Spiritual Thought for the Week 2008/11/2

Spiritual Thought for the Week
As I was approaching the end of my medical leave, I had a preparatory meeting with the brothers and sisters in the church council. They asked me a question, “Rev. Chan, we don’t know why you got sick, and you left us just like that. Now you are back and we don’t know what we can do for you!” I said, “You do not need to do anything for me. You only need to listen to God and do the job for Him.” For the Lord had given us a job, while he found no one to do it he was appalled. It was recorded in Ezekiel 22:30 thus: “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.”
The issue is not because God does not have a mission for us. The issue is because God can not find us willing to do the job. Many of us like to build high towers and walls. But few of us like to do the job of filling the gaps and repairing the walls. Many people want to speak on a high platform. But few are willing to intercede for others and bow down before the Lord. Yet, these are the people God has been looking for. He wants to find people who intercede for the land so that God will not destroy it.
To finish a big project like building a new city is not something anyone can do. But to repair the wall and fill the gap is a job you and I can do. To speak eloquently in front of a congregation may be something only great preachers can do. But to pray for others before the Lord is something you and I can do. In fact this is one of the most significant, accomplishable and effective jobs we are supposed to do. You can not say you don’t find any such job in our church! Can you? Look at the life and work in our church; the life and work of our brothers and sisters at home, in schools and in the offices; have we bore good Christian witness to others… has God’s name been glorified in our deeds…these are some of the things we can pray for one another before the Lord.
God is searching for people like these to do the job. Who is willing to do this job? This job costs time and commitment. But the pay off is great. It involves the everlasting value of eternity. So if you want to work and find out there is not much work opportunity out there. Come here, there is a lot of work opportunities. If you see no prospect in the job you do. Come here. There is great prospect that promises you bright future. Come and share your joy with the Lord. You can come and have intercessory prayer for the church, for our ministry, for brothers and sisters; for believers and non believers. With your petition and supplications you see how God will bestow his grace upon us, works on his mighty act and accomplishes his good will for us.
Do we have a gap to fill and a wall to repair in this church? Oh yes, we do. Not only that we have one, we have many that need our attention. If we have gaps to fill and not fill them. They will grow bigger and bigger as days go by. This will create weak points and unprotected spots for Satan to launch attacks on. We put up considerable amount of time to care for our families and love ones. But who care for the house of God? Who care for the work of the kingdom? God is perplexed when he see his people have no one who cares, no one who do intercession for others. And the consequence is detrimental. “So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own head all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.” Ezekiel 22:31
The Lord is looking for someone who will watch and pray for others. Are you willing to do this job?

本週默想分享
在我病癒之後，第一次與堂會弟兄姊妹開會的時候，他們問我，“陳牧師，我們不知道你為甚麼突然因病告假，你現在回來了，我們也不知道我們能做甚麼來幫助你。”我說，“你們不需要做甚麼來幫助我，你們只須要聽神的話，願意做神要你們做的工作就成了。”神已經在聖經上說過嚴厲的話：“我要尋找一人重修牆垣，在我面前為這國站在破口防堵。。。，卻找不著一個。”（結22：30）
神不是沒有使命和工作，乃是找不到一人肯作，願意作。許多人願意建築高大的城樓，卻不願意修堵破口。許多人願意在人面前居高談論，卻不願意在神面前俯伏代求。然而這正是神所要尋找的人，要作的工。
我們要作大的工，造一個新的城，可能是辦不到。但修理墻垣，堵住破口卻有可能作成。我們在人面前講，可能機會不多，但到神前代禱卻常可實行。其實這是更重要，更有把握和效果的工作。難道神今天沒有墻垣修補嗎？沒有破口可堵嗎？神的家是什麼情況，神的兒女們是什麼光景，神的見證在那裏表明，神的榮耀在那裏顯出。。。你們都應該比我更清楚你們要為教會代求的事。
神現在就是尋找這樣的人，有誰願意作這樣的工作呢？是要付出代價的，然而卻是有永恒價值的。所以當我們有心為主工作，而沒有機會的時候，這裏有極多的機會。沒有出路的時候，這是更好的出路。到神那裏去吧！與神同樂，為我們的教會，為許多信徒來獻上代禱，祈求，讓神賜下恩典，顯出大能，成就祂的旨意。今天我們的教會破口不但有，而且很多，若不堵住，會越來越大。撒但就有更多藉口攻擊我們，欺騙我們。我們都顧念自己的家，想自己的事。有誰以神家的事為念，為神的國勞苦呢？神見無人拯救，無人代求，甚為詫異。“所以我將惱恨倒在他們身上，用烈怒的火滅了他們，照他們所行的，報應在他們頭上。這是耶和華說的。”（結22：31）
神要尋找守望代求的人，你肯去嗎？