《剎那間的光輝不代表永恆》Day 05
擺脫「自我」的綑綁：錯失機會的掃羅
9 於是掃羅說：「把燔祭和平安祭帶到我這裏來。」掃羅就獻上燔祭。10 他剛獻完燔祭，看哪，撒母耳就到了。掃羅出去迎接他，向他問安。11 撒母耳說：「你做了甚麼事啊？」掃羅說：「因為我見百姓離開我散去，你又不照所定的日期來到，而且非利士人已在密抹集合；12 我說：『現在非利士人已經下到吉甲來攻擊我，可是我還沒有向耶和華禱告。』所以我就勉強獻上燔祭。」(撒母耳記上十三9-12．和修)
13 撒母耳到了掃羅那裏，掃羅對他說：「願耶和華賜福給你，耶和華的命令我已遵守了。」14 撒母耳說：「我耳中聽見有羊叫、牛鳴的聲音，又是甚麼呢？」15 掃羅說：「這是百姓從亞瑪力人那裏帶來的，因為他們愛惜上好的牛羊，要獻給耶和華－你的神。其餘的，我們都滅盡了。」16 撒母耳對掃羅說：「住口吧！等我把耶和華昨夜向我所說的話告訴你。」(撒母耳記上十五13-16．和修)
30 所以，以色列家啊，我必按你們各人所做的審判你們。當回轉，回轉離開你們一切的罪過，免得罪孽成為你們的絆腳石。這是主耶和華說的。31 你們要把所犯的一切罪過盡行拋棄，為自己造一個新的心和新的靈。以色列家啊，你們為甚麼要死呢？32 我不喜歡有任何人死亡，所以你們當回轉，要存活！這是主耶和華說的。」(以西結書十八30-32．和修)
9 So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me and the offerings of well-being.” And he offered the burnt offering. 10 As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to meet him and salute him. 11 Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul replied, “When I saw that the people were slipping away from me and that you did not come within the days appointed and that the Philistines were mustering at Michmash, 12 I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down upon me at Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favor of the Lord,’ so I forced myself and offered the burnt offering.” (1 Samuel 13:9-12)
13 When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, “May you be blessed by the Lord; I have carried out the command of the Lord.” 14 But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears and the lowing of cattle that I hear?” 15 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and the cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but the rest we have utterly destroyed.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” He replied, “Speak.” (1 Samuel 15:13-16)
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn, then, and live. (Ezekiel 18: 30-32)
13 When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, “May you be blessed by the Lord; I have carried out the command of the Lord.” 14 But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears and the lowing of cattle that I hear?” 15 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and the cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but the rest we have utterly destroyed.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” He replied, “Speak.” (1 Samuel 15:13-16)
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn, then, and live. (Ezekiel 18: 30-32)
分享：掃羅作為一個受膏者，代管理神的子民，更應該為主閃耀璀璨的光芒，可是犯罪令他只有「剎那間的光輝」，像閃電般閃一閃，沒有留下什麼建樹。 然而，當整合《撒母耳記上》的記述，我們會發現掃羅根本可以避免這個結局，他有很多次重來的機會。
當第一次違背神的命令，撒母耳問他：「你作的是什麼事呢？」(撒母耳記上十三11) 這是一次讓他坦誠認錯機會，可惜他沒有珍惜。到戰勝亞瑪力人，他又再違背神的指示，掃羅仍舊沒有承認犯罪，再次錯失回轉歸向神的機會，於是神的靈離他而去，歸到大衛身上。他後來為保權位，再次抵抗神的旨意，三番四次要殺掉受神膏立的大衛。
掃羅由靠自己獻祭開始 ，就一直找藉口來掩飾自己的過失，不肯悔改，只因「自我」令他不肯承認自己的軟弱，犯下更多的罪，如：殺神的祭司和交鬼尋問撒母耳。所以，保羅提醒信徒要注意：「5 你竟放任你剛硬不悔改的心，為自己累積憤怒！在憤怒的日子，神公義的審判要顯示出來。6 祂要照各人的行為報應各人。」(羅馬書二5)
各位，受膏前的掃羅，曾有著甘心順服和持守召命的初心。他蒙揀選為神工作，代表著神給他的肯定，並賜下指引讓他跟從。 只是受膏後的掃羅並沒有繼續順服神，偏行己路，以致失去了當初的特質和態度而被厭棄。請不要讓自己走上掃羅的舊路！我們要反思是否仍能保持當初享受與神同在的心志，還是像掃羅經常犯罪得罪祂呢？
今天，透過掃羅的一生，讓我們要記著要「敬畏上帝，順服聖靈，對罪敏感」，這就是保持永恆光輝的要訣。 作為信徒，知罪悔改是我們領受福音的重要關鍵，也是得著更新，領受神同在的轉機。彼得也這樣呼籲：「你們各人要悔改，奉耶穌基督的名受洗，使你們的罪得赦免，就會領受所賜的聖靈。」(使徒行傳二38) 隨著燃點教會即將踏入新的階段，讓我們先整理好自己的屬靈狀態，反思自己一些隱而未現的罪、一些到現在仍沒有勇氣面對的過失，就在這刻向主坦言承認自己的軟弱和不足，並在基督裡得著管教。這刻，讓我們作好準備，保持當初的火熱去燃點生命光。
反思：你人生究竟還要錯失多少次與主同行的機會呢？請每日為自己騰空一個能檢視自己生命的時間，在軟弱中尋回靠主的喜樂和剛強，以作好準備與主同行 。
禱告：親愛的主耶穌，請祢寬恕我的軟弱，求祢赦免我的罪，讓我靠著祢能正視自己的罪並作出更新，使我能從罪的捆綁中得釋放。與此同時，求祢賜我一顆敬畏、順服祢的心，立志一生跟隨祢，榮耀祢的名。奉主名求，阿們。
Posted in CGCEp14