Manna issue 68 - An Admirable Faith 令人敬佩的信心
Hain-Lee Hsueh, East Bay, California, USA
美國加州東灣祈禱所 Hain-Lee Hsueh 弟兄
After Moses died, Joshua led the Israelites into the land of Canaan, and won victory upon victory over
many of the nations inhabiting the land at the time. Joshua 12 lists thirty-one kings that the Israelites
conquered under Joshua’s leadership, with an army that had never seen war prior to entering Canaan.
Sometimes we take this for granted because we have heard the stories many times, but if we really
think about it, that’s simply amazing. Joshua was the man!
摩西死後，約書亞帶領以色列人進入迦南地，
同時又一場一場的打敗許多當時住在當地的國家。
約書亞記列出了31個國王，這些都是以色列人在約書亞帶領下所打敗的，
而這個軍隊，他們在進入迦南地之前，是從來沒有看過什麼是戰爭。
And what did God have to say about Joshua’s victories?
對於約書亞有這麼多的勝仗，神到底有什麼事情要說呢？
Now Joshua was old, advanced in years. And the LORD said to him: “You are old, advanced in
years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed.”
(Josh 13:1)
"1約書亞年紀老邁，耶和華對他說：你年紀老邁了，還有許多未得之地。"
(書 13：1)
If we were Joshua, how would we feel? In this society, we are taught to develop our potential, to be
the best that we can be, to do something impactful, so we can be acknowledged for our achievements
and endeavors. How would we feel, if at the end of a prosperous career, our boss doesn’t say, “Good
job,” but instead says, “You’re already old, man, and look how much there’s left to do”? Wouldn’t
we want to burst out and say, “Look at all I’ve done! Don’t I deserve some commendation and
recognition?”
我們若是約書亞，會怎麼想呢？
在這個社會中，我們被教導要發展自已的潛能，
自已盡力作到最好，作一些有影響力的事情，
這樣我們才會因為自已的成就和努力，受到大家的認同。
若我們自已在耀煌的職場生涯生活終點時，
大老闆並沒有對我們說，"幹的很好"，
而是說，"你已經老了，你看看，還有留下那麼多東西需要作完？"
我們會怎麼想呢？
難道我們不會脾氣爆炸，脫口說出，
"看看我所作的一切！難怪我不該得到一些稱讚和認可嗎？"
From Joshua there was no such outburst, and it is from this that we can learn something about true
faith. To us, God’s words may seem discouraging, but Joshua continued to obey God as he had before.
And before he died, he even earnestly urged the Israelites to continue to serve God and no one else.
There is something that Joshua understood about faith that we often subconsciously forget—God’s
plan is bigger than us.
而自約書亞的身上，並沒有這樣的爆發，
也就是從這一點來看，我們可以學到一些有關真正有信心的課程。
對我們來說，神的話可能看起來讓人很灰心，
但是約書亞繼續順服神，就像以前一樣。
即使在他死之前，他甚至很懇切地求以色列人要一直服事神，並沒有其他的事。
約書亞明白一些有關信心的事情，而這些事情我們通常在下意識之間，就忘記了 -
神的計劃是比我們的計劃還要偉大。
We often think of faith in a self-centered, personal sense, always wondering, “What is God’s plan for
me? How can I please God?” But do we have faith in God’s plan beyond how it relates to ourselves?
How concerned are we about the part of God’s work that is still to be done after us?
我們常會認為，信仰是自我中心的，一種個人的感覺，
並且總會想著，"到底什麼是神對我的計劃呢？我要怎麼來取悅神呢？"
但是我們對神的計劃有信心呢？信心可以大到比我們自已的計劃更有信心嗎？
我們在自已的計劃完成之後，到底有沒有去想到過，
神聖工有那些部份仍然還有多少沒有作完嗎？
Many of God’s workers in the Bible, such as Joshua, have set the example for us. They were not out
to show the world that with God they could do great things and live glorious lives. They understood
that they were merely vessels, pilgrims carrying out God’s plan and passing it down to those who
followed. They understood that they were just unprofitable servants (Lk 17:10). Joshua’s silent and
continual submission proves that he understood that.
聖經裡面許多神的工人，例如約書亞，已經為我們設下了好榜樣。
他們並沒有走出去到世界上，展示自已因為有神的幫助，
可以作到偉大的事情，過著非常榮耀的日子。
他們了解到，自已不過是一個器皿，
像一個要執行神計劃，再把它傳給那些跟隨之人的朝聖者而已。
他們知道自已是一個無用的僕人。(路 17：10)
約書亞的沉默和持續的順服，就証明了他了解這些事。
Hebrews 11 mentions many such workers, all of them playing just a small part in God’s plan and many
of them concerned with the future. Think Abraham, who obeyed God without seeing his descendants
become as numerous as the sand. Isaac, who blessed Jacob and Esau “concerning things to come”
(Heb 11:20). Joseph, who “made mention of the departure of the children of Israel” (Heb 11:22)
from Egypt. Moses, who “suffered affliction with the people of God” (Heb 11:25), leading them to a
promised land that he himself could not enter and enjoy. All these people acted by faith—a faith that
had vision.
希伯來書提到許多這樣的工人，他們全部都只在神的計劃中，扮演一個小角色，
他們許多人只想著未來。
看看亞伯拉罕，他遵守神的命令，
並沒有看到自已的子孫成為像沙子一般的眾多。
以撒，他祝福雅各和以掃的時候，都
"指著將來的事"(來 11：20)
約瑟，他"提到以色列族將來要出埃及"(來 11：22)
摩西，"他寧可和神的百姓同受苦害"(來 11：25)，
帶領他們進入應許之地，而他自已卻不能進入，也不能享受。
這些全部的人都是因為信心而有所行動的 - 是帶有盼望的信心。
God’s plan extends much further past our own lives, but sometimes we live as if it didn’t. We may
even have this attitude of serving God to accumulate enough brownie points to go to heaven. But at
the end of our lives, we should not glory in all the labor we have done for God, but work to ensure that
the service continues after us.
神計劃的大小，超過我們自已的生活，
但有時候，我們在生活中，就好像自已並沒有這麼認為，神的計劃有很偉大。
甚至我們或許會有一種心態，服事神就是要累積自已作好事的成積，這樣最後就可以進天國。
但是我們生命終了之時，我們不該對一切我們為神作的聖工，而感到榮耀，
作聖工不過是為了確保，在我們作完之後，這項工作仍然可以持續下去。
From the Bible we know the goal of God’s plan is salvation. May our faith cover not just our own
salvation, but the salvation of those who follow us. May we add to our faith, vision.
從聖經裡面，我們知道，神計劃的目標是要施行拯救。
願我們的信仰不只有照顧到自已會不會得到拯救，
而且也幫助到那些跟從我們的人，也得到拯救。
願我們都能增加自已的信心和盼望。
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured
of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
(Heb 11:13)
13這些人都是存著信心死的，並沒有得著所應許的；卻從遠處望見，且歡喜迎接，又承認自己在世上是客旅，是寄居的。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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Manna 嗎哪 56 (1)