【双语灵修】一个小饼 A Small Loaf

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“‘坛里的面必不减少 … ，直到耶和华使雨降在地上的日子。’” - 王上 17:14

在2019新冠状病毒大流行期间，人们对面粉和酵母的需求突然增加了，因为很多的人都想自己在家中烘面包。需求激增引起货品短缺，杂货店货架因此空空如也，令很多人连最基本的需要也得不到满足。

今天列王纪上的故事特别提到一些重要的物资短缺：溪水干了，面粉和油快要用尽了。饥荒使得到处都有缺乏，而以利亚、寡妇和她的儿子也似乎已到了山穷水尽的地步。

当以利亚请寡妇用她有限的食材为他做一个小饼时，请想像一下她的感受。为了履行那个时代款待客旅的传统，并且不想使她家的名声蒙羞，寡妇照着做了。她这样做极不容易，但她确实做了一个小饼给以利亚吃。结果，奇迹出现了，神不断添加她的面粉和油，直到旱灾结束的日子，从不短缺，

这件事发生在以色列境外的西顿，向外邦人证明，这位即使在匮乏中仍能带来丰足供应的耶和华神，比那些外邦的神更强大、更美善、更有权柄。事实上，我们的神是独一的真神，衪是天地万物之主。

祷告

我们的主、我们的神，你供养我们。有时我们担心我们可能会用尽自己的资源，然而我们也看到，你的能力超越了我们的恐惧。我们信靠你。阿们。

列王纪上 17:7-16

7过了些日子，溪水就干了，因为雨没有下在地上。
8耶和华的话临到他说：
9“你起身往西顿的撒勒法去，住在那里。我已吩咐那里的一个寡妇供养你。”
10以利亚就起身往撒勒法去。到了城门，见有一个寡妇在那里捡柴，以利亚呼叫她说：“求你用器皿取点水来给我喝。”
11她去取水的时候，以利亚又呼叫她说：“也求你拿点饼来给我。”
12她说：“我指着永生耶和华你的神起誓，我没有饼，坛内只有一把面，瓶里只有一点油。我现在找两根柴，回家要为我和我儿子做饼，我们吃了，死就死吧。”
13以利亚对她说：“不要惧怕。可以照你所说的去做吧，只要先为我做一个小饼拿来给我，然后为你和你的儿子做饼，
14因为耶和华以色列的神如此说：‘坛内的面必不减少，瓶里的油必不缺短，直到耶和华使雨降在地上的日子。’”
15妇人就照以利亚的话去行。她和她家中的人并以利亚，吃了许多日子。
16坛内的面果不减少，瓶里的油也不缺短，正如耶和华藉以利亚所说的话。

A Small Loaf

"The jar of flour will not be used up . . . until the day the LORD sends rain on the land." - 1 Kings 17:14

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a sudden demand for flour and yeast. Many, many people wanted to make bread at home! This surge caused a shortage of supplies, leaving shelves bare at the grocery store and causing some people to go without the basics they needed.

Today's story in 1 Kings highlights significant shortages: the stream runs dry, and the flour and oil are about to run out. Scarcity is everywhere, and Elijah and the widow and her son seem to be living on the edge of survival.

Imagine how the widow must have felt when Elijah asked her to make him a small loaf of bread with her limited resources. Largely because of a custom to be hospitable to strangers, she did it, not wanting to bring shame on her household. It couldn't have been easy, but she made a small loaf of bread and served it to Elijah. And, miraculously, God replenished her flour and oil so that they did not run out until the end of the drought.

The fact that this takes place in Sidon, a land outside of Israel, shows that the Lord God, who makes all things abundant even in times of scarcity, is stronger, better, and more powerful than the gods of other nations. In fact, God is the only true God, the Lord of heaven and earth.

Prayer

Lord our God, you are our provider. At times we are scared about running out of things, and yet we see that your power is greater than our fears. We trust in you. Amen.