity, his security and hope, being a stranger in a foreign country?

Where are you at home? A lot of aspects play an important role in feeling at home: study, work, career, achievements, relationships, family, nationality, etc. But what if you loose some of them? Does it undermine your identity? The Gospel (Good News) of God is that He wants to give us an identity, hope and security that transcend everything. The Gospel tells us to loose our old one and receive a new and lasting one, in finding our home in the eternal Kingdom of God. How is that possible? See and hear more about this in the service! (Génestet Church, Oude Delft 102, 12:15pm).