Day 6 March 03


Day 6 March 03

Passage: Isaiah 40 : 27-31
In the passages from Day 1 through Day 6, the object to which God was speaking to is getting clearer: Jacob/ Israel. The twelve tribes of Israel come from the same forefather Jacob. The history of how God led his life is the collective memory for all the Israelites! God intentionally used the name of their forefather to address and represent His people and then He responded to their needs. In the name Jacob, the past, the present and the future of the Israelites are linked together.

A long time had passed and the Israelites noticed that their circumstances did not show any change. Many questions arose: Has God forgotten about us? Maybe He is not concerned about us anymore? As the days go by, even the punishment of God became blurry in their recollections. On the contrary, they began to fault God for His inaction. They doubted God and poured out their complaints instead of praying to God for repentance of their sins. However, God responded. Without any anger God responds to His people.

God pointed out that He is the Eternal Almighty Creator! "Eternal" means He is the everlasting God who is in control of the past and the future. He knows every situation they had gone through. He will carry out the promised plan about their future. Had God not been present with their forefather Jacob in his life journey? Had God not been present with the twelve tribes of Israel in their occupation of the Promised Land? From the time of Jacob to the Kingdom of Israel, God was always present and was never absent in their history!

God is the powerful Creator. He is not man. The Eternal Creator never gets tired and weary. There is no limit to His wisdom and His mighty power will accomplish what He has promised. Though He is the transcendent God, He still humbles Himself and waits for His people. He cares about their future and wants to participate in starting every new chapter of their lives. His desire is that the people will recognize that He is a wonderful and loving God. He longs for His people to build their trust upon who He really is. When God regains His rightful place in their hearts as the one and only God, and in Him they build their trust, then they will be able to experience the reality of their renewed strength. They shall walk with God and run and not be weary!

The emphasis of waiting is not on the people. That's not even the lesson for them to learn!  Waiting is solely paying attention to God, the Creator, Himself!

Prayer: Lord God, we are waiting on You alone.

第六天 Mar 03


经文：以赛亚书 40:27-31
从第一天的经文到今天第六天，上帝对话的对象越来越具体：雅各/以色列。雅各是十二支派的以色列百姓之共同始祖。他一生蒙神带领的事是以色列人民的集体记忆!神这时以始祖的名称称呼百姓及回应百姓，过去、现在和将来就因此被联系起来。

相信是过了一段时间，百姓不见局势有任何的变动。耶和华神会不会是把我们给忘了？或许祂已不在乎我们了？ 时间长了，百姓也许淡忘了自己是受神惩罚的。相反的，百姓却埋怨起神没有任何动静。百姓这里是对神质疑和埋怨，不是向神哀苦忏悔祈求。

耶和华神回应了，具体的回应，不带任何怒气的回应! 耶和华向百姓指出自己是永在的创造主!“永在”表明从过去到将来，耶和华是神，神不会不知道百姓曾经历过的，神也一定会兑现向百姓承诺，指出将来要走的路。从过去到如今，神难道不是陪伴始祖雅各走过一生吗？  神岂不是与之一路同行、引以色列十二支派落户应许地？从雅各到以色列国，耶和华全程参与并未缺席!

耶和华是创造主，与世人有极大的差别。创造神永不困倦，有智慧和能力执行所要成就的事!创造主神虽然远超越一切，耶和华神还是愿意成为百姓等候的对象，以色列民的将来是神关注、参与及要开创的事。耶和华神要百姓认识祂是这样的一位神，神要以“自己是谁”在百姓心里建立起百姓的信心。当神重新成为百姓心中所信赖的唯一对象，“从心得力”并开始与神同行和奔跑在“路”上不困倦就会是事实!

“等候”的重点不是放在百姓这边，不是百姓的功课! “等候”是指全然注目在耶和华创造主本身!

祷告：耶和华上帝，我们等候祢 ! 

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