【双语灵修】离开埃及LEAVING EGYPT
出埃及记 12:31-42
夜间，法老召了摩西、亚伦来，说：“起来！连你们带以色列人从我民中出去，依你们所说的去侍奉耶和华吧！ 也依你们所说的，连羊群牛群带着走吧！并要为我祝福。” 埃及人催促百姓，打发他们快快出离那地，因为埃及人说：“我们都要死了。” 百姓就拿着没有酵的生面，把抟面盆包在衣服中，扛在肩头上。 以色列人照着摩西的话行，向埃及人要金器银器和衣裳。 耶和华叫百姓在埃及人眼前蒙恩，以致埃及人给他们所要的。他们就把埃及人的财物夺去了。以色列人从兰塞起行，往疏割去，除了妇人孩子，步行的男人约有六十万。 又有许多闲杂人，并有羊群牛群，和他们一同上去。 他们用埃及带出来的生面烤成无酵饼，这生面原没有发起，因为他们被催逼离开埃及，不能耽延，也没有为自己预备什么食物。 以色列人住在埃及共有四百三十年。 正满了四百三十年的那一天，耶和华的军队都从埃及地出来了。 这夜是耶和华的夜，因耶和华领他们出了埃及地，所以当向耶和华谨守，是以色列众人世世代代该谨守的。
星期日
三月二十二日
离开埃及
“这夜是耶和华的夜，因耶和华领他们出了埃及地 … 。” - 出 12:42
说服埃及的法老释放为奴的以色列人并不容易。但经过那些给埃及全地带来苦难、毁灭，甚至无数家庭有人死亡的十灾（《出埃及记》 7-12章）之后，法老便催促以色列人快快离开。
摩西吩咐以色列民向埃及人要金器、银器和衣裳，耶和华“叫百姓在埃及人眼前蒙恩，以致埃及人给他们所要的。”当夜，以色列民便带着很多物资，甚至财宝，并羊群牛群等离开埃及地。
这是远超过以色列人所能想像得到的。他们数代在埃及地为奴，现在神使他们重获自由。不但如此，在他们开始前往神应许给他们之地前，亚伯拉罕、以撒和雅各的神，还为他们预备远超过他们所需要的物资。
这段经文其中一个关键词是神“守夜”。你试过“守夜”吗？为人父母，我记得曾多次在晚上看守患病的孩子，不断察看我们的孩子是否安好和渐渐康复。神就像一个不断看顾孩子的父母，祂关心我们，希望我们每一个人都能成长和享受丰盛生命的福份。
祷告
亲爱的神，感谢你看顾我们。我们有时不知你在哪里，甚至只能哭喊，愿我们明白和相信，你是信实把我们紧握在手中的主。阿们。
Exodus 12:31-42
SUNDAY, MARCH 22
LEAVING EGYPT
The LORD kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt. . . . —Exodus 12:42
It was not easy to convince the Pharaoh of Egypt to release the people of God from slavery. Finally, after a series of ten plagues that brought suffering, destruction, and even death to countless families throughout the land (Exodus 7-12), Pharaoh urged the Israelites to go.
Moses had also told the Israelites to ask the people of Egypt for clothing and silver and gold, and the Lord “made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for.” So the people of Israel left Egypt that night with plenty of supplies—even great wealth— along with their flocks and herds of animals.
Surely this was more than the Israelites could have imagined. They had been slaves for generations in the land of Egypt, and now the Lord had made it possible for them to be freed. What’s more, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had provided abundantly more than they would need as they began their journey to the land God had promised them.
One of the key phrases in this passage is that God “kept vigil.” Have you ever kept vigil? As a parent, I remember times of watching over a sick child during the night, constantly checking to see if our child was all right and moving into recovery. God is like a parent watching over his children—always. The Lord cares for us, wanting each one to flourish and enjoy the blessings of full life.
Dear God, thank you for watching over us. We may wonder where you are at times—we may even cry out—but may we see and trust that you hold us faithfully in your hands. Amen.