Spiritual Thought for the Week 2009/6/21

DATE: 2009/6/21
本周默想分享
在父親節的今天，我們不但要紀念父親，也要尊敬父神。正如瑪拉基書1章6節說：“兒子尊敬父親，僕人敬畏主人，我既為父親，尊敬我的在哪里呢？我既為主人，敬畏我的在哪里呢？” 人間的關係， 和世界上的事物，能說明與神的關係，和靈界的事物。人世的一切如同影兒，屬靈的一切才是實體。對於信徒來說，應當更注意與神的關係和屬靈的事物。因為那是真實而永遠的，但以今生屬世的問題可以得教訓，神也常用此講明真理。
這段經文特別提到我們與神的關係，如父與子，主與僕的關係。這在聖經中說的很多，神是我們的天父，是我們的主宰，我們是祂的兒女和僕人。但事實上，許多信徒都沒有對神如同兒子對父親，僕人對主人一樣。因為沒有尊敬和敬畏祂，這使神時常不悅，甚至發怒。有的信徒對神還不如對世上的父親，和有權位的主人那麼尊敬和敬畏。對神沒有事奉，對神的話也沒有聽從，與神沒有親近，也不求討神的喜悅，這都叫神極為難過，正如以賽亞書上所說的。
“天哪，要聽，地啊，側耳以聽，我養育兒女，將他們養大，他們竟悖逆我。牛認識主人，驢認識主人的槽，以色列人卻不認識，我的民卻不留意。。。你們屢次悖逆，還要受責打嗎？”（賽1：2-5）又如耶利米書上說：“可見你離棄耶和華你的神，不存敬畏我的心，乃為惡事，為苦事”。（耶2：19）
如果我們不認識神的慈愛和恩典，真是牛驢都不如。若不尊敬，不敬畏神，不聽神的話乃是惡事，也是苦事。神今天在那裏尋找誰尊敬祂，要賜大恩典，福氣給他。
Spiritual Thought for the Week
On this Father’s Day Sunday, we honor not only our earthly father but also our heavenly father. God asks us the question, “A son honors his father and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the respect due me?” (Malachi 1:6) Human relationship is parallel to divine relationship. Earthly relationships are shadows. But divine relationship is the real thing. As Christians we pay attention to our relationship with God. It is because it is real and eternal. Nevertheless earthly relationship reminds us of our relationship with God. Like today’s passage for instance God is making an analogy to us.
Our relationship with God is analytical to that of the father and his son or that of the master to his servant. The Bible tells us many times that God is our heavenly father. He is our lord. We are his children and servants. In fact many believers do not treat God like a son to his father, or a servant to his lord. We do not give him the fear and respect. This up sets God and causes his wrath. Some believers honor their earthly fathers and their company’s bosses more than they do to God. They do not serve God; they do not hear his words. They do not come close to God. They do not seek God’s favor. This makes God very sad. Just like what the prophet Isaiah said.
“Hear O heavens! Listen, O earth! For the Lord has spoken: I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand…Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion?”(Isaiah 1:2-5) Prophet Jeremiah also said,: “how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord your God and have no awe of me,”(Jeremiah 2:19)
If we do not recognize God’s mercy and grace, we are worse than ox and donkey. If we do not honor God, fear God, obey his words, we are doing evil and bitter deeds. God is searching everywhere today. He is looking for people who would respect him and fear him. When he finds them he blesses them with great gift of blessing and grace.