從迷惘到信靠
那光把人烤焦
經文
以賽亞書五十五1-13
1你們一切乾渴的都當就近水來;沒有銀錢的也可以來。你們都來,買了吃;不用銀錢,不用價值,也來買酒和奶。
2你們為何花錢(原文是平銀)買那不足為食物的?用勞碌得來的買那不使人飽足的呢?你們要留意聽我的話就能吃那美物,得享肥甘,心中喜樂。
3你們當就近我來;側耳而聽,就必得活。我必與你們立永約,就是應許大衛那可靠的恩典。
4我已立他作萬民的見證,為萬民的君王和司令。
5你素不認識的國民,你也必召來;素不認識你的國民也必向你奔跑,都因耶和華你的神以色列的聖者,因為他已經榮耀你。
6當趁耶和華可尋找的時候尋找他,相近的時候求告他。
7惡人當離棄自己的道路;不義的人當除掉自己的意念。歸向耶和華,耶和華就必憐恤他;當歸向我們的神,因為神必廣行赦免。
8耶和華說:我的意念非同你們的意念;我的道路非同你們的道路。
9天怎樣高過地,照樣,我的道路高過你們的道路;我的意念高過你們的意念。
10雨雪從天而降,並不返回,卻滋潤地土,使地上發芽結實,使撒種的有種,使要吃的有糧。
11我口所出的話也必如此,決不徒然返回,卻要成就我所喜悅的,在我發他去成就(發他去成就:或譯所命定)的事上必然亨通。
12你們必歡歡喜喜而出來,平平安安蒙引導。大山小山必在你們面前發聲歌唱;田野的樹木也都拍掌。
13松樹長出,代替荊棘;芭樂長出,代替蒺藜。這要為耶和華留名,作為永遠的證據,不能剪除。
信息分享
我們看過哈巴谷和以賽亞禱告蒙應允的痛苦經驗,今天讓我們來看一些近代的例子。
當偉大的循道會講員錢普尼斯(Thomas Champness)最初由泰恩(Tyne)獲委派為紐卡素(Newcastle)的區域佈道者時,他跪下求神給他更多的亮光和光照。主說:「你只要專心為我贏得人的靈魂……不要在乎講員個人的榮譽。」錢普尼斯曾經被視為當時最著名的講員之一,據他的傳記作者指出,這個聲譽令他有點兒驕傲。但是神對他說:「放棄它」。他要求光,可是那光卻以猛烈的熱力把他烤焦。
你聽過休.休斯(Hugh Price Hughes)的名字嗎?他是現代另一個偉大的講員──一個有學者頭腦的人。年青時他為自己的事業求神指引,主說:「我想你成為福音的講員。」他頗為震驚,因為他從來沒有考慮過做這事工。他馬上明白那事奉的呼召的意思是:較低的收入,放棄學術研究的喜悅等等。他花了不短的時間才能接受和適應神這個呼召,不過一旦做了這樣的決定,他便成為一名有力的講員以及是神所揀選的僕人。曾經有人問休斯太太,她丈夫最大的犧牲是甚麼?她回答說:「他可以成為學者,但是他選擇在神之下成為一名普通的福音講員。」
「神說:放棄它。」
進深研究
詩四十1-17,一三九17;耶二十九11
1. 詩人怎樣描述神的思想?
2. 神思想的要素是甚麼?
祈禱
我的父、我的神啊,我逐漸明白一個真理,就是您總把最好的賜給把生命交給您的人。求您幫助我把您的道路擺在我前面,因為只有這樣,我才能經歷真正的自由。阿們。
From Confusion to Confidence
The light scorches...
Bible reading:
Isaiah 55:1-13
1 "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.
4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander of the peoples.
5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor."
6 Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord's renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever."
Message
Now that we have looked at how Habakkuk and Isaiah experienced the pain of answered prayer, we turn to consider some examples drawn from more modern times.
When the great Methodist preacher Thomas Champness was first appointed district evangelist to Newcastle upon Tyne, he got on his knees and asked God for further light and illumination. The Lord said: "You are to concentrate exclusively on winning men to Me...and you must be careless of your reputation as a preacher." Thomas Champness was known as one of the greatest preachers of his day - a reputation of which, according to his biographer, he was mildly proud. And God said: "Give it up." He asked for light but the light scorched with an intense and fierce heat.
Have you heard of Hugh Price Hughes? He was another great preacher of modern times - and a man with a scholar's mind. When, as a young man, he asked God for direction concerning his career, the Lord said: "I want you to be a preacher of the gospel." He was quite startled, for he had not expected that. He realised at once what the call to the ministry meant - a lower income, the abandonment of the delights of scholarly research, and so on. It took him some time to receive the divine call and adjust to it, but once he had he became a mighty preacher and a choice servant of God. Mrs Hugh Price Hughes was once asked what was the greatest sacrifice her husband had ever made, and she replied: "He could have been a scholar, but he chose under God to be a simple preacher of the gospel."
"God said: 'Give it up' "
Prayer
My Father and my God, day by day I am being exposed to the truth that You always give the best to those who leave the choice to You. Help me to put Your way before my Way - for then, and only then, will I experience true freedom. Amen.
Further study
Psalm 40:1-17; 139:17
Jeremiah 29:11
1. How did the Psalmist describe God's thoughts?
2. What is the essence of God's thoughts?
本文英文版權屬 CWR 所有,承蒙允准刊載。
背景音樂版權屬 讚美之泉音樂事工 所有,承蒙允准使用。

