新視域的力量
信心的立足點
經文
詩篇七十三1-28
1（亞薩的詩。）神實在恩待以色列那些清心的人！
2至於我，我的腳幾乎失閃；我的腳險些滑跌。
3我見惡人和狂傲人享平安就心懷不平。
4他們死的時候沒有疼痛；他們的力氣卻也壯實。
5他們不像別人受苦，也不像別人遭災。
6所以，驕傲如鏈子戴在他們的項上；強暴像衣裳遮住他們的身體。
7他們的眼睛因體胖而凸出；他們所得的，過於心裡所想的。
8他們譏笑人，憑惡意說欺壓人的話；他們說話自高。
9他們的口褻瀆上天；他們的舌毀謗全地。
10所以神的民歸到這裡，喝盡了滿杯的苦水。
11他們說：神怎能曉得？至高者豈有知識呢？
12看哪，這就是惡人；他們既是常享安逸，財寶便加增。
13我實在徒然潔淨了我的心，徒然洗手表明無辜。
14因為，我終日遭災難；每早晨受懲治。
15我若說，我要這樣講，這就是以奸詐待你的眾子。
16我思索怎能明白這事，眼看實係為難，
17等我進了神的聖所，思想他們的結局。
18你實在把他們安在滑地，使他們掉在沉淪之中。
19他們轉眼之間成了何等的荒涼！他們被驚恐滅盡了。
20人睡醒了，怎樣看夢；主啊，你醒了也必照樣輕看他們的影像。
21因而，我心裡發酸，肺腑被刺。
22我這樣愚昧無知，在你面前如畜類一般。
23然而，我常與你同在；你攙著我的右手。
24你要以你的訓言引導我，以後必接我到榮耀裡。
25除你以外，在天上我有誰呢？除你以外，在地上我也沒有所愛慕的。
26我的肉體和我的心腸衰殘；但神是我心裡的力量，又是我的福分，直到永遠。
27遠離你的，必要死亡；凡離棄你行邪淫的，你都滅絕了。
28但我親近神是與我有益；我以主耶和華為我的避難所，好叫我述說你一切的作為。
信息分享
從今天第182天開始，在這兩個月期間，我們將要進入一個新的主題──新視域的力量，在開始的第一天，讓我們仔細思考聖經其中一段偉大的經文──詩篇七十三篇。如果你問某些基督徒他們最喜愛的詩篇是哪一篇，大部分人都可能回答說：「第二十三篇。」原因不難理解，因為詩篇第二十三篇的語言優美、言簡意賅，加上它那安慰的內容，難怪很多信徒都喜歡它。雖然詩篇七十三篇沒有那麼為人所認識，但是我個人認為它非常可貴，因為它包含了深刻的見解和真理，在神的聖言裡，為我們提供了最使人感到安穩和鼓勵的啟示。
詩人在這首詩中所掙扎的問題是：為甚麼虔誠的人受那麼多苦，而一般來說，不虔敬的人卻似乎安然無恙？這個困擾的問題令他幾乎感到絕望：「我的腳幾乎失閃；我的腳險些滑跌」（2節）。不過，在隨後他發現了一些屬靈原則，讓他能夠逐步走到屬靈的高峰。
你有沒有與詩人一樣的問題？雖然在跟隨主，卻因為生活裡的眾多挑戰而感到疑惑？你有沒有想到，為甚麼那些對抗全能者的人的日子，似乎比那些委身於祂的人過得更好？可喜的是，這條疑惑的道路儘管非常滑溜，我們仍然可以找到立足點。詩人不就是找到了嗎？你也同樣可以找得到的。你若從今天起每天都跟著我來研讀這首振奮人心的詩篇，你肯定能夠找到更多信心的立足點。
「疑惑的道路仍可找到立足點」
進深研究
結十八24-32；耶十二1；哈一1-4
1 以色列人有甚麼抱怨？
2 耶和華怎麼回應？
祈禱
慈愛的天父，求您幫助我，因為我要開始對生命的問題尋求更多的亮光。我知道若果我的信心不足以支持我的理性，同樣亦不足以支持我的心。我願在您裡面尋得足以支持兩者的信心。阿們。
The Power of a New Perspective
"Footholds for faith"
Bible reading:
Psalm 73:1-28
1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.[a]
5 They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity[b]; their evil imaginations have no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance.[c]
11 They say, "How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?"
12 This is what the wicked are like—always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.
13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence.
14 All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments.
15 If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.
18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.
19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!
20 They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.
21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.
23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.
Message
We begin today a verse-by-verse examination of one of the great passages in the Bible - the seventy-third psalm. If you were to ask any group of Christians to name their favourite psalm most would probably reply: "The twenty-third." And it is not difficult to understand why. The simplicity and beauty of its language, together with its comforting content, has endeared it to millions. Unfortunately the seventy-third psalm is not so well known, but in my opinion it deserves to be. The truths and insights it contains provide us with some of the most steadying and encouraging revelations to be found anywhere in the Word of God.
The issue with which the psalmist struggles in this psalm is this: Why do the godly suffer so much when the ungodly, generally speaking, seem to get off scot-free? So deeply does this question cut into his soul that he is brought to the point of near despair: "My feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold" (v.2). Whilst there, however, he discovers some spiritual principles that bring him step by step to the heights of spiritual assurance.
Are you puzzled by the fact that though you are following the Lord, life is extremely difficult? Do you wonder why those who live in opposition to the Almighty seem to have an easier time than those who are committed to His cause? Take heart. It is possible to find a foothold on this slippery path of doubt. The psalmist found it, and so can you. Follow me day by day through this thrilling psalm and you will discover a few more footholds for your faith.
"It is possible to find a foothold on the path of doubt"
Prayer
Gracious and loving heavenly Father, help me as I begin this quest for greater light and illumination on life's problems, for I know that a faith which does not hold my intellect will not hold my heart. I would have both held by You. Amen.
Further study
Ezekiel 18:24-32
Jeremiah 12:1
Habakkuk 1:1-4
1. What was the complaint of the Israelites?
2. What was the Lord's response?
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