【双语灵修】神是坚决的垂钓者God, the Determined Angler

「『我总不撇下你，也不丢弃你。』『主是帮助我的，我必不惧怕。』」 ― 来 13:5-6

热衷于飞蝇钓的人可以告诉你，当你钓到一条比你预计中更大的鱼时，你会经历到兴奋感。垂钓者是一个用钓鱼杆和钓鱼线来捕鱼的人，通常会用合适的钓鱼用具来捕捉某一种鱼。举例说，捕捉中型的鱼（例如鳟鱼），你需要用适用于这种鱼的大小用具。不过，你用这一类装备，有时也会钓到很大的鱼（例如鲑鱼）。当有这种事情发生时，情况便顿时乱成了一团。

钓鱼丝轮在猛烈转动，钓鱼线松开了，而那条大鱼也勇猛地游开了。你会感到惊惶失措，因为你不想失去那昂贵的工具，更不用说失去那条鱼了。之后你通常会有两个选择：让那条鱼游开，希望最终牠会游得疲倦，那时你便可以捉住牠了；或是索性剪断鱼丝，让那条鱼逃走。有决心的垂钓者或许会决定坚持下去，他巧妙地用鱼竿和鱼丝，跟鱼儿进行一场拔河大赛，然后慢慢地把牠拉上来。

从某些角度来看，我们与神的关系也可能是这样。我们或许以为可以按自己的喜好行事，然而神也可能会像钓鱼般钩住我们。纵使我们尝试跑得快过祂和胜过祂，祂却永远不会剪断恩典的线放弃我们。祂不会放开我们，而是继续与我们搏斗。当一切完结后，祂便赐我们自由去过丰盛的新生命，这生命远超我们所能想象得到的！

祷告

主啊，感谢祢没有切断与我们的关系，放弃我们。求祢以祢奇妙的恩典把我们拉过来，又帮助我们与人分享这恩典。阿们。

希伯来书 13:5-6
5 你们存心不可贪爱钱财，要以自己所有的为足；因为主曾说：「我总不撇下你，也不丢弃你。」 6 所以我们可以放胆说：「主是帮助我的，我必不惧怕，人能把我怎么样呢？」

God, the Determined Angler

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.” - Hebrews 13:5-6

A fly-fishing enthusiast can tell you about all the excitement that can unfold when you hook a fish much bigger than one you planned for. An angler—that is, a person who fishes with a rod and line—typically uses the equipment they need for catching a particular kind of fish. To catch a medium-size fish (like a trout), for example, you need tackle for that size of fish. But sometimes with that gear you can hook a much larger fish (like a salmon). And when that happens, chaos can break loose.

The reel will spin furiously, unloading the line as the large fish swims powerfully away. Then panic can set in because you don’t want to lose your expensive tackle, let alone the fish. Usually then you’ll have just two options: to let the fish run, and hopefully tire it out so that you can catch it; or simply to cut the line and let the fish go. A determined angler may decide to hold on, skillfully using the rod and line through a long tug of war and gradually reeling the fish in.

In some ways our relationship with God can be like that. We might be thinking we are free to do as we please, but God can hook us, and even though we might try to outrun and overpower him, he will never cut the grace-line or count us as a lost cause. He’ll fight for us and battle with us—and when all is said and done, he gives us the freedom to live a new and full life that is far beyond our imagining!

Prayer
Lord, thank you for not cutting us off or counting us out. Reel us in by your wonderful gift of grace and help us share it with others. Amen.

诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳