【双语灵修】牢记神的应许REMEMBERING GOD’S PROMISES

弥迦书 5:2-4；马太福音 2:1-6

“伯利恒以法他啊，你在犹大诸城中为小，将来必有一位从你那里出来，在以色列中为我做掌权的。他的根源从亘古，从太初就有。” 耶和华必将以色列人交付敌人，直等那生产的妇人生下子来。那时，掌权者^[a]其余的弟兄必归到以色列人那里。

他必起来，倚靠耶和华的大能并耶和华他神之名的威严，牧养他的羊群。他们要安然居住，因为他必日见尊大，直到地极。

当希律王的时候，耶稣生在犹太的伯利恒。有几个博士从东方来到耶路撒冷，说： “那生下来做犹太人之王的在哪里？我们在东方看见他的星，特来拜他。” 希律王听见了，就心里不安，耶路撒冷合城的人也都不安。 他就召齐了祭司长和民间的文士，问他们说：“基督当生在何处？” 他们回答说：“在犹太的伯利恒。因为有先知记着说： ‘犹大地的伯利恒啊，你在犹大诸城中并不是最小的，因为将来有一位君王要从你那里出来，牧养我以色列民。’”

12月19日

牢记神的应许

「他就召齐了祭司长和民间的文士，问他们说：『基督当生在何处？』」 - 马太福音 2:4

耶稣降生后一段时间（可能数月），东方博士前来寻访他。这些「智者」看见一颗星，指引他们朝见新生的君王。于是他们来到耶路撒冷求问当地统治者。

希律王听闻新生王的消息，顿感不安。而希律的不安，足以让他所统治的百姓忧心忡忡。希律以残暴闻名，常对任何威胁王位的迹象心生猜忌，但此时希律需要更多信息来实现他的图谋。

于是希律召集民间的领袖和文士来查询，而他的追问反而将博士引向了神话语中的应许。早在数百年前，神已宣告救主将来自伯利恒，一座邻近的乡间小镇。博士们于是继续寻访，直至找到应许中的婴孩。

现在我们常常以为能够用节期的装饰和仪式捕捉「圣诞精神」。但博士的故事提醒我们：圣诞的真意源于神的应许。纵然魔鬼试图以各种方式侵害我们，我们仍可信靠主的应许。这个圣诞节，你当如何仰望神的应许，寻求祂的指引呢？

祷告

父啊，求你引导我们归向你的应许，愿我们的圣诞充满喜乐的寻见，并在耶稣里得着新生命。阿们。

Micah 5:2-4; Matthew 2:1-6

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19

REMEMBERING GOD’S PROMISES

When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. —Matthew 2:4

Sometime (probably a few months) after the birth of Jesus, Magi from the east came in search of him. These “wise men” had seen a star that pointed them to the birth of a new king. So they came to the regional ruler in Jerusalem to ask about this.

When King Herod heard about the newborn king, he was disturbed. And if Herod was disturbed, the people he ruled had reason for concern. He had a reputation for being cruel and was often suspicious of any threat to his throne. Yet at this point Herod needed more information in order to get what he wanted.

So he asked the people’s leaders and teachers about this king, and Herod’s inquiries pointed the Magi toward the promises in God’s Word. Centuries earlier, God had said that the Savior would come from Bethlehem, a town in the nearby countryside. The Magi then continued their search until they found the promised child.

We often assume today that we can capture something of the “Christmas spirit” in our decorations and ceremonies of the season. This story about the Magi reminds us that the meaning of Christmas arises from God’s promises. Though the devil may try to bring harm in various ways around us, we can trust in the Lord’s promises. In what ways are you looking to God’s promises for direction this Christmas?