《由頑石變磐石》Day 02

持續不斷的信心

22 耶穌隨即催門徒上船,先渡到對岸,等祂叫眾人散去。23 疏散了眾人以後,祂獨自上山去禱告。到了晚上,只有祂一人在那裏。24 那時船已離岸好幾里 ,因風不順,被浪顛簸。25 天快亮的時候,耶穌在海面上走,往門徒那裏去。26 但門徒看見祂在海面上走,就驚慌了,說:「是個鬼怪!」他們害怕得喊叫起來。27 耶穌連忙對他們說:「放心!是我,不要怕!」28 彼得回答祂說:「主啊,如果是祢,請叫我從水面上走到你那裏去。」29 耶穌說:「你來吧!」彼得就從船上下去,在水面上走,往耶穌那裏去;30 只因見風很強,害怕起來,將要沉下去,就喊著說:「主啊,救我!」31 耶穌立刻伸手拉住他,說:「你這小信的人哪,為甚麼疑惑呢?」32 他們一上船,風就停了。33 在船上的人都拜祂,說:「祢真是神的兒子。」(馬太福音十四22-33.和修) 

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowd. 23 After He had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. Later that night, He was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to You on the water.” 29 “Come,” He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:22-33)

分享:當耶穌與門徒經歷了五餅二魚的神蹟後,耶穌就吩咐門徒先坐船往對岸,然後祂獨自禱告。禱告完畢後,耶穌見門徒被風浪顛簸,便在水上行走前往門徒那裡去。此時,在漆黑的海面上,門徒受著風浪的顛簸,早已疲憊不堪。而當耶穌靠近他們,反而令他們誤以為有「鬼怪」,不禁大聲呼喊求救。當耶穌對他們說:「放心,是我」,便拉開了彼得也履海的序幕。

事實上,當門徒經歷過五餅二魚的神蹟後,他們對主耶穌的身份早已有更深的認知。可是,當耶穌說:「是我﹗」時,他們卻對這個影子心存恐懼。縱使同樣充滿疑惑,但唯獨彼得仍鼓起勇氣,向這個影子作出請求:「主啊,如果是祢,請叫我從水面上走到祢那裏去。」而主也說:「你來吧﹗」然而,當彼得行了幾步後,他的專注力就被四周的風浪沖散,失去了信心,更將要下沉。耶穌最終趕前來扶起他,並慨嘆「你這小信的人呀!」

「小信」是形容彼得因風浪而害怕的回應。不過,從經文中,我們發現船上一眾門徒,唯獨彼得一人敢向主請求,並願踏前一步,行在水面上,這絕對需要對主的大信心。所以彼得一開始確實有大的信心,令他能作出履海的突破,在水面上行了幾步。只是,他的信心卻不足以讓他持續地面對風浪。因此,耶穌稱他為小信、貧乏的人。真正的信心,就是期待神會工作的信心,並有堅持到底的信賴。今天,我們也會經常犯了與彼得相同的錯誤 —— 信心不足以面對巨大的考驗或打擊。所以,如果要去到基督那裡,我們必需要有持續不斷的信心,如《希伯來書三14》:「只要我們將起初確實的信心堅持到底,就在基督裏有份了。」

要記得,大信心能帶來突破「未知和恐懼」的勇氣,讓我們即使看見困難,仍然能踏出腳步,就像彼得一樣作出在水上行走的神蹟。這是我們信心的第一步,而第二步就是如何堅持到底,讓自己能夠繼續行走水面,直走到主耶穌跟前。或許,我們在生活上總會遇上恐懼感,這會使我們由原本滿有大信心變成小信而停下來,不再願意踏前冒險。但當主跟彼得說:「放心,是我」,這句話同樣也要給你說:「祂在這裡」。讓你堅持到底地相信和專注耶穌,有力走完人生的終站。

反思:你現在的信心足夠讓你向「未知和恐懼」踏出多少步?你如何可以讓自己行走得更遠呢?

禱告:親愛的主耶穌,當你說「放心吧,是我」,我們本應踏出了第一步,心裡充滿信心和勇氣,可是我們卻很容易失去對你專注,讓信心變小、變弱,求祢賜我們有像芥菜種的信心,為祢成就更多的事情,作更美的見証。奉主名求,阿們。