神的異象
我們信靠甚麼?
經文
詩篇六十二1-12
1(大衛的詩,照耶杜頓的作法,交與伶長。)
我的心默默無聲,專等候神;我的救恩是從他而來。
2惟獨他是我的磐石,我的拯救;他是我的高台,我必不很動搖。
3你們大家攻擊一人,把他毀壞,如同毀壞歪斜的牆、將倒的壁,要到幾時呢?
4他們彼此商議,專要從他的尊位上把他推下;
他們喜愛謊話,口雖祝福,心卻咒詛。(細拉)
5我的心哪,你當默默無聲,專等候神,因為我的盼望是從他而來。
6惟獨他是我的磐石,我的拯救;他是我的高台,我必不動搖。
7我的拯救、我的榮耀都在乎神;我力量的磐石、我的避難所都在乎神。
8你們眾民當時時倚靠他,在他面前傾心吐意;神是我們的避難所。(細拉)
9下流人真是虛空;上流人也是虛假;
放在天平裡就必浮起;他們一共比空氣還輕。
10不要仗勢欺人,也不要因搶奪而驕傲;若財寶加增,不要放在心上。
11神說了一次、兩次,我都聽見:就是能力都屬乎神。
12主啊,慈愛也是屬乎你,因為你照著各人所行的報應他。
信息分享
今天我們要繼續來默想「神的榮耀比我們的利益更重要」這觀念。問題往往不是因為別人把傷害帶給我們,而是我們自己把傷害不斷的加給我們的神。且讓我盡可能把這個具體的意思解釋清楚。
很多基督徒在受到傷害的時候只是想到要如何得到神的安慰,而不會考慮到自己是怎麼樣的傷害了神。尋求神的安慰並不是錯,聖經也鼓勵我們當這樣做,但這只是整幅圖畫的其中一面。今天書店裡面最受歡迎的都是《怎樣醫治生命中的創傷》或《怎樣克服過去的痛苦》這一類的書籍。我再說一遍,這種強調是合理的,但我們絕不能無視一個事實,那就是:重要的不是別人沒有善待我們,而是我們自己一直以來對神的傷害。
讓我們來想一想這麼一個例子吧:有人傷害了我們或令我們失望了,我們就會策劃報復。但神是怎樣說的?「朋友們,不可為自己復仇,寧可讓神的忿怒……」因為聖經說:「主說:伸冤在我;我必報應」(羅十二19)。當神看見我們忽視祂的話時,你認為祂不會感到難過嗎?別人可能得罪我們,但我們有甚麼理由去得罪神呢?讓我們不要含糊其辭,因為任何違背神聖原則的事情,我們都必須給它正確的名稱,那就是罪。沒有任何罪是我們可以輕看的,特別是得罪神的罪。
「任何違背神聖原則的事情都是罪」
進深研究
太二十一12-13;太二十三37-39;路十九41
1. 耶穌留意聖殿一帶的時候,承受了甚麼痛苦?
2. 耶穌走近耶路撒冷時,感受到甚麼痛苦?
祈禱
神啊,求您赦免我,我經常在意別人怎樣對待我,多於我怎樣對待您。我知道不信任您就是不愛您。我總是只在口頭上說:「我愛您,」。求您赦免我,幫助我。奉主耶穌的名求。阿們。
The Vision of God
Where is our trust?
Bible reading:
Psalm 62:1-12
1 Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.
2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
3 How long will you assault me? Would all of you throw me down— this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4 Surely they intend to topple me from my lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse.[b]
5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.
6 Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God[c]; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
9 Surely the lowborn are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.
11 One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: "Power belongs to you, God,
12 and with you, Lord, is unfailing love"; and, "You reward everyone according to what they have done."
Message
We continue meditating on this matter of God's glory being more important than our own well-being. The serious problem is not the pain that others have inflicted upon us, but the pain we have inflicted (and continue to inflict) upon God. Let me spell out as clearly as I can exactly what I mean.
Many Christians are far more interested in focusing on how they can get God to comfort them when they have been hurt than considering how much they have hurt Him. Not that it is wrong to seek His comfort - Scripture encourages us to do this - but it is only one side of the picture. The most popular books in our bookshops today are titles such as these: How to be Healed of Life's Hurts or How to Overcome the Pains of the Past. I repeat that this is a legitimate emphasis, but we must not lose sight of the fact that the important issue is not how badly people have behaved toward us, but how badly we have behaved (and continue to behave) toward God.
Take this for example: someone hurts us or upsets us and we decide to become the architects of their judgment. But what does God say? "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath...'It is mine to avenge, I will repay,' says the Lord" (Rom. 12:19). Don't you think God is hurt when He sees us ignoring His Word? We may have been sinned against, but is that any justification for sinning against God? Let's not mince words here, for any violation of a divine principle must be called by its rightful name - sin. And no sin ought to be treated lightly - especially a sin against God.
"Any violation of a divine principle is sin"
Prayer
O God, forgive me that so often I am more concerned about how others have treated me than the way I treat You. I see that a failure to trust You is a failure in love. I say, "I love You," but only so far. Forgive me and help me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Further study
Matthew 21:12-13; 23:37-39
Luke 19:41
1. What pain was inflicted on Jesus as He observed the Temple area?
2. What pain did Jesus feel as He approached the city?
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