《為上帝施行奇事》Day03
《我可以為你做甚麼呢?》
1 有一個先知門徒的妻哀求以利沙說:「你僕人-我丈夫死了,他敬畏耶和華是你所知道的。現在有債主來,要取我兩個兒子作奴僕。」2 以利沙問她說:「我可以為你做甚麼呢?你告訴我,你家裏有甚麼?」她說:「婢女家中除了一瓶油之外,沒有甚麼。」3 以利沙說:「你去,向你眾鄰舍借空器皿,不要少借;4 回到家裏,關上門,你和你兒子在裏面將油倒在所有的器皿裏,倒滿了的放在一邊。」5 於是,婦人離開以利沙去了,關上門,自己和兒子在裏面;兒子把器皿拿來,她就倒油。6 器皿都滿了,她對兒子說:「再給我拿器皿來。」兒子說:「再沒有器皿了。」油就止住了。7 婦人去告訴神人,神人說:「你去賣油還債,所剩的你和你兒子可以靠著度日。」(列王紀下四1-7)
1 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.” 2 Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.” 3 Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4 Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.” 5 She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.” But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.” (2 Kings 4:1-7)
分享:雖然繼承了老師的衣砵,但對比以利亞行神蹟的激情而富有戲劇性、強調對巴力崇拜的審判,以利沙則傾向拯救,其中有好些神蹟也出於先知對個別需要的憐憫。
一個死去的先知門徒之妻子向以利沙哀號債主即將臨門,她和兒子快要淪為奴僕。面對這無助的寡婦,能行使神蹟的以利沙沒有馬上將銀子變出來解決燃眉之急,而是憐恤地問:「我可以為你做甚麼呢?」(王下四2) 請不要忘記這個寡婦的丈夫是敬畏耶和華的,她也一定熟悉神透過以利沙所行的事,她將自己的困境告訴以利沙自然也是尋求神的幫助。那以利沙的回覆變相就是表達「你希望神透過我為你做甚麼」,將她的需要帶到神的面前。結果,神將寡婦能找到的器皿倒滿油,讓她可賣油還債,剩下的也好靠著度日。 (參王下四1-7)
不單止這個神蹟,以利沙也曾因體恤門徒弄丟了借來的斧頭,使神蹟令斧頭浮起來 (參王下六1-7) ;他也曾思想當為盡心接待他的書念婦人做些甚麼,於是讓其懷孕生子,後來又使急病死去的兒子復活 (參王下四8-37) ;在饑荒中,他讓僕人為門徒熬湯,後又使神蹟淨化了毒湯,另又以二十個餅餵飽了一百人 (參王下四38-44)。
作為先知,以利沙出入王宮和軍隊,作顧問、行神蹟,但他卻沒有忽略身邊人之需要。他行的上述神蹟在當下或許沒有帶來即時的大迴響,但卻反映了他對人的體恤和愛心。事實上,我們對這類神蹟一點也不陌生,因為主耶穌也行使治病、開眼、五餅二魚等憐憫人需要的神蹟。
在生活中,我們總能憐恤有需要的人,讓他們經歷神的愛,為主作奇事 —— 在敗壞的世代為主行好事正正就是施行神蹟!
反思:合上眼睛想想身邊的人,哪些人需要幫助?我可以為他做甚麼呢?
禱告:親愛的天父,感謝祢透過以利沙對人的憐恤,提醒我主耶穌也是這樣憐憫飢餓的、有病的、身處困境的人。求祢使我敏感其他人的需要,願意為祢行奇事、作見證。奉主名求,阿們。
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