“Do We Not Know We Have Been Engraved on the Palms of Lord Jesus’ Hands 我们不知道自己已被刻在主耶稣的掌上吗?“(Isaiah 以赛亚书49:15-18)
Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. Your children hasten back, and those who laid you waste depart from you. Lift up your eyes and look around; all your children gather and come to you. As surely as I live,’ declares the Lord, ‘you will wear them all as ornaments; you will put them on, like a bride.
婦人怎能忘記她吃奶的嬰孩,不憐憫她親生的兒子呢?即使她們可能忘記,我也不會忘記你。看哪!我已經把你刻在我的掌上;你的城牆常常在我面前。重建你的要急速歸回,那些毀壞你的和那些使你荒廢的,都必離你而去。你舉目向四周觀看吧!他們都集合到你那裡來。耶和華說:“我指著我的永生起誓,你要披戴他們,如同披戴裝飾品;你要以他們作華帶束腰,像新婦一樣。
God’s affection for His people is greater than the devotion a woman has for her nursing child. When we could see the nail-scarred hands of Lord Jesus, we would see how He has inscribed us on the palms of His hands. With such love, how could God ever forget His people? God is always mindful of His people’s condition (their health, strength, prosperity and security), despite the objections of a doubting Zion. His love and faithfulness for Zion have been demonstrated by His promise for their past and their present (partially fulfilled in the return of the exiles from Babylon) and are also shown by His promise for their future (ultimately fulfilled in the re-gathering of Israel in the last days).
神對祂子民的愛,比婦人對自己乳養孩子的獻身更偉大。當我們可以看見主耶穌留有釘痕的雙手時,我們會看見祂如何把我們刻在祂的掌上。神有著如此的愛怎可以也曾忘記祂的子民呢?儘管疑惑之錫安的反對,神常常顧念祂子民的情況(他們的健康、力量、昌盛和安穩)。祂對他們過去和現在的應許(部分成就在放逐後從巴比倫的歸回上),並且祂對他們未來的應許(至終成就在末後的日子里以色列的重聚上),也證明祂對錫安的愛和忠誠。
Prayer: Heavenly Father, today it is indeed very sad to see that some parents can forget and have no compassion on their nursing child! Thank you for your unfailing love revealed in Jesus Christ. If we have not recognized and been moved by the nail-scarred hands of Lord Jesus, our faith in Him still remains superficially on the level of head knowledge which is vulnerable to our enemy Satan’s temptation and attack. May the illumination and guidance of as well as the conviction by the Holy Spirit help us and empower us to pursue a deeper life in Christ doing your will. Amen.
禱告: 天父啊,今天,看見一些家長能夠忘記和不憐憫他們乳養的孩子,確實是令人非常憂傷的!感謝你在耶穌基督裡啟示你不變的愛。如果我們未曾確認主耶穌留有釘痕的雙手,並受感動,我們在祂裡面的信心,仍然表面地停留在頭腦知識的層面上,對我們的敵人撒旦的試探和攻擊來說是容易受傷的。願聖靈的光照和引導,與及靠祂的確信幫助我們,使我們有力量去追求在基督裡,一個進深的生命行你的旨意。阿們。