*“Thank You for the Music” (ABBA)*
And so, people from far and wide descended on the small town of Lindley this weekend. Friday was a flurry of activity in the town as the new VKB opened its doors. Numerous exhibitors were present, where visitors, pancake in hand, could marvel at the latest agricultural technology. Enormous pumpkins were entered in a competition, the largest of which weighed 20 kilograms. The sounds of OFM's music and the aroma of grilled meat greeted visitors at the grand new entrance, where rows of products and enthusiastic staff proudly welcomed customers.
The local hotel and guest house were fully booked for the weekend, and Lindley's streets were quite busy with traffic.
Saturday evening had a different sound than usual. At the Lindley Hotel, a group of singers from Bloemfontein put on a "Mama Mia, here we go again" ABBA performance.
You're probably ready to ask what all this has to do with prayer. Yes, that's precisely what's on my heart. Marelise and I were invited by friends to attend both of these events. The music of the ABBA performance took me back to my younger days when the group was just becoming famous and their songs were playing everywhere.
The music was very moving for me, and I stepped out of the hall. I contacted a few friends from my youth, my brothers, and also my daughter in England because she used to love singing ABBA songs when she was little. I stood by the door each time so they could clearly hear the music in the background.
And suddenly, everything became spiritual!
Saturday evening in South Africa is Sunday morning in New Zealand, and a friend of mine living in Auckland was in church at that very moment. Apparently, he also had to stand by the door, because I heard the most beautiful music in the background. At the same time that we were singing on one side of the earth: "Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing. Thank you for all the joy they're bringing," they were singing on the other side of the earth: "I could sooner count the stars than number all Your ways. Though I only know in part, that part exceeds all praise. As sunlight fills the skies, Your goodness fills my life." And then I prayed that the ABBA singers would also come to church.
On Sunday mornings, there is often a church service in the chapel at the hotel. I made an effort to attend that service, expecting that the Father would answer my prayer regarding the ABBA singers. Marelise and I arrived at ten, and the preacher said he had just one song on his heart and invited us to sing it together. While he continued talking, I sensed that I should go and invite the ABBA people to come and sing one last song together before they left.
I stepped out and saw that some of the people had already driven off. Quite bewildered, I went to the restroom, and behind the closed door, I asked the Lord what I should do. At that moment, I heard voices outside the door. I stepped out, and there stood the last two members. In response to my invitation, one replied that they would even bring a guitar.
A few minutes later, they stood with us around the piano singing hymns. What a privilege!
And then the singer suggested we sing another song, one that deeply touched my heart: "Let your living water flow over my soul." And then the chorus repeats: "Father, Father, Father." The ABBA singer, without realizing it, led us to sing about and affirm our Father's fatherhood and intimacy. The word ABBA in Romans 8:15 places us under the Spirit of adoption as His children, through whom we cry: Abba, which means Father!
That church service then turned into a song service. The ABBA singer was so excited to be able to sing gospel music again.
*Prayer for ABBA:*
_Abba ... Father, thank you that we can find You everywhere ... even in the words of a song. Turn our hearts back to You continually in everything we do. And may we, from this small place called Lindley, also serve the nations. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen._
*What began with a pancake and a pumpkin, and with "Thank you for the music," and with the name ABBA, ended in prayer and the intimate whisper: "Abba, Father!"*
Peet Bekker, April 2026, Lindley/Ntha
#peetbekker #radiokansel #radiopulpit #pilgrimstories #abba
And so, people from far and wide descended on the small town of Lindley this weekend. Friday was a flurry of activity in the town as the new VKB opened its doors. Numerous exhibitors were present, where visitors, pancake in hand, could marvel at the latest agricultural technology. Enormous pumpkins were entered in a competition, the largest of which weighed 20 kilograms. The sounds of OFM's music and the aroma of grilled meat greeted visitors at the grand new entrance, where rows of products and enthusiastic staff proudly welcomed customers.
The local hotel and guest house were fully booked for the weekend, and Lindley's streets were quite busy with traffic.
Saturday evening had a different sound than usual. At the Lindley Hotel, a group of singers from Bloemfontein put on a "Mama Mia, here we go again" ABBA performance.
You're probably ready to ask what all this has to do with prayer. Yes, that's precisely what's on my heart. Marelise and I were invited by friends to attend both of these events. The music of the ABBA performance took me back to my younger days when the group was just becoming famous and their songs were playing everywhere.
The music was very moving for me, and I stepped out of the hall. I contacted a few friends from my youth, my brothers, and also my daughter in England because she used to love singing ABBA songs when she was little. I stood by the door each time so they could clearly hear the music in the background.
And suddenly, everything became spiritual!
Saturday evening in South Africa is Sunday morning in New Zealand, and a friend of mine living in Auckland was in church at that very moment. Apparently, he also had to stand by the door, because I heard the most beautiful music in the background. At the same time that we were singing on one side of the earth: "Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing. Thank you for all the joy they're bringing," they were singing on the other side of the earth: "I could sooner count the stars than number all Your ways. Though I only know in part, that part exceeds all praise. As sunlight fills the skies, Your goodness fills my life." And then I prayed that the ABBA singers would also come to church.
On Sunday mornings, there is often a church service in the chapel at the hotel. I made an effort to attend that service, expecting that the Father would answer my prayer regarding the ABBA singers. Marelise and I arrived at ten, and the preacher said he had just one song on his heart and invited us to sing it together. While he continued talking, I sensed that I should go and invite the ABBA people to come and sing one last song together before they left.
I stepped out and saw that some of the people had already driven off. Quite bewildered, I went to the restroom, and behind the closed door, I asked the Lord what I should do. At that moment, I heard voices outside the door. I stepped out, and there stood the last two members. In response to my invitation, one replied that they would even bring a guitar.
A few minutes later, they stood with us around the piano singing hymns. What a privilege!
And then the singer suggested we sing another song, one that deeply touched my heart: "Let your living water flow over my soul." And then the chorus repeats: "Father, Father, Father." The ABBA singer, without realizing it, led us to sing about and affirm our Father's fatherhood and intimacy. The word ABBA in Romans 8:15 places us under the Spirit of adoption as His children, through whom we cry: Abba, which means Father!
That church service then turned into a song service. The ABBA singer was so excited to be able to sing gospel music again.
*Prayer for ABBA:*
_Abba ... Father, thank you that we can find You everywhere ... even in the words of a song. Turn our hearts back to You continually in everything we do. And may we, from this small place called Lindley, also serve the nations. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen._
*What began with a pancake and a pumpkin, and with "Thank you for the music," and with the name ABBA, ended in prayer and the intimate whisper: "Abba, Father!"*
Peet Bekker, April 2026, Lindley/Ntha
#peetbekker #radiokansel #radiopulpit #pilgrimstories #abba
*“Thank You for the Music” (ABBA)*
And so, people from far and wide descended on the small town of Lindley this weekend. Friday was a flurry of activity in the town as the new VKB opened its doors. Numerous exhibitors were present, where visitors, pancake in hand, could marvel at the latest agricultural technology. Enormous pumpkins were entered in a competition, the largest of which weighed 20 kilograms. The sounds of OFM's music and the aroma of grilled meat greeted visitors at the grand new entrance, where rows of products and enthusiastic staff proudly welcomed customers.
The local hotel and guest house were fully booked for the weekend, and Lindley's streets were quite busy with traffic.
Saturday evening had a different sound than usual. At the Lindley Hotel, a group of singers from Bloemfontein put on a "Mama Mia, here we go again" ABBA performance.
You're probably ready to ask what all this has to do with prayer. Yes, that's precisely what's on my heart. Marelise and I were invited by friends to attend both of these events. The music of the ABBA performance took me back to my younger days when the group was just becoming famous and their songs were playing everywhere.
The music was very moving for me, and I stepped out of the hall. I contacted a few friends from my youth, my brothers, and also my daughter in England because she used to love singing ABBA songs when she was little. I stood by the door each time so they could clearly hear the music in the background.
And suddenly, everything became spiritual!
Saturday evening in South Africa is Sunday morning in New Zealand, and a friend of mine living in Auckland was in church at that very moment. Apparently, he also had to stand by the door, because I heard the most beautiful music in the background. At the same time that we were singing on one side of the earth: "Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing. Thank you for all the joy they're bringing," they were singing on the other side of the earth: "I could sooner count the stars than number all Your ways. Though I only know in part, that part exceeds all praise. As sunlight fills the skies, Your goodness fills my life." And then I prayed that the ABBA singers would also come to church.
On Sunday mornings, there is often a church service in the chapel at the hotel. I made an effort to attend that service, expecting that the Father would answer my prayer regarding the ABBA singers. Marelise and I arrived at ten, and the preacher said he had just one song on his heart and invited us to sing it together. While he continued talking, I sensed that I should go and invite the ABBA people to come and sing one last song together before they left.
I stepped out and saw that some of the people had already driven off. Quite bewildered, I went to the restroom, and behind the closed door, I asked the Lord what I should do. At that moment, I heard voices outside the door. I stepped out, and there stood the last two members. In response to my invitation, one replied that they would even bring a guitar.
A few minutes later, they stood with us around the piano singing hymns. What a privilege!
And then the singer suggested we sing another song, one that deeply touched my heart: "Let your living water flow over my soul." And then the chorus repeats: "Father, Father, Father." The ABBA singer, without realizing it, led us to sing about and affirm our Father's fatherhood and intimacy. The word ABBA in Romans 8:15 places us under the Spirit of adoption as His children, through whom we cry: Abba, which means Father!
That church service then turned into a song service. The ABBA singer was so excited to be able to sing gospel music again.
*Prayer for ABBA:*
_Abba ... Father, thank you that we can find You everywhere ... even in the words of a song. Turn our hearts back to You continually in everything we do. And may we, from this small place called Lindley, also serve the nations. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen._
*What began with a pancake and a pumpkin, and with "Thank you for the music," and with the name ABBA, ended in prayer and the intimate whisper: "Abba, Father!"*
Peet Bekker, April 2026, Lindley/Ntha
#peetbekker #radiokansel #radiopulpit #pilgrimstories #abba
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