《將臨期的反思》Day13

《在追隨中尋見喜樂》
1 當希律王的時候,耶穌生在猶太的伯利恆。有幾個博士從東方來到耶路撒冷,說:2「那生下來作猶太人之王的在哪裏?我們在東方看見他的星,特來拜祂。」3 希律王聽見了,就心裏不安;耶路撒冷合城的人也都不安。4 他就召齊了祭司長和民間的文士,問他們說:「基督當生在何處?」5 他們回答說:「在猶太的伯利恆。因為有先知記著,說:6 猶大地的伯利恆啊,你在猶大諸城中並不是最小的;因為將來有一位君王要從你那裏出來,牧養我以色列民。」7 當下,希律暗暗地召了博士來,細問那星是甚麼時候出現的,8 就差他們往伯利恆去,說:「你們去仔細尋訪那小孩子,尋到了就來報信,我也好去拜他。」9 他們聽見王的話就去了。在東方所看見的那星忽然在他們前頭行,直行到小孩子的地方,就在上頭停住了。10 他們看見那星,就大大地歡喜;11 進了房子,看見小孩子和他母親馬利亞,就俯伏拜那小孩子,揭開寶盒,拿黃金、乳香、沒藥為禮物獻給祂。12 博士因為在夢中被主指示不要回去見希律,就從別的路回本地去了。(馬太福音二1-12)
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ 7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:1-12)
分享:今天,我們真的知道自己需要的是什麼嗎?或許,我們每天都在追逐一些東西:追穩定、追安全、追成就、追肯定、追被需要的感覺⋯⋯ 但奇怪的是,就算得著了一樣、兩樣,內心仍然不踏實。這並不是因為我們不夠努力或能力不足,而是因為我們一直所追隨的,未必真的是我們心靈最深處所需要的。
《馬太福音》第二章呈現兩種截然不同的人物:希律王與東方博士。他們同樣聽見「王已經來了」的消息,但反應卻完全相反。經文說:「希律王聽見了,就心裡不安;耶路撒冷合城的人也都不安。」(馬太福音二3) 希律不是不懂聖經,他知道彌賽亞將要來 —— 但這消息沒有帶給他盼望,反而帶來恐懼,因為他害怕失去掌控。
相反,東方博士沒有權力、沒有地位,只看到一顆星,卻願意踏上一段漫長又未知的旅程。他們不是來保護自己的利益,而是來尋找那位真正的王。結果很清楚:一個緊抓掌控的人,心裡充滿不安;一群願意跟隨的人,心裡卻充滿喜樂。
那顆星並不是偶然出現,而是神給尋求者的引導。博士們並不是一開始就看得很清楚,但他們願意踏上路途,光就一路在前面帶領他們。這提醒我們:神不是等我們完全明白祂的計劃,才開始帶領;而是當我們願意走出第一步,祂就一步一步引導。
很多時候,我們想等「看清楚」才願意跟隨,但博士告訴我們——喜樂不是在終點才出現,而是在跟隨的旅程中不斷累積。真正的喜樂,不是擁有所有答案,而是找到那位值得你一生追隨的主。
那麼,今天在你的生命裡,那顆「星」是什麼?也許是經文中的一句提醒、靈裡的一次不安、一個微小卻清晰的方向感動——神可能正藉此邀請你轉向祂。
讓我們效法博士的勇氣與決心,不要讓恐懼阻止我們繼續尋找主。因為當你願意跟隨,就會越來越發現—— 真正的喜樂,不是抓緊人生,而是走向耶穌。 願我們都能看見那顆星,並大大地歡喜。
反思:若神已在我生命中放下一顆「星」,我是否願意踏出一步,回應祂的帶領?
禱告:親愛的天父,我們要承認,很多時我們追得很辛苦,卻仍然感到不安。求祢幫助我們,不再只追隨能掌控的事,而是學習追隨祢。當我們願意踏出一步,求祢用祢的光引導我們,讓我們在跟隨祢的路上,一次又一次經歷從祢而來的喜樂。奉主名求,阿們。
Posted in 2025Advent-c
