【双语灵修】我们这位坚定不移的神OUR PERSISTENT GOD

何西阿书 11:1-4

以色列年幼的时候，我就爱他，从埃及召出我的儿子来。先知越发招呼他们，他们越发走开，向巴力祭祀，向雕刻的偶像烧香。我原教导以法莲行走，用膀臂抱着他们，他们却不知道是我医治他们。我用慈绳爱索牵引他们，我待他们如人把负重轭的牲口从腮颊上脱下来，把食粮放在他们面前。

11月2日

我们这位坚定不移的神

“先知越发招呼他们，他们越发走开。” - 何 11:2

在这个月，我们思想玩捉迷藏—那个关于想被找到，但又不想被找到的游戏。我们与神玩那个游戏，已经玩了很长的时间了。想想昔日亚当和夏娃躲在伊甸园中时，神其实在呼唤他们：“不管你们在哪里，出来吧，出来吧！”（参看《创世记》第3章）又想想神追寻因欺骗他哥哥而逃命的雅各，他躲在旷野中时，竟听到神呼唤他，事实上，神从顶着天的梯子上呼叫说：“我终于找到你了！”（参看《创世记》第28章）

或想想被掳的以色列民。他们背叛神已有很长的时间，以致神终于把他们想得到的给他们：就是没有祂的生命。何西阿传递了神令人悲伤不安的话：“先知越发招呼他们，他们越发走开。”神的子民已经是躲藏神的专家了。

所以，当神的儿子降临时，祂也亲身加入玩这个游戏，一点也不希奇。耶稣说，祂到来“为要寻找拯救失丧的人。”（《路加福音》19:10）。祂为我们这些无法靠自己得赦免和医治的人提供赦罪的恩典，然而，我们却千方百计避开祂所赐的。我们为什么继续这样做的呢？

耶稣呼召各式各样的人来跟从祂，这些人都跟从祂了。然而，就是与祂最亲近的跟随者，也有他们自己的盘算，他们往往尝试继续按己意行事（参看《马可福音》10:35-45）。当你听到耶稣呼唤你时，你会怎样回应呢？

祷告

信实的神，感谢你永远不会放弃我们。当我们走迷或抗拒你时，求你以你坚忍的爱寻找我们，又教导我们信靠你的恩典。阿们。

Hosea 11:1-4

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2

OUR PERSISTENT GOD

“The more they were called, the more they went away from me.” —Hosea 11:2

This month we’re reflecting on hide and seek—the game about wanting and not wanting to be found.

We’ve been playing that game with God for a long time. Think of Adam and Eve hiding in Eden, as God called, in effect, “Come out, come out, wherever you are!” (See Genesis 3.) Or think about God chasing down Jacob as he ran from the brother he had cheated. Jacob hid in the wilderness, only to hear God calling out, in effect, from a stairway to heaven, “I found you!” (See Genesis 28.)

Or think of Israel in exile. They had rebelled against God for so long that the Lord had finally given them what they wanted: a life without him. Hosea shared God’s haunting words: “The more they were called, the more they went away from me.” God’s people had become experts at hiding.

So it’s not surprising that when God the Son came, he joined in the game personally. Jesus came “to seek and to save the lost,” he said (Luke 19:10). He offered forgiveness and healing to people like us who couldn’t do forgiveness and healing very well on our own. And yet we tried our best to avoid what he was offering. Why do we keep doing that?

Jesus called all kinds of people to follow him, and they did. Yet even his closest followers had their own agendas and often tried to keep going their own way (see Mark 10:35-45).

When you hear Jesus calling you, what is your response?

Faithful God, thank you for never giving up on us. When we drift or resist, pursue us with patient love and teach us to trust in your grace. Amen.