拒絕世上的國度RejectingKingdoms of This World
[每日靈修] 9/6/2018, 駱鴻銘編譯
奧古斯丁站在地中海沿岸。他聽說成群的野蠻人像一輛重型卡車，正朝著羅馬和帝國移動，發動攻擊。這些報導給人不祥的預感，沒有理由盼望羅馬文化還有活命的機會。
奧古斯丁為此禱告，分三部分。首先，他懇求上帝拯救帝國。其次，他祈求恩典，若這是神護理的旨意，就使他接受他所知文明的毀滅。在第三部分中，他祈求在任一種情況下，神都會讓他很快過世，並進入永恆的安息。
在人類社會結構中找不到恆久和安全。混凝土會破裂。玻璃會粉碎。鋼也會熔化。當上帝說「不！」時，人類的城市和國度就會毀滅。上帝根本不會容忍人類對「獨立自主」（autonomy）——製造自己偶像的慾望——的追求。任何城市、任何民族、任何文化，都無法在上帝的審判中存活下來。
活在神的面光中（在神面前禱告）：
花一些時間為你的城市、國家、民族禱告。
進一步研讀：
啟十一15 第七位天使吹號，天上就有大聲音說：世上的國成了我主和主基督的國；祂要作王，直到永永遠遠。
詩一四五10-11 耶和華啊，你一切所造的都要稱謝你；你的聖民也要稱頌你， 傳說你國的榮耀，談論你的大能。
詩一四五13 你的國是永遠的國！你執掌的權柄存到萬代！
Rejecting Kingdoms of This
World
Augustine
stood by the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. He had heard of the hordes of
barbarians that were moving as a juggernaut against Rome and the empire. The
reports were ominous and foreboding, lending little reason for hope of the
survival of the Roman culture.
Augustine
said a prayer in three parts. In the first part, he implored God to save the
empire. In the second part, he asked for grace to accept the destruction of
civilization as he knew it, if that should be the will of Providence. In the
third part, he asked that in either case he might be permitted soon to die and
enter his eternal rest.
Permanence
and security cannot be found in the structures of man. Concrete crumbles. Glass
shatters. Steel melts. When God says “No!” the cities and kingdoms of men come
to ruin. God simply will not tolerate man’s quest for autonomy—his lust for
idols of his own making. No city, no nation, no culture can survive the
judgment of God.
Coram
Deo
Spend
some time in prayer today for your city, state, and nation.
Passages
for Further Study
Revelation
11:15 Psalm 145:11 Psalm 145:13