平凡中的恩典

【平凡中的恩典】

在以色列的家庭中，父母經常會提醒孩子回想出埃及的事件：當以色列人在埃及被奴役時，他們的痛苦被上主聽見了，於是上主說：「現在我聽見了以色列人因埃及人奴役他們而發出哀求的呻吟，我記起了我的約……我要搭救你們，從埃及人的奴役下釋放你們……你們就知道我是上主，是你們的上帝。」於是上主施拯救，在苦難中差摩西帶領帶他們過紅海，入曠野，進入迦南流奶與蜜之安息地。

有人說：「在我需要上帝的時候，上帝都沒有來救我！」但真的如此嗎？有個故事這麼說：某次強颱帶來超大雨量，村莊淹大水，一位虔誠的信徒爬上屋頂向上帝求救。這時有艘救生筏來到門屋前，救難員對信徒說：「趕快上來，離開這裡！」信徒說：「不用了，等一下上帝會來救我！」但是，大雨依舊不停，水開始漫過屋頂，淹到他的脖子。這時有架直昇機飛過來，呼叫他快抓住繩子離開！他說：「不用了，我相信上帝一定會來救我！」沒多久，信徒安息主懷，於是責怪上帝說：「上帝，祢為什麼不來救我？」上帝回答他：「我有派救生筏、直昇機去救你，是你沒有給我機會救你！」

很多人生重病時，都會問：「為什麼上帝沒有保護我？」上帝說：「在你健康的時候，我有差派人提醒你多保養身體！當你生病時，有人關心你！可是，他們都被你一一拒絕了！」

(英文版的在文末)

當你的呼求打動上帝的心，上帝差人來救你時，你是否接受這平凡中的恩典？

耶和華啊，有這些事，你還忍得住嗎？ 你仍靜默使我們深受苦難嗎？ (以賽亞書 64:12 和合本)

上主啊，這一切不打動你的心嗎？上主啊，你不來幫助我們嗎？我們已經忍受不了這痛苦了。(以賽亞書 64:12 現代中文譯本)

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God Will Save Me

A terrible storm came into a town and local officials sent out an emergency warning that the riverbanks would soon overflow and flood the nearby homes. They ordered everyone in the town to evacuate immediately.

A faithful Christian man heard the warning and decided to stay, saying to himself, “I will trust God and if I am in danger, then God will send a divine miracle to save me.”

The neighbors came by his house and said to him, “We’re leaving and there is room for you in our car, please come with us!” But the man declined. “I have faith that God will save me.”

As the man stood on his porch watching the water rise up the steps, a man in a canoe paddled by and called to him, “Hurry and come into my canoe, the waters are rising quickly!” But the man again said, “No thanks, God will save me.”

The floodwaters rose higher pouring water into his living room and the man had to retreat to the second floor. A police motorboat came by and saw him at the window. “We will come up and rescue you!” they shouted. But the man refused, waving them off saying, “Use your time to save someone else! I have faith that God will save me!”

The flood waters rose higher and higher and the man had to climb up to his rooftop.

A helicopter spotted him and dropped a rope ladder. A rescue officer came down the ladder and pleaded with the man, "Grab my hand and I will pull you up!" But the man STILL refused, folding his arms tightly to his body. “No thank you! God will save me!”

Shortly after, the house broke up and the floodwaters swept the man away and he drowned.

When in Heaven, the man stood before God and asked, “I put all of my faith in You. Why didn’t You come and save me?”

And God said, “Son, I sent you a warning. I sent you a car. I sent you a canoe. I sent you a motorboat. I sent you a helicopter. What more were you looking for?”