【双语灵修】耶和华的呼召和邀请THE LORD CALLS AND INVITES

利未记 1:1-2

耶和华从会幕中呼叫摩西，对他说： “你晓谕以色列人说：你们中间若有人献供物给耶和华，要从牛群羊群中献牲畜为供物。

星期一

十一月三日

耶和华的呼召和邀请

“耶和华… 呼叫摩西，对他说：‘你晓论以色列人说…”- 利 1:1-2

昨天我们看过，神完全的圣洁，意味着，纵使是蒙神特别拣选的摩西，到神面前时也需要小心翼翼。那么，百姓们又怎样能够与神交往呢？

在利未记最初的几节经文中，我们看到神自己首先说话，祂邀请百姓来与祂交往，而方式乃是由神决定的。

我们或许想像自己可以决定怎样与神交往。例如，有些人认为崇高道德标准的生活能赚取神的接纳，另有些人则轻看了罪的严重性。可惜这些做法都是非常不足的，因为它们没有认真地看重神和祂的圣洁－更不用指出一个事实，就是我们都犯了罪，除非神为我们开路，不然我们根本不能来到神面前。

神亲自进入我们的生命里，改变我们生活的每一个层面：我们的人际关系、我们的工作、我们的渴求、我们的优先次序和整个人生观。然而，我们乃是按祂所定的方式来接近祂的。

昔日神委派摩西去教导百姓，他们需要怎样做才能过着有神同在的生活。许多个世纪之后，神再一次说话：“道成了肉身，住在我们中间”（约翰福音 1:14）。耶稣就是神赐给我们的道，祂到来教导和拯救我们，当我们凭信心仰望祂，神便进入我们的生命中与我们同在，而我们的生命也被改变了！

祷告

圣洁和伟大的神，祢常常都与我们同在！我们为耶稣感谢祢，祂让我们能够与祢一起过每一天。阿们。

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3

THE LORD CALLS AND INVITES

The LORD called to Moses and spoke to him. . . . He said, “Speak to the Israelites and say. . . .” —Leviticus 1:1-2

Yesterday we saw how God’s perfect holiness meant that even Moses, whom God had specially chosen, had to be careful about approaching the Lord. How then could the people themselves have fellowship with God?

In the opening verses of Leviticus, we see that God speaks first, inviting the people into relationship with him. And God sets the terms.

Maybe we imagine that we can decide how to relate with God. For example, some people suppose that living a highly moral life earns God’s acceptance. Others downplay the seriousness of sin. But these approaches are woefully inadequate, failing to take God and his holiness seriously—not to mention the fact that we are all sinful and cannot even approach God unless he makes a way possible for us.

God’s presence will come into our lives, changing every part of us—our relationships, our work, our desires, our priorities, and our whole outlook on life. But we enter God’s presence on his terms.

God appointed Moses to teach the people what was needed to live in God’s presence at that time. Centuries later, God spoke his word again—and “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14). Jesus is God’s Word to us, and he came to teach and save us so that when we look to him in faith, God’s life-changing presence enters our lives!

Holy and awesome God, you are present with us always! We thank you for Jesus, who makes it possible for us to live each day in your presence. Amen.