【双语灵修】作见证：留意到神WITNESS: NOTICING GOD

诗篇 71:1-18

耶和华啊，我投靠你，求你叫我永不羞愧。求你凭你的公义搭救我，救拔我；侧耳听我，拯救我。求你做我常住的磐石，你已经命定要救我，因为你是我的岩石，我的山寨。 我的神啊，求你救我脱离恶人的手，脱离不义和残暴之人的手。 主耶和华啊，你是我所盼望的，从我年幼你是我所倚靠的。 我从出母胎被你扶持，使我出母腹的是你，我必常常赞美你。许多人以我为怪，但你是我坚固的避难所。 你的赞美，你的荣耀，终日必满了我的口。我年老的时候，求你不要丢弃我；我力气衰弱的时候，求你不要离弃我。我的仇敌议论我，那些窥探要害我命的彼此商议， 说：“神已经离弃他，我们追赶他，捉拿他吧！因为没有人搭救。”神啊，求你不要远离我！我的神啊，求你速速帮助我！愿那与我性命为敌的羞愧被灭，愿那谋害我的受辱蒙羞。我却要常常盼望，并要越发赞美你。我的口终日要述说你的公义和你的救恩，因我不计其数。 我要来说主耶和华大能的事，我单要提说你的公义。 神啊，自我年幼时你就教训我，直到如今我传扬你奇妙的作为。神啊，我到年老发白的时候，求你不要离弃我，等我将你的能力指示下代，将你的大能指示后世的人。

九月十三日

作见证：留意到神

“我的口终日要述说你的公义和你的救恩。” - 诗 71:15

这个星期我们思想过，为神的救赎大功作见证是什么意思。见证人只需要陈述他听到和见到的事。身为基督徒，我们相信神时常都在我们周围作工的，所以我们的责任只是为祂的同在和美善作见证。

我有一个年纪比我大的足球波友，他在一个对宗教有负面评价的环境中长大，他时常和我辩论我的信仰。几年之前他的妻子患了失智症，多年来他都在家中照顾她，直到最近她离世。在她生命的最后几个月，他差不多完全没有离开家门，他对妻子总是寸步不离。有一次他告诉我，这样做尽管很困难，但他是不会改变这个做法的。当我想到他对妻子的忠心时，我有感动对他说：“Rick，我知道你可能不同意，但你对你妻子的照顾，令我想起神对我们的细心看顾。”他没有理会我说了什么，不过他并没有和我辩论。

那次的互动提醒我，我们是能够看到神在作工的－如果我们留心的话。此外，求神帮助我们多留意祂在我们周围的工作，我想，为神在我们和其他人生命中行的公义作见证，应该会容易得多。

祷告

神啊，祢呼召我向人宣扬祢的能力和荣耀。在我每天的生活和在我周围的人的生命中，但愿我能够看到祢手所作的工。求祢帮助我留心去看和见证祢的伟大。阿们。

Psalm 71:1-18

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

WITNESS: NOTICING GOD

My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long. —Psalm 71:15

This week we have reflected on what it means to be a witness to God’s saving work. To be a witness is to simply tell about what you have seen and heard. As Christians, we believe that God is always at work around us, so our role is to bear witness to his presence and goodness.

I have an older soccer friend who grew up with a negative view of religion and has often sparred with me about my faith. Several years ago his wife developed dementia, and he spent years caring for her at their home until she recently passed away. In her final months he barely left the house; he was a constant presence at her side. He told me once that as hard as that was, he wouldn’t have wanted to do anything differently. As I thought about his deep faithfulness to his wife, it prompted me to say, “Rick, I know you may not agree with this, but your care for your wife makes me think about how much God cares for us.” He brushed me away. But he didn’t argue.

That interaction reminds me of how we can see God at work—if we pay attention. In addition, if we ask God to help us pay more attention to his work all around us, I wonder how much easier it might become to witness about God’s righteous deeds in our lives and in the lives of others.

God, you call me to declare your power and glory to others. May I see your hand at work in my daily life and in the lives of the people around me. Help me to notice and to bear witness to your greatness. Amen.