2006-12-18 21:46:54Jacky
無力的借口
讀 經：撒母耳記上26章1－9節
金 句：「有誰伸手害耶和華的受膏者而無罪呢？」（撒母耳記上26章9節）
全年讀經：提摩太前書1－3章
幾年前我在一家肉店工作，有個僱員因偷了一些火腿被發現。他為自己辯護說，這些是他應得的，因為老闆給他的工資太低了。那是一個為自己犯罪行為辨解的蒼白無力的借口。
在撒母耳記上，我們讀到大衛被掃羅王追殺的事。一夜，大衛和他的同伴到了掃羅的營房，發現掃羅和他的士兵們都沉睡了。亞比篩請大衛准許他殺死掃羅，說這是上帝給的機會。大衛本來可以輕易地答應。他肯定還記得上次自己有機會殺掃羅，卻沒有下手的事。當時掃羅為大衛的仁慈放聲大哭，並宣佈大衛有資格成為以色列下一任國王，還停止了對大衛的追殺。（撒母耳記上26章）
但是掃羅後來又重新開始了殘忍無情的追殺。大衛原有理由想：「我已放過他一次，現在上帝又給我第二次機會。」但他丟棄了這種想法，因為他相信殺害上帝膏立的以色列王是錯的。所以他拒絕這樣做。
當有人待你不公平時，你很容易為自己的憎恨、不潔、不誠實和殘暴找借口。但不要屈服於試探。應當像大衛一樣，依正道而行。HVL
不平的事令人難以忍受，
使我們想要去奮力抗爭；
但上帝知道我所經歷的，
他會適時安排一切路程。Sper
如果你將一項罪合理化，它就會變成兩項。
Flimsy Reasons
Read: 1 Samuel 26:1-9
Who can stretch out his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless? –1 Samuel 26:9
Bible In One Year:
1 Timothy 1-3
Years ago, an employee in the butcher shop where I worked was caught stealing several hams. He defended himself by saying that he had earned them because he was underpaid. That was a flimsy reason for his sinful behavior.
In 1 Samuel we read how David was being hunted by King Saul. One night, David and his companions went to Saul's camp and discovered that the king and his men were asleep. Abishai asked permission to kill Saul, saying that this opportunity had come from God. David could have easily agreed. He undoubtedly remembered the last time he spared Saul's life when he could have killed him. At that time Saul had wept when he learned of David's mercy. He had declared David's fitness to be Israel's next king, and had quit the chase (1 Sam. 24).
But Saul had resumed his grim pursuit. David could have reasoned, "I spared him once. God is giving me this second opportunity." David rejected such thinking because he believed it would be wrong to kill the man God had anointed to be Israel's king. So he refused to do it.
When you are treated unjustly, it's easy to excuse your own hatred, impurity, dishonesty, and cruelty. But don't give in to the temptation. Like David, do what's right. –HVL
Injustices are hard to bear,
They make us want to fight;
But God knows what we're going through–
In time He'll make things right. –Sper
If you rationalize one sin, it becomes two.
FOR FURTHER STUDY
Joseph: Overcoming Life's Challenges
What Does It Take To Follow Christ?
Read: 1 Samuel 26:1-9
Who can stretch out his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless? –1 Samuel 26:9
Bible In One Year:
1 Timothy 1-3
Years ago, an employee in the butcher shop where I worked was caught stealing several hams. He defended himself by saying that he had earned them because he was underpaid. That was a flimsy reason for his sinful behavior.
In 1 Samuel we read how David was being hunted by King Saul. One night, David and his companions went to Saul's camp and discovered that the king and his men were asleep. Abishai asked permission to kill Saul, saying that this opportunity had come from God. David could have easily agreed. He undoubtedly remembered the last time he spared Saul's life when he could have killed him. At that time Saul had wept when he learned of David's mercy. He had declared David's fitness to be Israel's next king, and had quit the chase (1 Sam. 24).
But Saul had resumed his grim pursuit. David could have reasoned, "I spared him once. God is giving me this second opportunity." David rejected such thinking because he believed it would be wrong to kill the man God had anointed to be Israel's king. So he refused to do it.
When you are treated unjustly, it's easy to excuse your own hatred, impurity, dishonesty, and cruelty. But don't give in to the temptation. Like David, do what's right. –HVL
Injustices are hard to bear,
They make us want to fight;
But God knows what we're going through–
In time He'll make things right. –Sper
If you rationalize one sin, it becomes two.
FOR FURTHER STUDY
Joseph: Overcoming Life's Challenges
What Does It Take To Follow Christ?