神是我们的避难所
以西结书十一章14至25节
14耶和华的话临到我说：
15“人子啊，耶路撒冷的居民对你的弟兄、你的本族、你的亲属、以色列全家，就是对大众说：‘你们远离耶和华吧！这地是赐给我们为业的。’
16所以你当说：‘耶和华如此说：我虽将以色列全家远远迁移到列国中，将他们分散在列邦内，我还要在他们所到的列邦，暂作他们的圣所。’
17你当说：‘主耶和华如此说：我必从万民中招聚你们，从分散的列国内聚集你们，又要将以色列地赐给你们。’
18他们必到那里，也必从其中除掉一切可憎可厌的物。
19我要使他们有合一的心，也要将新灵放在他们里面，又从他们肉体中除掉石心，赐给他们肉心，
20使他们顺从我的律例，谨守遵行我的典章。他们要作我的子民，我要作他们的神。
21至于那些心中随从可憎可厌之物的，我必照他们所行的报应在他们头上。这是主耶和华说的。”
22于是基路伯展开翅膀，轮子都在他们旁边；在他们以上有以色列神的荣耀。
23耶和华的荣耀从城中上升，停在城东的那座山上。
24灵将我举起，在异象中借着神的灵，将我带进迦勒底地，到被掳的人那里，我所见的异象就离我上升去了。
25我便将耶和华所指示我的一切事都说给被掳的人听。
信息分享
我们在第16节看到神的应许和美好的盼望。这些百姓纵然离开耶路撒冷的圣殿很远，但神却要真实地向他们显明自己。对他们而言，这是一个崭新的经验。尽管不能在有形的圣殿中敬拜祂，他们却可以亲身体验到神的同在。
有些时候，我们很容易以为，只有在宏伟的教堂才能找到神；然而，神其实住在每个信靠祂的人心中，不管我们身处何方。诗篇四十六篇提醒我们「神是我们的避难所，是我们的力量，是我们在患难中随时的帮助」。人只要有信心，神就会向他显明祂的同在和能力。
神在17至20节还作出进一步的应许。神会在祂所定的时间，再次招聚祂的百姓，领他们重归故土。当祂的旨意成就、当祂的工作完成，祂就会带领祂的百姓回国。
与此同时，神会赐他们一颗新心，一颗热诚并能回应神的心，他们将会听从祂，并与祂相交。多么美好的未来！时至今天，神仍然希望属祂的人能够这样回应祂，祂渴望与我们相交。我们千万不要让这位一直等候的慈父失望。
GOD OUR REFUGE
Ezekiel 11: 14-25
14 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
15 “Son of man, your brethren, your relatives, your countrymen, and all the house of Israel in its entirety, are those about whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Get far away from the LORD; this land has been given to us as a possession.’
16 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Although I have cast them far off among the Gentiles, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.”’
17 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”’
18 And they will go there, and they will take away all its detestable things and all its abominations from there.
19 Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh,
20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.
21 But as for those whose hearts follow the desire for their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord GOD.
22 So the cherubim lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was high above them.
23 And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain, which is on the east side of the city.
24 Then the Spirit took me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to those in captivity. And the vision that I had seen went up from me.
25 So I spoke to those in captivity of all the things the LORD had shown me.
Message
God added these wonderful words of promise and hope found in verse 16. Even though these people were far away from the temple in Jerusalem, God could be very real to them. It would be a new experience for them. Without the visible material place of worship (the temple) they could still personally know the presence of God.
Sometimes it is easy to think that God can only be found in the great cathedrals, but God is in the heart that has put its trust in Him, no matter where we may be. Psalm 46 reminds us that “God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble”. Wherever faith exists, God is there and wants to prove to us His presence and His power.
Then God makes a further promise in verses 17 -20. In His own time, He will pick up His own people again and return them to their own land. When His purpose has been fulfilled, when the work He wants to do has been accomplished, He will bring His people all the way back.
At the same time, God will give them a new heart which will be warm and responsive to God. They will be obedient to Him and have fellowship with Him. What a wonderful future! God still wants the same response from His people today. He longs for our fellowship. Let’s make sure we do not disappoint Him, the waiting Father.