Spiritual Thought for the Week 2009/5/17

DATE: 2009/5/17
本周默想分享
朋友您有没有感觉孤独的时候？在圣经里雅各有过这种经历。创世记32章24节说"只剩下雅各一人"。当剩下一个人的时候，会感到孤单，凄凉，寂寞，然而也正是孤单的时候，才能使人想到神。亲人离开，朋友疏远，人都显得不可靠，抓不住的时候，才能促使寻找神。似乎甚麽都空了的时候，你的神，祂仍在那里。你可能忘记，离弃祂，祂仍不改变，依然对你忠诚，爱你到底。
只剩下一个人不是一件坏事，它常是我们生命的转折点。当没有人同在的时候，我们容易听见神的声音，看见神的面容，感到他的慈爱，伟大，能力，神在我们身上有他的美意和目的。祂初来的时候，可能我们并不认识，还以为是来与我们为敌，作对的。我们竭力争论，奋斗，不甘屈服，并想要得胜对方，使自己的意愿得成，直到神给我们极重的打击，叫我们再也站不住了，失去了依靠和力量，只有屈服投降了。
这时只有求神祝福，不能再凭自己挣扎，奋斗。神若不怜悯，甚麽都完了，也正在这时，是人有了彻底的改变。从一个善用心计，设法取巧，靠自己聪明，凭肉体奋斗的人，变为无计可施，无力可用，完全投靠神，只有求神祝福，否则就活不下去的人。失去了自己，得着了全能的主，雅各变成以色列，这一个转机不止关系他自己，也关系到整个以色列民族，以及对新约信徒也给以极大的教训。剩下一人不是一件坏事，是一个遇见主的机会，一见到主的面，甚麽都改变了。
Spiritual Thought for the Week
Have you ever felt lonesome? Jacob had had that experience before. We are told in Genesis 32:24, “So Jacob was left alone...” Being left alone makes us feel desolate, solitude and lonely. But it is in such time we think of God. When family members, friends and love ones have left, and we find no one we can turn to for help. It is time to turn to God. When things seem void and empty, God is there. We may forget God. We leave God. But God never forgets us or leaves us. He does not change. He is always faithful and He loves us to the end.
Being left alone may not be a bad time. Often it is the critical time in our life. When no one is there with us, it makes it easier for us to hear God’s voice, see His face and feel His mighty loving power. He has good will and nice plan for us. When He first came, we might not know it was Him. We thought He was our foe. We did our best to go against Him. We did not want to surrender. We wrestled with Him and wanted to win over Him so as to have things our way. But God gave us a big blow that quieted us down and we could do nothing but to yield under His power.
At this time we can not help but beseech Him for His blessing. We won’t insist on our way any more. Without God’s mercy everything will be finished. It is in moment like this that changes a man completely. From a man with cunning and selfish deceit Jacob changed to a man who no longer rely on the strength of his flesh but totally on God’s grace and blessing. Jacob lost himself but in return he found God. Jacob became Israel. This is a turning point not only for the well being of an individual but also for the beautiful future for the whole tribe of Israel. Today we the new Israelites of the new covenant are also blessed because of this faith. Being left alone is not a bad thing. It is an opportunity for us to see God. Once we see His face, everything will not be the same again.
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