神的伟大
以赛亚书四十章12-18节、25、26节
12谁曾用手心量诸水,用手虎口量苍天,用升斗盛大地的尘土,用秤称山岭,用天平平冈陵呢?
13谁曾测度耶和华的心(或译:谁曾指示耶和华的灵),或作他的谋士指教他呢?
14他与谁商议,谁教导他,谁将公平的路指示他,又将知识教训他,将通达的道指教他呢?
15看哪,万民都像水桶的一滴,又算如天平上的微尘;他举起众海岛,好像极微之物。
16利巴嫩的树林不够当柴烧;其中的走兽也不够作燔祭。
17万民在他面前好像虚无,被他看为不及虚无,乃为虚空。
18你们究竟将谁比神,用甚么形像与神比较呢?
25那圣者说:你们将谁比我,叫他与我相等呢?
26你们向上举目,看谁创造这万象,按数目领出,他一一称其名;因他的权能,又因他的大能大力,连一个都不缺。
信息分享
请读第12节。有甚么东西比得上海洋的浩翰广大?有甚么东西比得上太空的辽阔无崖?有谁能用秤称地和山的重量?然而,这些在人眼中最伟大的东西,在神面前却顿见渺少,因为神比它们更伟大,它们全是神创造出来的。
神创造万物的时候,有谁能够指教祂呢?自然没有!神的能力已足以创造一切,根本不需要任何帮忙。而且,神更是在祂创造万物之后,到最后才造出人类,来享受祂所创造的世界。
世上的所谓「强国」,又能否与神相比?你曾否见过从水桶边缘滴下的一滴水?那些所谓强国的力量,若与神的能力相比,就仿如那小水滴一样。
请看第26节。伟大的神可以个别地按名呼叫众星出来。但不要忘记,天文学家告诉我们,天空有超过十亿个分隔很远且大小不同的星系。我们要找出每个星系的位置,已是天方夜谭;但神却能够为它们每个定位,连一个也不失落!
有人可能会说:神既然那么伟大,又怎会留意我们这些渺少的人类呢?但请翻看第11节。静心思想这节经文为我们勾勒的神,是何等慈爱和无微不至。祂就像牧羊人照顾羊群那样地看顾我们,不单供应我们的一切所需,还会乳养软弱的小羊。祂会了解个别的需要,提供特别的关顾;祂总是无微不至地照顾我们。
思想神的伟大,将有助我们懂得更紧地倚靠神。神曾经很严厉地对待你吗?那可能是爱的管教,为的是纠正和挽回你。当管教过后,我们总是会体察到管教的价值,都会感谢神的及时管教。总而言之,神是无可比拟的伟大,也是无可比拟的慈爱;让我们为此而颂赞和感谢祂吧!
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.

