【双语灵修】当神使用我们时WHEN GOD USES US

哥林多前书 1:26-31

弟兄们哪，可见你们蒙召的，按着肉体有智慧的不多，有能力的不多，有尊贵的也不多。神却拣选了世上愚拙的，叫有智慧的羞愧；又拣选了世上软弱的，叫那强壮的羞愧。神也拣选了世上卑贱的，被人厌恶的，以及那无有的，为要废掉那有的，使一切有血气的，在神面前一个也不自夸。但你们得在基督耶稣里是本乎神，神又使他成为我们的智慧、公义、圣洁、救赎。如经上所记：“夸口的，当指着主夸口。”

11月24日

当神使用我们时

“神却拣选了世上愚拙的，叫有智慧的羞愧……” - 林前 1:27

在耶稣尝试与那撒玛利亚妇人和她的邻居接触这件事中（《约翰福音》第4章），我们很容易忽略了一点—就是耶稣要透过妇人去接触她的邻居。

这真令人惊奇。因为耶稣其实不需要这样做，祂大可以走进城里，施行几个神迹，便能令很多人惊叹，相信祂救恩的好消息。又或者祂可以指示门徒，在他们进城“买食物”时（《约翰福音》4:8），去宣扬这个好消息的。但耶稣却特别选择使用这个被这城排斥的人，透过她那崭新的热诚，去传这好消息给城里所有的人。耶稣使用这城里其中一个说服力最低的妇人，公开见证生命改变，最后使整个社区的信仰复兴。祂为什么要这样做呢？

其实神常常倾向拣选“世界认为软弱的”，去叫有智慧的羞愧，你只要用一点时间去看看《使徒行传》就会发现，神就是这样建立祂的教会，祂使用一群无名小卒，去把神的恩典传给所有人。神喜欢这样做。

可能基于一些原因，令你以为神不会使用你去祝福别人的生命。你可能躲藏在这些原因背后，使它成为你的匿藏处。但从这位来自叙加的撒玛利亚妇人的故事中，我们知道，神不会容让这些阻挠祂，而祂也不会让你阻挠祂。如果你愿意的话，神是会使用你的。

神上一次透过你去接触其他人，是几时的事呢？

祷告

神啊，求你帮助我勇敢地投入你在这世上的工作。我纵然软弱，求你仍然使用我，去把生命、盼望和更新带给其他人，使你得着荣耀。阿们。

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24

WHEN GOD USES US

God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. . . . —1 Corinthians 1:27

It can be easy to miss something about Jesus’ approach to the Samaritan woman and her neighbors (John 4)—he aimed to reach them through her.

This is amazing. After all, Jesus didn’t have to do that. He could have walked into town, performed a few miracles, and dazzled many people into believing his good news of salvation. Or he could have instructed his disciples to spread the good news while they were in town “to buy food” (John 4:8). But he specifically chose to work through the fresh enthusiasm of the town outcast to somehow reach everyone there. He used one of the least credible members of the town to lead what became a community-wide revival. Why would he do that?

God has always had a strong bias toward choosing the “weak of the world” to shame the wise. Read the book of Acts sometime. That’s how the Lord built his church. He used a group of nobodies to spread his grace to everybody. God loves to do that.

You may have reasons why you think God wouldn’t want to use you to bless someone else’s life. You may be crouching behind those reasons to make a hiding place. But as the Samaritan woman from Sychar could tell us, God has never let such things get in his way—and he won’t with you. If you let him.

When was the last time God worked through you to reach others?

God, help me to step boldly into your work in this world. Use me, even in my weakness, to bring life, hope, and transformation to others for your glory. Amen.