【双语灵修】行大事的神THE GOD WHO DOES MIGHTY THINGS
路加福音 1:46-56
马利亚说：“我心尊主为大， 我灵以神我的救主为乐， 因为他顾念他使女的卑微。从今以后，万代要称我有福， 那有权能的为我成就了大事，他的名为圣！ 他怜悯敬畏他的人，直到世世代代。 他用膀臂施展大能，那狂傲的人正心里妄想就被他赶散了。 他叫有权柄的失位，叫卑贱的升高； 叫饥饿的得饱美食，叫富足的空手回去。 他扶助了他的仆人以色列， 为要记念亚伯拉罕和他的后裔，施怜悯直到永远，正如从前对我们列祖所说的话。”
马利亚和伊利莎白同住约有三个月，就回家去了。
12月7日
行大事的神
「那有权能的为我成就了大事，他的名为圣。」 - 路加福音 1:49
圣诞节期间，我们很容易陷入一种危险的情绪—不满足。或许我们渴望从某人那里得到「完美礼物」，或许我们期待一场完美的家庭聚会，希望餐桌旁坐着「合适的人」。又或许，我们希望圣诞崇拜能「恰到好处」。但当现实与期待不符时，我们便容易生气，甚至暴躁。
我们也可能抱怨未从神那里得着所求的，或面对不公义，或人生偏离计划，或难以摆脱某些罪 - 深愿神能除去这些难题。
然而，正如马利亚颂歌所欢庆的，神的怜悯不仅显于祷告期待的回应，有时更显于艰难处境。天使惊人甚至骇人的宣告颠覆了马利亚的世界，但她仍在应许诞生的耶稣身上，认出了神的救赎恩典。
马利亚的颂歌还揭示出：神以大能抬举那些承认需要恩典的人。在世人眼中，富贵强者似乎拥有掌控人生的一切，但承认自身软弱的人会发现，救主耶稣正带着神圣力量走进他们的挣扎。愿我们与马利亚一同怀着感恩，谦卑领受神所赐的怜悯与力量。
祷告
神啊，你的怜悯与大能超乎我们的想象。求你开我们的眼目，使我们看见你所行的大事，并借着耶稣向我们显明的慈悲。阿们。
Luke 1:46-56
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7
THE GOD WHO DOES MIGHTY THINGS
“The Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.” —Luke 1:49
One danger we can slip into at Christmastime is discontent. Maybe we long for “the perfect gift” from someone. Or we hope for the perfect family gathering with “just the right people” around the table. Or perhaps we want Christmas worship to go “just so.” And then we grow ill-tempered or even cranky when things do not go as we dreamed.
We can also slip into complaining about what we do not get from God. Or maybe there are injustices we face, or our life hasn’t worked out the way we planned, or there are some sins we can’t quite shake—and we wish God would take those problems away.
Yet, as Mary’s song celebrates, God’s mercy shows up not only in answers that we expect from our prayers. Sometimes God’s mercy shows up in our difficult situations. The angel’s surprising, even shocking, announcement to Mary upended her world. Yet she still recognized God’s saving grace in the promised birth of Jesus.
Mary’s song reveals something else too. She sees the power of God to lift up people who recognize their need for grace. In the world’s eyes, the rich and powerful seem to have all they need in order to manage their lives. But people who recognize their own weaknesses will find that Jesus the Savior brings divine power to their struggles. May we join with Mary in humble gratitude for the gifts of God’s mercy and strength.
Lord God, you are merciful and mighty beyond our wildest imagination. Open our eyes to the great things you have done—and to your mercy to us in Jesus. Amen.