活在被擄中Living in Exile
[每日靈修] 9/13/2018,
駱鴻銘編譯
我們面向尼希米，尋找一些線索，以便在困苦的時期作我們朝聖之旅的指引。尼希米聽說了耶路撒冷光景的消息，因此悲痛欲絕。牆壁被拆毀，城門被火焚燒。對於失去此遺產，他首先感到的是悲傷，而不是苦毒或憤怒。尼希米哭泣、哀悼，正如耶穌後來也為同一個城市哭泣。
在他的悲痛中，尼希米進入到下一步，即祈禱、禁食。他的禱告首先是讚美的禱告，讚美上帝的威嚴和祂對其子民的信實：「大而可畏的神啊，你向愛你、守你誡命的人守約、施慈愛。」（尼一5）。
即使在被擄期間，尼希米也讚美上帝對聖約的信實。然後他將禱告的焦點轉向悔改，他懇求上帝赦免祂自己百姓的罪，承認他們使被擄的命運臨到自己身上。
活在神的面光中（在神面前禱告）：
想一想上帝在過去用了哪些方法證明祂對你是信實的，然後感謝祂！
進一步研讀：
申七9 所以，你要知道耶和華─你的上帝，祂是上帝，是信實的上帝；向愛祂、守祂誡命的人守約、施慈愛，直到千代。
尼一3～6 他們對我說：「那些被擄歸回剩下的人在猶大省遭大難，受凌辱；並且耶路撒冷的城牆拆毀，城門被火焚燒。」 我聽見這話，就坐下哭泣，悲哀幾日，在天上的神面前禁食祈禱，說： 「耶和華天上的神，大而可畏的神啊，你向愛你、守你誡命的人守約施慈愛。 願你睜眼看，側耳聽，你僕人晝夜在你面前為你眾僕人以色列民的祈禱，承認我們以色列人向你所犯的罪；我與我父家都有罪了。
Living in Exile
We look to Nehemiah for
clues to guide our own pilgrimage in difficult times. Nehemiah was
grief-stricken by the news of the condition of Jerusalem. The walls were broken
down and the gates burned with fire. His first emotion over the sad loss of his
heritage was grief. It was not bitterness or anger. Nehemiah wept and mourned
as Jesus would later weep over the same city.
In his grief, Nehemiah
moved to the next step, prayer and fasting. His prayer was first of all a
prayer of adoration for the majestic awe of God and for His faithfulness to His
people: “Oh great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with
those who love You and observe Your commandments” (Neh. 1:5).
Even in exile, Nehemiah
praised God for His covenant faithfulness. Then the focus of his prayer turned
to repentance, as he pleaded with God to forgive the sins of his own people,
acknowledging that they had brought exile upon themselves.
Coram Deo
Think about some of the
ways God has proven faithful to you in the past, then thank Him!
Passages for Further
Study
Nehemiah 1:3–6