《飲飲食食，重新得力》Day23
《素菜與白水：分別為聖的立志》
8 但以理卻立志不以王的膳和王所飲的酒玷污自己，所以求太監長容他不玷污自己。9 神使但以理在太監長眼前蒙恩惠，受憐憫。10 太監長對但以理說：「我懼怕我主我王，他已經派定你們的飲食，倘若他見你們的面貌比你們同歲的少年人肌瘦，怎麼好呢？這樣，你們就使我的頭在王那裏難保。」11 但以理對太監長所派管理但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅的委辦說：12「求你試試僕人們十天，給我們素菜吃，白水喝，13 然後看看我們的面貌和用王膳那少年人的面貌，就照你所看的待僕人吧！」14 委辦便允准他們這件事，試看他們十天。15 過了十天，見他們的面貌比用王膳的一切少年人更加俊美肥胖。16 於是委辦撤去派他們用的膳，飲的酒，給他們素菜吃。 (但以理書一8-16)
12 這樣看來，我親愛的弟兄，你們既是常順服的，不但我在你們那裏，就是我如今不在你們那裏，更是順服的，就當恐懼戰兢做成你們得救的工夫。13 因為你們立志行事都是上帝在你們心裏運行，為要成就祂的美意。 (腓立比書二12-13)
8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.” 11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead. (Daniel 1:8-16)
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. (Philippians 2:12-13)
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. (Philippians 2:12-13)
分享：但以理的故事一向扣人心弦，每一章都充滿神蹟與信心的見證，其中一段是關於飲食的：少年但以理和他的朋友拒絕王膳，吃素菜、喝白開水，結果反而比其他享用王賜的膳食和酒的更為俊美肥胖。
「素菜」一詞，在今天或許讓人聯想到健康飲食、動物保護、環保理念，或是修士禁慾的生活方式。但對但以理而言，這行動的核心是屬靈的決志：「但以理卻立志，不以王的膳和王所飲的酒玷污自己」(但以理書一8) 。有說這是因為巴比倫人所吃的食物不潔，例如豬肉 (參利未記十一) ，也有說那些膳食曾用於獻祭偶像。不論如何，這選擇彰顯了但以理與朋友渴望在異邦中仍保持屬神子民的身分與聖潔的態度。
值得留意的是，在整段爭取不吃王膳的過程中，但以理他們雖未明言神的名字，卻展現出對神無比的信心。他們不倚靠地上的供應者，而是憑著信心行動，相信神必供應，使他們在身體與靈性上都不致缺乏。對但以理來說，信心就是選擇做對的事，然後等候神的成就。
這樣的信靠與不妥協，也可見於十九世紀的中國宣教士戴德生 (Hudson Taylor) 身上。他為了更有效傳福音，穿上中國服飾、蓄辮子，住在百姓中間，但卻拒絕西方文化中的優越感與屬靈惰性，甚至不向人募款，只單單向神祈求。他曾說：「神所尋找的，不是那些擁有偉大信心的人，而是那些願意跟隨祂的人。」
表面看來，戴德生似乎選擇融入，而但以理選擇分別。但實際上，他們都在信仰上堅持原則、不妥協，身處異域文化，都靠主而行，分別為聖，持守正道。正如經上所說：「因為你們立志行事，都是神在你們心裡運行，為要成就祂的美意。」(腓立比書二13) 讓我們學像但以理與戴德生，在這彎曲悖謬的世代，立志為主而活，先求神的國和義。
反思：在我的生活中，有哪些事我可以為神分別出來？我相信先求祂的國和義，祂便會讓我們無所缺欠嗎？
禱告：親愛的天父，感謝祢在世界動盪之中仍然保守我們。求祢賜我們勇氣與信心，像但以理一樣，選擇為祢分別為聖；像戴德生一樣，願意信靠祢的供應，不向世界妥協。奉主耶穌的名祈求，阿們。
詩歌分享《復興聖潔》
Posted in 2025-6E