从迷惘到信靠
我们不能免受伤害
经文
路加福音十八18-30
18有一个官问耶稣说:良善的夫子,我该作甚么事才可以承受永生?
19耶稣对他说:你为甚么称我是良善的?除了神一位之外,再没有良善的。
20诫命你是晓得的:不可奸淫;不可杀人;不可偷盗;不可作假见证;当孝敬父母。
21那人说:这一切我从小都遵守了。
22耶稣听见了,就说:你还缺少一件:要变卖你一切所有的,分给穷人,就必有财宝在天上;你还要来跟从我。
23他听见这话,就甚忧愁,因为他很富足。
24耶稣看见他,就说:有钱财的人进神的国是何等的难哪!
25骆驼穿过针的眼比财主进神的国还容易呢!
26听见的人说:这样,谁能得救呢?
27耶稣说:在人所不能的事,在神却能。
28彼得说:看哪,我们已经撇下自己所有的跟从你了。
29耶稣说:我实在告诉你们,人为神的国撇下房屋,或是妻子、弟兄、父母、儿女,
30没有在今世不得百倍,在来世不得永生的。
信息分享
我们看到祷告的回应往往不是我们心里所渴望的。一位传道人说:「向神祈求光的人,如果被光的炙热烧焦的话,不能抱怨;同样的,凡祈求神引导的人,如果神要他踏上他不想走的道路时,亦不应感到惊讶。」
霍姆斯(Oliver Wendell Holmes)说,当别人征询我们的意见时,总是希望得到我们的赞许,但是神却不是这样回应我们。如果我们祈求亮光,只要神知道那光不会将我们消灭,祂就会将我们所求的光赐给我们。请注意我是用「消灭」而不是「伤害」,因为神不会让我们免受伤害,如果那是祂使我们成长的计划里面的一部分。
我们从这位年青、富有官员的这个故事里面看到这个原则。他对耶稣说:「良善的夫子,我该作甚么事,才可以承受永生?」耶稣说:「要变卖你一切所有的,分给穷人,就必有财宝在天上;你还要来跟从我。」(18、22节)。那位年青人欢喜自己的财富,因为那是他生命中最重要的东西,但是主耶稣就是要他把财富放下。人生命中的首位应该是神的位置。那年青的官员得到的回答尽管不是他想要的,却是他所需要的。路加记载说他「就甚忧愁」。他不错是得到答案了,可是他并不肯接受这样的答案。
「人生命中的首位应该是神的位置」
进深研究
可十四26-42;太二十22;诗八十5,一二六5
1. 基督面对的是甚么「杯」?
2. 神怎样使用苦难?
祈祷
神啊,求您赦免我,因为我常常像那个年青的官员一样:祈求光,但光来到时,我却未预备好去接受它。主啊,求您教导我祷告和接受。奉基督的名祈求。阿们。
From Confusion to Confidence
"We are not saved from hurt"
Bible reading:
Luke 18:18-30
18 A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
19 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone.
20 You know the commandments: 'You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'[a]"
21 "All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.
24 Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!
25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."
26 Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?"
27 Jesus replied, "What is impossible with man is possible with God."
28 Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!"
29 "Truly I tell you," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God
30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life."
Message
We are seeing that the answer our prayers receive is not always the answer our hearts desire. One preacher has said: "He who asks God for light must not complain if the light scorches at times with its fierce and naked heat, and he who asks for guidance must not be surprised if God points him to paths he would rather not tread."
Oliver Wendell Holmes says that it is a rule which admits of few exceptions that when people ask for our opinion, they really want our praise. God will not deal with us like that. If we plead for light, then providing He sees that it will not devastate us, He will grant us the petition we ask. Note, I use the word "devastate" and not "hurt". God will not save us from getting hurt - if that pain is part of His purpose for making us better.
We see that principle illustrated in the story of the rich young ruler. He said to Jesus: "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said: "Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me" (vv.18, 22). The young man delighted in his wealth. It was the most important thing in his life. That is why Jesus asked him to put it on one side. The first place in any person's life is God's place. The answer the rich young ruler got was not the one he wanted, but it was certainly what he needed. The account says that he "became very sad". He got his answer - but failed to receive it.
"The first place in any person's life is God's place"
Prayer
O God, forgive me that so often I am like this rich young ruler - I ask for light, but when it comes I am not ready to receive it. Lord, teach me to pray - and also to receive. In Christ's Name I ask it. Amen.
Further study
Mark 14:26-42
Matthew 20:22
Psalm 80:5; 126:5
1. What was the cup Christ faced?
2. How does God use suffering?
本文英文版权属 CWR 所有,承蒙允准刊载。
背景音乐版权属 赞美之泉音乐事工 所有,承蒙允准使用。

