【中英雙語】災難的目的

最新 06-17

今日佳音

每日箴言

神願意讓災難

提醒我們察驗己心，

拓展禱告的疆界，

並時時尋求尊榮祂。

製作：每日箴言誦讀：楚雲片頭：張妙陽

在今日佳音公眾號發送數字 8

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災難的目的

The Purpose Of Disasters?

「求你在天上你的居所垂聽赦免。你是知道人心的，要照各人所行的待他們，(惟有你知道世人的心)，使他們在你賜給我們列祖之地上一生一世敬畏你。」 —王上 8:39-40

"Forgive and act… so that they will fear you all the time they live in the land you gave our ancestors." — 1 Kings 8:39-40

靈修

當黴菌在我的菜園裡首次登場時，我的第一反應就是憤怒。當有昆蟲、蠕蟲或真菌來毀壞我的作物時，我也是憤憤不平。當我發現有動物入侵菜園，偷了我的莊稼時，我更是被激怒了。後來當這些怒氣平伏下來，我的理性恢復，就去尋找原因和補救辦法。然而，我極少想到要探究自己的內心，看看有沒可能是自己的錯誤，以致造成我園中的災害。

When mildew makes its debut in my garden, my first response is anger. I am indignant when bugs or worms or fungi come to ruin my plants. I get exasperated when I see evidence of animals invading the garden and stealing my harvest. Then, as rationality returns, I look for causes and remedies. I rarely, if ever, search my heart for wrongdoing or any fault of my own as a possible cause behind disasters in my garden.

我們今天讀的經文是所羅門王禱告的一部分。場面是王和百姓所建輝煌聖殿的盛大開幕禮。在讚美神的美德之後，所羅門的禱告轉向百姓那可預測的失敗。軟弱——很小的罪——不會馬上被察覺和找到。我們大多數人都是緩慢而痛苦地意識到自己的錯誤。但所羅門藉著神所賜的智慧，能夠明白這一點。他也知道神園中的災害——如旱風和蝗蟲——能帶領我們回歸理性。所以他禱告「如果這地有饑荒、瘟疫... 」

Our verses today are part of King Solomon s prayer. The occasion is the grand opening of a splendid temple that the king and the people have built. After praising God s virtues, Solomon s prayer shifts to the predictable failings of God s people. Weaknesses—much less sins—are not readily detected or searched out. Most of us grow to realize our own faults slowly and painfully. By God-gifted wisdom, Solomon knows this. He also knows that disasters in God s garden—like blight or locusts—can help bring us to our senses. So he prays, "When famine or plague comes to the land..."

要注意，視每一樣災難都為神對我們犯罪的審判是錯誤的。但是，在災難和所面臨的掙扎中絲毫看不見神，也是目光短淺的。至少，神願意讓災難提醒我們察驗己心，拓展禱告的疆界，並時時尋求尊榮祂。

Now, it would be a mistake to see every disaster as God s judgment on our sins. But seeing nothing of God in the disasters and struggles that come our way would be shortsighted. Minimally, God intends that disasters will prompt us to examine our hearts, extend our hands in prayer, and seek to honor him all the time.

禱告

神啊，不管我們將遭遇何種災難，都求禰調轉我們的心來尋求禰和禰的憐憫。願我們最大的渴望總是尊崇禰，並行在禰的道中。奉耶穌的名禱告，阿們。

Prayer

Lord God, whatever disasters may come our way, turn our hearts to seek you and your mercy. May it always be our greatest desire to honor you and walk in your ways. Amen.