今天的经文将我们的注意力转到──神使者的脚是具有特别的重要性，我们可以假定这是因为这些脚令传递神爱的使者加快脚步。有人指出，关于主的追随者，圣经唯一形容为佳美的不是他们的脸或体形，而是他们的脚！这让我们明白应该时常保持谦卑的态度，如果再没有其他的东西可以给我们带来这样的提醒。世俗的人谈到「漂亮」的人的时候，一般都是指电影、电视或者是过着奢华享乐生活的著名影星，这些人今天还在，但是明天便会消失。神有祂自己「佳美」的百姓，就是那些无论去到哪里都携带着福音的人。

但撒拉弗似乎在说：「不要看我们的脚。不要把注意力集中在我们身上，而是聚焦在我们所事奉的主身上。」这是真正的谦卑。谦卑的信徒往往在自己的任务中感到自豪，不过他们会将注意力从自己身上转向救主，并保持施洗约翰说「他必兴旺，我必衰微」（约三30）时的态度。我们永远不能忘记在事奉主基督的时候，我们的任务是注目于神，不是着眼于自己。

「神『佳美』的百姓带着福音的好消息」

进深研究
太十八1-9；箴二十二4，二十九23；罗十二3

1. 谁在天国中是最大的？
2. 我们应该怎样想自己？

祈祷
我的父、我的神，在我的一切事奉中，求您都让我隐藏在十字架的背后，让别人听到的不单是我的声音，更是圣灵的柔声细语。奉基督的名祈求，阿们。

The Vision of God

Day 38

"God's beautiful people"

"How beautiful...are the feet of those who bring good news..." (v.7)

Bible reading:
Isaiah 52:1-15

1 Awake, awake, Zion, clothe yourself with strength! Put on your garments of splendor, Jerusalem, the holy city. The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again.

2 Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck, Daughter Zion, now a captive.

3 For this is what the Lord says: "You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed."

4 For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "At first my people went down to Egypt to live; lately, Assyria has oppressed them.

5 "And now what do I have here?" declares the Lord. "For my people have been taken away for nothing, and those who rule them mock,[a]" declares the Lord. "And all day long my name is constantly blasphemed.

6 Therefore my people will know my name; therefore in that day they will know that it is I who foretold it. Yes, it is I."

7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

8 Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes.

9 Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.

10 The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.

11 Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Come out from it and be pure, you who carry the articles of the Lord's house.

12 But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard. The

13 See, my servant will act wisely[b]; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.

14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him[c]—his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness—

15 so he will sprinkle many nations,[d] and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.

Message

We continue thinking about the seraphs who stood above the throne in Isaiah's vision. We saw yesterday that with two wings they covered their faces, and now we consider the fact that with two they covered their feet. What is the significance of this? The implication here is that what is to be done for God must be done with humility.

The passage before us today draws our attention to the truth that the feet of God's heralds have a special importance, presumably because they speed the messengers of God's love on their way. Someone has pointed out that the only thing that is said to be "beautiful" about the followers of the Lord in Scripture is not their faces, or their figures, but their feet! That ought to keep us humble - if nothing else does. When worldly individuals talk about "beautiful" people they usually mean film, television or pop stars who live hedonistic lives - here today and burnt out tomorrow. God has His "beautiful" people too - those who carry the good news of the gospel wherever they go.

But the seraphs seem to be saying: "Oh, don't look at our feet. We want to focus the attention not on ourselves but on the Lord whom we are serving." This is true humility Humble believers, while glorying in their task, seek to turn attention away from self to the Saviour and maintain the attitude which John the Baptist demonstrated when he said: "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30, AV). We should never forget that as far as our service for Christ is concerned, our task is not to draw attention to ourselves but to Him.

"God's 'beautiful' people carry the good news of the gospel"

Prayer
My Father and my God, grant in all my service to You that I will be hidden behind the cross, and the voice that people hear will not be mine alone, but the still small voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to them. In Christ's Name I pray. Amen.

Further study
Matthew 18:1-9
Proverbs 22:4; 29:23
Romans 12:3

1. Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2. How are we to think of ourselves?

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