QT 10/01/2025 Fri. Nehemiah 9. God's Constant Mercy: Not to be taken for granted. 上帝恒久的仁慈： 并非理所当然。
QT 10/01/2025 Fri. Nehemiah 9. God's Constant Mercy: Not to be taken for granted.
READ http://www.esvbible.org/neh9
The long confession highlights a few points: No matter how rebellious people have been in the past, they can count on God to keep his gracious promises as they turn back to Him. This is because God has shown himself faithful and merciful. God did not give them the total punishment that they deserved, but showed them mercy, a lot of mercy than they deserved. God was right to punish them, yet He rescued them repeatedly whenever they called out to Him again.
Nehemiah's contemporaries sought to end this repeated cycle of sin, repentance, call for help. Most of us would have given up hope on this kind of person. Will this mindless repetition of falling back into sin discontinue?
Jeremiah 31:31–34 The New Covenant
[31] “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, [32] not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. [33] For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. [34] And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (ESV)
The book of Ezra-Nehemiah, described the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy. With the remnant of God's people in the land, Jerusalem wall rebuilt, now is the time to focus on the spiritual aspect of their restoration.
REFLECTION: Do we pay attention to the condition of the heart, just as we pay attention to nutrition and cognitive development and financial security, or even more? Is it a heart that has the capacity to confess to God?
When God's laws are proclaimed, is the heart inclined to confess the sin, mourning over it, and have a renewed heart to recommit to God and His laws? New Testament believers can benefit from the laws of God that are written on their hearts by the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTION: Even though Jeremiah prophesied that God will put His laws within His people and write it on their hearts, this does not mean that God's people can do what they wish and still be on the correct side of God's laws. However, this showed that God would do what He could, to prompt and help His people, so that people can still make a decision and willingly return to Him. Are we grateful for this?
PRAYER: Dear God, you have shown us much grace and mercy. Help us to respond with thanksgiving, and avoid all contamination and corrupt that surrounds us. We pray for the rebuilding of our community to be one that delights your heart, as you mould our hearts to be more obedient to you, and delight in you more and more each day!
QT 10/01/2025 星期五. 尼希米记 9. 上帝恒久的仁慈： 并非理所当然。
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/neh/9
这段长长的忏悔突出了几个要点： 无论人们过去如何悖逆，当他们回转向上帝时，他们都可以指望上帝会信守他的恩典。这是因为上帝显示了自己的信实和仁慈。上帝没有完全给他们应得的处罚，而是给了他们怜悯，比他们应得的更多的怜悯。上帝惩罚他们是对的，但每当他们再次呼求上帝时，祂又一再拯救他们。
尼希米同时代的人试图结束这种重复犯罪、悔改、求助的循环。我们大多数人都会对这种人放弃希望。这种无意识地重复陷入罪中的情况会停止吗？
耶利米书 31:31–34 [31] “看哪！日子快到（这是耶和华的宣告），我要与以色列家和犹大家订立新的约。32 这新约不像从前我拉他们祖先的手，领他们出埃及地的日子，与他们所立的约；我虽然是他们的丈夫，他们却违背了我的约。”这是耶和华的宣告。33 “但那些日子以后，我要与以色列家所立的约是这样（这是耶和华的宣告）：我要把我的律法放在他们里面，写在他们的心里。我要作他们的 神，他们要作我的子民。34 他们各人必不再教导自己的邻舍和自己的同胞，说：‘你们要认识耶和华。’因为所有的人，从最小到最大的都必认识我。我也要赦免他们的罪孽，不再记着他们的罪恶。”这是耶和华的宣告。
《以斯拉-尼希米记》描述了耶利米预言的应验。随着上帝的余民在这块土地上，耶路撒冷城墙的重建，现在是关注他们恢复的属灵方面的时候了。
反思：我们是否像关注营养、认知发展和经济安全一样，关注心灵的状况，甚至更多？这是一颗有能力向上帝忏悔的心吗？
当神的律法被宣讲时，人们的心是否愿意认罪、哀悼，并有一颗更新的心重新向神和祂的律法委身？新约信徒可以从圣灵写在他们心上的神的律法中受益。
反思：尽管耶利米预言神将把祂的律法放在祂的子民里面，写在他们的心里，但这并不意味着神的子民可以随心所欲，又仍然站在神的律法的正确一边。然而，这表明上帝会尽其所能，提示和帮助祂的子民，让人们仍然可以做出决定，心甘情愿地回到祂的身边。我们会为此感到欣慰吗？
祷告：亲爱的神，你向我们显明了许多恩典和怜悯。求你帮助我们以感恩之心回应，救我们脱离周围的一切污染和堕落。我们为我们群体的重建祷告，使之成为你喜悦的群体，因为你塑造了我们的心，使我们更加能顺服你，每天都越来越以你为乐！
