神的偉大
以賽亞書四十章12-18節、25、26節
12誰曾用手心量諸水,用手虎口量蒼天,用升斗盛大地的塵土,用秤稱山嶺,用天平平岡陵呢?
13誰曾測度耶和華的心(或譯:誰曾指示耶和華的靈),或作他的謀士指教他呢?
14他與誰商議,誰教導他,誰將公平的路指示他,又將知識教訓他,將通達的道指教他呢?
15看哪,萬民都像水桶的一滴,又算如天平上的微塵;他舉起眾海島,好像極微之物。
16利巴嫩的樹林不夠當柴燒;其中的走獸也不夠作燔祭。
17萬民在他面前好像虛無,被他看為不及虛無,乃為虛空。
18你們究竟將誰比神,用甚麼形像與神比較呢?
25那聖者說:你們將誰比我,叫他與我相等呢?
26你們向上舉目,看誰創造這萬象,按數目領出,他一一稱其名;因他的權能,又因他的大能大力,連一個都不缺。
信息分享
請讀第12節。有甚麼東西比得上海洋的浩翰廣大?有甚麼東西比得上太空的遼闊無崖?有誰能用秤稱地和山的重量?然而,這些在人眼中最偉大的東西,在神面前卻頓見渺少,因為神比它們更偉大,它們全是神創造出來的。
神創造萬物的時候,有誰能夠指教祂呢?自然沒有!神的能力已足以創造一切,根本不需要任何幫忙。而且,神更是在祂創造萬物之後,到最後才造出人類,來享受祂所創造的世界。
世上的所謂「強國」,又能否與神相比?你曾否見過從水桶邊緣滴下的一滴水?那些所謂強國的力量,若與神的能力相比,就仿如那小水滴一樣。
請看第26節。偉大的神可以個別地按名呼叫眾星出來。但不要忘記,天文學家告訴我們,天空有超過十億個分隔很遠且大小不同的星系。我們要找出每個星系的位置,已是天方夜譚;但神卻能夠為它們每個定位,連一個也不失落!
有人可能會說:神既然那麼偉大,又怎會留意我們這些渺少的人類呢?但請翻看第11節。靜心思想這節經文為我們勾勒的神,是何等慈愛和無微不至。祂就像牧羊人照顧羊群那樣地看顧我們,不單供應我們的一切所需,還會乳養軟弱的小羊。祂會了解個別的需要,提供特別的關顧;祂總是無微不至地照顧我們。
思想神的偉大,將有助我們懂得更緊地倚靠神。神曾經很嚴厲地對待你嗎?那可能是愛的管教,為的是糾正和挽回你。當管教過後,我們總是會體察到管教的價值,都會感謝神的及時管教。總而言之,神是無可比擬的偉大,也是無可比擬的慈愛;讓我們為此而頌讚和感謝祂吧!
HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD
Isaiah 40:12-18, 25, 26
12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand,Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure?Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance?
13 Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord,Or as His counselor has taught Him?
14 With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him,And taught Him in the path of justice?
Who taught Him knowledge,And showed Him the way of understanding?
15 Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket,And are counted as the small dust on the scales;Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing.
16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn,Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering.
17 All nations before Him are as nothing,And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless.
18 To whom then will you liken God?Or what likeness will you compare to Him?
25 “To whom then will you liken Me,Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high,And see who has created these things,Who brings out their host by number;He calls them all by name,By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power;
Not one is missing.
Message
Notice verse 12. What is as vast as the ocean? What is greater than space? What is the weight of the earth and the mountains? Yet God is greater than all these things. In fact he created them all.
Who told God how to create the earth? No-one! And he did not need any help. It was only later that he created man to enjoy what God had already brought into being.
What about the so-called mighty nations of the earth? Did you ever see one drop of water falling from the edge of an otherwise empty bucket? That little drop is what the mighty nations are really like in comparison with the power of God. Look at verse 26. God is so great he calls all the stars by their separate names. Yet astronomers tell us that there are more than 100 million different systems of stars with enormous distances between them. It is beyond our imagination to think of travelling to them. Yet God keeps everyone of them in place. Not one is missing.
Does that mean God is so great he can't be bothered with caring for you and me? Turn back to verse 11. Think through the beautiful picture given to us of the loving kindness and care of our God. We are told he will care for his children like a shepherd cares for his sheep, meeting every need. He will give special care to the Iambs-the young ones. In fact he will carry them when they need to be carried. For those who have special needs he will give special attention. He will be gentle with them all.
Isn't it a blessing to your heart to think of the gentleness of God? Has God ever dealt with you harshly? He may have disciplined you but he did it in love as you did it for your children. You thanked him for it afterwards, didn't you? This is our God-so great, there is no-one greater, so loving, there is no-one kinder. Thank him today for what he is.

