《吞拿魚的反思》Day02
《約拿被吞的前奏》
4 然而耶和華使海中起大風，海就狂風大作，甚至船幾乎破壞。 5 水手便懼怕，各人哀求自己的神。他們將船上的貨物拋在海中，為要使船輕些。約拿已下到底艙，躺臥沉睡。 6 船主到他那裏對他說：「你這沉睡的人哪，為何這樣呢？起來，求告你的神，或者神顧念我們，使我們不致滅亡。」7 船上的人彼此說：「來吧，我們掣籤，看看這災臨到我們是因誰的緣故。」於是他們掣籤，掣出約拿來。 8 眾人對他說：「請你告訴我們，這災臨到我們是因誰的緣故？你以何事為業？你從哪裏來？你是哪一國？屬哪一族的人？」 9 他說：「我是希伯來人。我敬畏耶和華－那創造滄海旱地之天上的上帝。」 10 他們就大大懼怕，對他說：「你做的是甚麼事呢？」他們已經知道他躲避耶和華，因為他告訴了他們。 11 他們問他說：「我們當向你怎樣行，使海浪平靜呢？」這話是因海浪越發翻騰。 12 他對他們說：「你們將我擡起來，拋在海中，海就平靜了；我知道你們遭這大風是因我的緣故。」 13 然而那些人竭力盪槳，要把船攏岸，卻是不能，因為海浪越發向他們翻騰。 14 他們便求告耶和華說：「耶和華啊，我們懇求祢，不要因這人的性命使我們死亡，不要使流無辜血的罪歸與我們；因為祢－耶和華是隨自己的意旨行事。」 15 他們遂將約拿擡起，拋在海中，海的狂浪就平息了。 16 那些人便大大敬畏耶和華，向耶和華獻祭，並且許願。17 耶和華安排一條大魚吞了約拿，他在魚腹中三日三夜。(約拿書一4-17)
23 在海上坐船，在大水中經理事務的，24 他們看見耶和華的作為，並祂在深水中的奇事。25 因祂一吩咐，狂風就起來，海中的波浪也揚起。26 他們上到天空，下到海底；他們的心因患難便消化。27 他們搖搖晃晃，東倒西歪，好像醉酒的人；他們的智慧無法可施。28 於是，他們在苦難中哀求耶和華，祂從他們的禍患中領出他們來。29 祂使狂風止息，波浪就平靜。30 風息浪靜，他們便歡喜；祂就引他們到所願去的海口。31 但願人因耶和華的慈愛和祂向人所行的奇事都稱讚祂。(詩篇一零七23-31)
4 Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6 The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.” 7 Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” 9 He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.) 11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” 12 “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” 13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.” 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.
Jonah’s Prayer 17 Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (Jonah 1:4-17)
23 Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. 24They saw the works of the Lord, His wonderful deeds in the deep. 25 For He spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. 26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. 27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress. 29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. 31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind. (Psalms 107:23-31)
Jonah’s Prayer 17 Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (Jonah 1:4-17)
23 Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. 24They saw the works of the Lord, His wonderful deeds in the deep. 25 For He spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. 26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. 27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress. 29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. 31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind. (Psalms 107:23-31)
分享：昨天提到約拿要逃避上帝的呼召，在逃往他施的路上，上帝興起一場巨大的風暴，使得整船的人陷入困境。海浪猛烈，船幾乎要被打翻，船上的水手們在驚恐中呼求各自的神明，卻毫無作用。這段經文值得我們留意的是約拿的悖逆。
這場風暴就像人生的縮影，生活中的試煉總是突如其來，教人措手不及。當眾人用盡各種方法都不能自救，非常驚恐之際，只有約拿一人異常冷靜。因為他知道這是耶和華所做的，甚至乎他承認自己就是這場風暴的起因。試想，那時的約拿正在想什麼？
從正面來說，約拿堅信上帝的主權及大能 (他稱呼上帝為「創造滄海旱地之天上的上帝」，參約拿書一9) 。他深信風暴是上帝興起的，也知道唯有上帝能止住風暴。同時，他也顧念到全船人的生命而提出「將自己拋在海中」(參約拿書一12) 的方法。這經歷更讓船員認識到上帝的權能，正如詩人在《詩篇一零七》所述說的一樣：「願人因耶和華的慈愛和祂向人所行的奇事都稱讚祂。」(v.31)
然而，從反面來說，約拿也給人一點放棄的感覺。他既然逃不了，但又不想領受使命，倒不如一心求死 (或說是一種「上帝愛怎樣也可」的態度) 。有人形容這是約拿的悔改，然而，悔改可以用上很多其他方法，例如即時認罪禱告等，又何必要難為了船員，將自己拋在海中呢 (對船員來說也是不容易的決定)。
無可否認，此時約拿的心情是複雜的：希望逃避上帝，又知道逃不了；知道上帝滿有大能，又不願意順服。然而，有一件事大概是約拿沒想到的：上帝安排這一切 (風暴、大魚、蓖麻樹⋯⋯) ，都是為了讓他從經歷中成長，成為一個更成熟的先知。
各位，我們經常會遇到各種「風暴」—— 無論是外在的困境還是內在的掙扎，這些困難往往是上帝用來引導我們回轉歸向祂的方式。祂並非要我們在風暴中滅亡，而是要藉著風暴教導我們依靠祂、悔改並重新回到祂的旨意中，成為一個更好的基督徒。原來，約拿被魚吞前的風暴，也是出於上帝的愛！
反思：你正 (曾) 經歷什麼風暴？你相信這些風暴是叫你成長嗎？為什麼？
禱告：親愛的天父，在生活的風暴中，我們有時會迷失方向，遠離了祢。求祢幫助我們在試煉中學會悔改與信靠，讓我們能夠重新回到祢的旨意裡。又願我們的生命成為他人的祝福，讓我們的認信與悔改見證祢是唯一的主。以上禱告，奉主耶穌得勝的名求，阿們。
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