8. Manna issue 82 - Called to Trust 受到揀選來信靠神
Elijah taught to trust in divine
Providence.
以利亞學會信靠神，相信神必預備
Jessica Tsay—Phoenix, Arizona, US
亞利桑那州鳳凰城，Jessica 祭
There may be times when we face
situations in which we are unable
to see what lies ahead. When the
situation is out of our control, we are
fearful of facing the unknown.
很多時候，當我們面對的情勢，
我們卻不能看清在前面會發生什麼事。
當情況超出我們所能掌握的時候，
我們會害怕面對未知的情況。
When God called Elijah into hiding,
into a new life, Elijah was brought
face to face with an unknown future
(1 Kgs 17:1–7). Through his calling,
Elijah learned to renew his trust in
God daily. Likewise, if we are able to
look to God—trusting Him in every
moment—we will find that those
who trust in God will truly not lack
anything.
當神要求以利亞去躲藏的時候，
進入一種新生命，以利亞就被帶去與未知的未來面對面。
(王上 17：1-7)
透過神呼召以利亞，他學會了每天更新對神的信賴。
同樣的道理，若我們可以迎望神 - 時刻信靠祂 -
我們就會發現，信靠神的人，真的不會缺乏任何東西。
Submitting to God’s Will 順服神的旨意
“Get away from here and turn
eastward, and hide by the Brook
Cherith, which flows into the
Jordan.” (1 Kgs 17:3, emphasis
added)
3你離開這裡往東去，藏在約但河東邊的基立溪旁。
(王上 17：3，重點強調)
When God called Elijah, His first
command was to “get away” and
“hide.” With no idea of why he
needed to hide or how long he would
be there, Elijah was forced to make
a decision: Should I obey? It is likely
Elijah had questions, but instead of
voicing them, he chose to obey God.
Without any hesitation, Elijah went
and did what God had commanded
him. It is notable that during his
interaction with God, Elijah is not
recorded to have said anything, not
even a word! But his actions speak
for him—in complete submission and
trust in God’s word, he swiftly heeded
God’s instructions and hid himself by
the Brook Cherith.
當時呼召以利亞的時候，
神的第一個命令，就是"逃走"並且去"躲起來"。
以利亞不但不知道為什麼他需要去躲起來，
或是他在那裡要躲多久，
以利亞被逼要作決定：我應該要順從嗎？
很有可能以利亞心中會有這個問題，
但是他沒有把這個問題說出來，而選擇順服神的指示。
沒有任何懷疑，以利亞就出發，
照著神命令他的事情而行。
值得注意的是，在他與神的互動之間，
聖經記載之中，並沒有說以利亞有說什麼，一句話都沒有講！
但是他的行動卻替他代言了 -
完全的順服，信靠神的話，
他快速留意神的指示，把自已藏在基立溪旁。
The same unquestioning obedience
can be seen when Abram was called.
In Genesis 12:1, God told him to
“get out” of his country. Immediately
following these instructions, the Bible
records that Abram “departed as the
Lord had spoken to him” (Gen 12:4).
Without asking why or voicing any
complaints, Abram willingly left his
home to go to an unfamiliar place.
When God calls, are we likewise
willing to trust and obey Him?
當神呼召亞伯拉罕的時候，
我們也可以看到這種沒有質疑的順服。
在創世記12章1節，神告訴他要"離開"本國。
他立刻就遵照這些指示，
聖經裡面記載，
4亞伯蘭就照著耶和華的吩咐去了；
(創 12：4)
沒有問為什麼，或是發出任何怨言，
亞伯蘭很樂意離開自已的家鄉，到一個不熟悉的地方去。
當神呼叫的時候，
我們是不是也同樣願意信靠，順服祂呢？
Both of these characters showed
exemplary obedience to God’s will. If
we are able to trust in God and in His
instructions, we too will find that God
has not led us thus far only to leave
us to fend for ourselves. When God
calls, He only asks that we take the
first step. If we do so in submission
and trust, we will lack nothing.
After heeding the Lord’s command,
Elijah did not find himself struggling
alone; he instead found God’s hand
supplying all his needs. No matter
what unknown steps we face in our
own lives, let us learn to submit to
God’s instructions, trusting that we
will not lack anything if we obey.
這兩個人物，展示了順服神旨意的絕佳曲範。
若我們可以信靠神，相信他的命令，
我們也會發現，
神到目前為止並沒有離我們遠，好讓我們自已自行奮鬥
當神呼叫的時候，祂只要求我們要踏出第一步。
若我們以順服和信任的心去作，我們就必不缺乏。
在留心了神的命令之後，
以利亞發現並不是只有自已獨自奮鬥；
反而他發現，神的手不斷供應他的一切所需。
在我們自已的生活中，不論我們要面對任何未知，踏出去，
我們要學會順服神的指示，
相信，若我們順服了，就必不會有任何缺乏。
Opening Our Minds to the
Way God Provides
打開內心，接受主必預備的方式
“And it will be that you shall
drink from the brook, and I have
commanded the ravens to feed you
there.” (1 Kgs 17:4, emphasis added)
4你要喝那溪裡的水，我已吩咐烏鴉在那裡供養你。
(王上 17：4，重點強調)
While obtaining water from a brook
seems reasonable, it is peculiar that
the Lord commanded ravens to feed
Elijah. It must have seemed very
impractical and surprising to Elijah
when he heard that ravens would
feed him. Surely there are easier ways
to provide food! However, this is the
mystery of God’s providence.
雖然從溪中得到水源看似很合理，
很特別的是，神命令烏鴉來餵養以利亞。
當以利亞聽到烏鴉會來養他的時候，
這件事一定看起來非常的不實際，並且讓人驚訝。
讓人毫無懷疑的是，一定有更容易的方式可以得到食物！
然而，這就是主必預備的奧秘。
God’s use of ravens taught Elijah two
things. First, God provides in His own
ways and can use anything or anyone
to do His work. God could have used
any other bird to bring him food, or
better yet, He could have chosen not
to use an animal, but a human being.
In the Levitical law, ravens are labelled
“unclean,” an abomination (Lev
11:13, 15). Using a bird—an unclean
bird—serves as a striking message that
God can use what we deem unworthy
to fulfill His will. We often forget that
the way in which God provides may
be unexpected, or unfamilliar. Even if
it appears irrational to us, we must be
aware and accepting of the ways in
which God provides.
神用了烏鴉，教了以利亞二件事。
第一，神會用自已的方式來預備，
可以用任何事，任何人來作工。
神也能用其他的鳥類來傳遞食物給他，
或者更好的情況，神可以選擇不用動物，可以用人來作。
在利未記的律法記載中，烏鴉使認為是"不潔淨"，
為可憎之物。
(利 11：13，15)
用鳥類 - 一隻不潔淨的鳥 -
作為一種驚人的訊息，
神可以用任何我們認為沒有價值的事物，來完成祂的旨意。
我們常常忘了，神預備的方式，
或許是不能預料，或我們不熟悉。
即使是看起來是很不合理，
我們一定要注意，並且接受神預備所使用的方式。
Second, God wanted Elijah to keep
his eyes on Him. Elijah had no control
over the comings and goings of the
ravens. At the start of each day, he was
forced to gaze at the sky and wonder,
Will the ravens still come today? This
compelled him to constantly renew
his trust in the Lord. Each day, Elijah
would need to once again trust that
the ravens would come and that,
through them, God would provide.
第二，神要以利亞的眼睛集中在祂身上。
以利亞對於烏鴉的來來回回，並沒有任何控制的能力。
每天一開始，他就被逼要看著天空這樣想，
烏鴉今日還會來嗎？
這件事會強逼著以利亞，更新他對神的信賴。
每一天，以利亞需要再一次相信，
烏鴉會來，並且經由烏鴉，有神的預備。
Elijah’s continual trust in the Lord’s
providence did not fail him. Every day,
his physical necessities were fulfilled
and he never found himself lacking.
以利亞一直相信神必預備，並沒有讓他失望。
每天他身體上的需要被滿足了，
他並未發現自已有所缺乏。
In addition to being fed physically,
God also fed him spiritually. In the
Bible, the word “feed” is used not
only in instances of physical feeding,
but also in being emotionally or
spiritually sustained. Psalm 55:22 says
that if we cast our burdens on the
Lord, He will sustain us. The Hebrew
word for “sustain” is the same word
used when God commanded the
ravens to feed Elijah. In being fed by
God, Elijah was being sustained—
filled with spiritual strength to endure
his time by the brook, as well as the
low points that he would encounter
throughout the rest of his life.
除了身體得到了餵養，神也餵養他的靈性。
聖經裡面記載，"餵養"這個字，
不只用在身體餵養的例子上，
而且也用在情感和靈性的維持上。
詩篇55篇22節記載，
22你要把你的重擔卸給神，他必撫養我們。
希伯來字"撫養"，所用的同一個字，
正是神命令烏鴉餵養以利亞的同一個字。
由神來餵養，以利亞就有所依靠 -
經由餵養充滿了屬靈的力量，
可以溪邊忍耐度過他的這段時間，
也是他接下來的餘生之中，所遇到最低潮的時候。
Let us learn from Elijah and work
daily to renew our trust in the Lord.
Let us keep ourselves open to the
ways He provides, because when God
provides, we will lack nothing.
讓我們從以利亞的身上學習，
每天努力來更新自已對神的信靠。
讓我們打開始自已的內心，
接受神所預備的方式，
因為只有神的預備，我們才不致缺乏。
Waiting on the Lord 等候神
So he went and did according to the
word of the Lord, for he went and
stayed by the Brook Cherith, which
flows into the Jordan. (1 Kgs 17:5)
5於是以利亞照著耶和華的話，去住在約但河東的基立溪旁。
(王上 17：5)
After Elijah obeyed the Lord’s will
and trusted in His unexpected form
of providence, he faced another
problem. Day by day, Elijah watched
as the water in the brook dwindled,
until it eventually dried up. And
during this time, God was silent. This
was most likely a prolonged period of
silence, as only “after a while” did the
brook dry up (1 Kgs 17:7).
以利亞順服神的旨意，
信靠了神那讓我們不能預料的預備方式之後，
他面對了另一個問題。
日覆一日，以利亞一路看著，溪水一路漸漸的消失，
直到最後溪水乾枯了。
而在這個時候，神卻保持沉默。
這個時候，就好像是神沉默特別長的一段時間，
因為只是"一會兒"，溪水就乾枯了。
(王上 17：7)
For many of us, the painfully
gradual process of watching the
water decline would undoubtedly
cause increasing anxiety. Perhaps we
would cry out and complain to God.
We might wonder if we should take
the situation into our own hands and
try to find another water source. With
our life at stake, we would most likely
conclude that leaving would be our
best option in order to preserve our
life.
對我們大部份的人而言，
看著溪水漸漸減少的痛苦過程，
毫無疑問地會引起個人的煩惱逐漸加增。
或許我們會大聲呼叫，向神抱怨。
我們或許會想，
要不要自已親自出手把這樣的情況控制一下，
試著去找找看有沒有其他的水源。
因為是自已的生命受到危害，
我們有非常大的可能，作出一種結論，
那就是，為了可以保守自已的生命，離開就是最好的選擇。
But Elijah did none of these things.
Elijah’s voice is not recorded during
this period of time, but again he
speaks through his actions. Not only
did he go and do according to the
Lord’s will, but he also stayed there.
He stayed even though he was unsure
of what to do, even with the receding
water level of the brook. He stayed
even though God was silent. He chose
to stay in spite of everything. He did
not accusingly ask, “God, where are
You?” Instead, his actions humbly
whispered, “God, I will wait for You.”
但是以利亞沒有作這些事情。
在這一段時間裡面，並沒有任何以利亞的聲音被記錄下來，
但他再一次，透過了他的行動表達了他的意見。
他不只依照著神的旨意，出發行動，
而且他也住在那裡。
他停在那裡，甚至到達了一種不知道有什麼事情可以作的程度，
甚至隨著溪水漸漸下降都一直呆在那裡。
即使神都一直沉默著，他還是一直停在那裡。
不管發生什麼事，他就是選擇要停留在那裡。
他並沒有發怨言盤的發問，
"神，你到底在那裡？"
相反地，他的行為，謙卑地輕聲訴說著，
"神，我會等候你"。
When we are put into situations
in which we do not know the will of
God or are unable to hear Him, are
we able to patiently wait on the Lord?
It is in times like these that we must
continue to wait. It is not our place
to walk ahead of God, but to follow
closely behind Him. He wants us to
follow Him in the same way that the
Israelites followed the pillar of cloud in
the wilderness. Where the pillar went,
they followed; and where the pillar
stopped, there they also stopped. If we
do not walk ahead, God will prepare
the way for us so that we will not lack
anything. Elijah was able to wait on
God throughout His silence, and was
thus provided for, through the widow
at Zarephath after the brook dried up.
Even if we do not understand God’s
will, it is in patience that we must wait
for the Lord, knowing that He will
provide in His own time.
我們被置於一種特殊的情況之中，
身處其中之時，我們不知道神的旨意，
不能聽到祂的聲音，
我們能不能耐心等候神呢？
就是在這些時候，我們才一定要繼續等候下去。
我們的角色是不允許自已走在神的前面，
只有好好緊緊地在祂身後跟隨著祂。
祂要我們，就像當初以色列人，
在曠野跟著雲柱一樣的方式，來跟隨祂。
無論雲柱往那裡去，他們都會跟著走；
無論雲柱停在那裡，他們也停在那裡。
若我們沒有走超前，神就會為我們準備要走的道路，
這樣我們就必不致缺乏。
在神保持沉默的期間，
以利亞都能一直等候著神，
因此在溪水枯乾之後，
因著神的預備，由撒勒法的寡婦所餵養著。
即使我們不明白神的旨意，
就在忍耐之中，我們一定要等候神，
並且自已知道，神有祂的時候，神必預備。
Conclusion 結論
Elijah’s actions in response to God’s
command vividly demonstrated his
unwavering trust in God. When we
are able to trust God in the same
way Elijah did, we can boldly face the
unknown. We can be reassured that
God will provide in His own way and
in His own time, that He goes before
us and is with us every step of the
way. In every need, we trust that He
will supply.
以利亞的行為，生動地反應著神的命令，
展現了他對神不動搖的信賴。
當我們可以用以利亞同樣的方式來信靠神的時候，
我們就能勇敢地面對未知的一切。
我們可以再次確信，
主必預備，會以祂的方式，在祂的時間臨到，
也就是，祂會走在我們前面，
一路上所走的每一步，祂會和我們同在。
我們有任何需要，都可以相信，主必預備。
The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want. (Ps 23:1)
1（大衛的詩。）耶和華是我的牧者，我必不致缺乏。
(詩 23：1)
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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