在困難中學習信靠
出埃及記五章1至12節
1後來摩西、亞倫去對法老說：耶和華─以色列的神這樣說：容我的百姓去，在曠野向我守節。
2法老說：耶和華是誰，使我聽他的話，容以色列人去呢？我不認識耶和華，也不容以色列人去！
3他們說：希伯來人的神遇見了我們。求你容我們往曠野去，走三天的路程，祭祀耶和華─我們的神，免得他用瘟疫、刀兵攻擊我們。
4埃及王對他們說：摩西、亞倫！你們為甚麼叫百姓曠工呢？你們去擔你們的擔子罷！
5又說：看哪，這地的以色列人如今眾多，你們竟叫他們歇下擔子！
6當天，法老吩咐督工的和官長說：
7你們不可照常把草給百姓做磚，叫他們自己去撿草。
8他們素常做磚的數目，你們仍舊向他們要，一點不可減少；因為他們是懶惰的，所以呼求說：容我們去祭祀我們的神。
9你們要把更重的工夫加在這些人身上，叫他們勞碌，不聽虛謊的言語。
10督工的和官長出來對百姓說：法老這樣說：我不給你們草。
11你們自己在那裡能找草，就往那裡去找罷！但你們的工一點不可減少。
12於是百姓散在埃及遍地，撿碎秸當作草。
信息分享
摩西此刻所經歷的便正是如此。當他聽從神的吩咐回到埃及，晉見法老，請求法老容讓以色列民離開；可是法老不單一口拒絕，而且，還下令加重以色列人的苦工。以色列民當時正為法老興建兩座積貨城，原本是把草供應給他們作磚的；但如今，法老下令要他們自行撿草造磚，且造磚的數目不可減少──以色列民這回真是百上加斤了！
百姓有甚麼反應呢？他們首先是哀求法老，然後，便埋怨摩西和亞倫。你猜摩西和亞倫有甚麼感受呢？本章22至23節記述了摩西的禱告，當中便流露出他的感受。
今天的情況也是一樣。當你立志為神工作的時候，撒但就會想盡辦法來攻擊你，使你感到灰心氣餒。
然而，我們切莫灰心，反要記著撒但至終是必然失敗的。神永遠站在我們身邊；對於撒但的阻撓，祂是不會坐視不理的。
神也許會容讓撒但來考驗你，可是，祂卻永遠在你的身旁扶持你。祂希望你能在困難的考驗中，學會更緊地倚靠祂。
在一切的艱難困境中，神仍然掌管著一切；祂容讓百姓吃苦，為的是使他們願意跟從祂的帶領離開埃及。
每當神容讓我們經歷試煉，背後都總有祂的心意和目的。在那一刻，我們究竟會努力明白神的心意，抑或只是自嗟自嘆和埋怨神？
禱告：
主啊，當我遇到試煉的時候，或許我未能立即明白你的心意，但求你幫助我懂得信靠你。
HARDER INSTEAD OF BETTER
Exodus 5: 1 - 12
1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’”
2 And Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go.”
3 So they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go three days’ journey into the desert and sacrifice to the LORD our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.”
4 Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your labor.”
5 And Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labor!”
6 So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying,
7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.
8 And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
9 Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.”
10 And the taskmasters of the people and their officers went out and spoke to the people, saying, “Thus says Pharaoh: ‘I will not give you straw.
11 Go, get yourselves straw where you can find it; yet none of your work will be reduced.’”
12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.
Message
That is what happened in Egypt. Moses asked Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go free. Pharaoh not only refused, he made their burdens heavier. Instead of giving them straw to put into the mud bricks they were making to build his cities, he made them get the straw themselves.
What did the people do? First they complained to Pharaoh and then they blamed Moses and Aaron. How do you think Moses and Aaron felt? Read the prayer of Moses in verses 22 and 23 of this chapter.
It is still the same. You will find that when you decide to move ahead with God, Satan will oppose you and use everything he possible can to discourage you.
Don't be discouraged however. Remember Satan need not be victorious. God is on your side. He only allows Satan to go a certain distance and no further.
While God is allowing Satan to test you, he is still right there with you. He wants those circumstances to strengthen, not weaken your faith in him.
God is still sovereign and he allowed this testing of the Children of Israel to bring them close to the place of being willing to leave Egypt.
God has his purpose in allowing testing to come into your life. Are you looking for his purpose or are you only looking at yourself and complaining about what he has allowed?
A PRAYER:
Lord help me trust you today even if I cannot see the reason behind the testing.