QT 18/04/2025 Fri. Isaiah 50. No one is answering? 无人回应？
QT 18/04/2025 Fri. Isaiah 50. No one is answering?
READ http://www.esvbible.org/isaiah50
The LORD did not totally abandon His people (50:1). He rebutted the claim that He had acted arbitrarily—His actions were due to the people’s rebellion. But why then did His people not answer His call?
REFLECTION: What is your response to God’s grace and power so far in your lives?
Isaiah 50:2 Why, when I came, was there no man; why, when I called, was there no one to answer? Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a desert; their fish stink for lack of water and die of thirst. (ESV)
Sometimes, we blame God and wish to give up in hopeless circumstances. Why not try the alternative of committing ourselves to the grace of God, especially today. Commit ourselves to His power.
His power is evident in nature (50:2b–3) and history, if we were to just slow down, think and have a look. God had delivered His people, dried up the sea (50:2) and watered the desert for His people in their wanderings. His hand was not too short nor shortened. Neither did His hand lack power to deliver.
REFLECTION: For this special day today, would we confess sins and receive the deliverance that God had prepared in sending Jesus Christ to the cross?
Against the enemies, God can smash and force the giving up of whatever they are holding onto against God’s will. With regards to all of life, God is powerful enough to give life and take it away. But what does God’s “arm” look like?
We await the surprises in Isaiah 52 & 53 where His arm would be revealed, not to smash the enemy militarily, but to absorb all the anger, injustice and ridicule and all that the enemies could ever think of heaping on Him. His Servant would absorb the punishment and bear the sin to solve the universal search for true peace, tranquility and reconciliation between humans and God.
Especially this week and more so in the future as we celebrate more and more Easter, let us recognise and answer the call of Him who is powerful enough to absorb all hurts. While we recognise the pain of the cross, we celebrate His greatness in answering these trash heaped on Him year after year with the giving back of His wonderful love. Let us all grab this opportunity now.
QT 18/04/2025 星期五 以赛亚书 50 无人回应？
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/isa/50
耶和华并没有完全离弃祂的子民（50:1）。祂反驳了关于祂独断专行的说法--祂的行动是由于百姓的叛逆。但为什么祂的子民没有回应神的呼召呢？
反思：迄今为止，你对上帝的恩典和大能有何反应？
以赛亚书 50：2 为什么我来的时候，没有人在呢？为什么我呼唤的时候，没有人答应呢？难道我的手太软弱不能救赎吗？或是我没有能力拯救吗？看哪！我以斥责使海干涸，我使江河变成旷野，江河的鱼因无水发臭，因干渴而死。
有时，我们会在毫无希望的情况下埋怨上帝，想要放弃。为何不尝试另一种方法：将自己交托给上帝的恩典，尤其是在今天这个特别的日子，将自己交托给祂的大能！
只要我们放慢脚步，想一想，看一看，祂的大能在自然界（50:2b-3）和历史中显而易见。上帝曾拯救祂的子民，使大海干涸（50:2），并为漂泊的子民浇灌沙漠。祂的手没有太短，也没有缩短。祂的手也没有缺乏拯救的能力。
反思：在今天这个特殊的日子里，我们是否愿意认罪，接受上帝差遣耶稣基督上十字架时所预备的拯救？
对于敌人，上帝可以粉碎并迫使他们放弃任何违背上帝旨意的东西。对于所有的生命，上帝都有足够的能力赋予生命和夺走生命。但上帝的 “手 ”是什么样的呢？
我们等待着以赛亚书第 52 和 53 章中的惊喜，在那里，神的手、膀臂将显现出来，不是在军事上粉碎敌人，而是吸收所有的愤怒、不公和嘲笑，以及敌人所能想到的加在祂身上的一切。神的仆人将吸收惩罚，承担罪孽，以解决人类与上帝之间寻求真正和平、安宁与和解的普遍问题。
特别是在本周，以及今后越来越多的复活节庆祝和纪念的活动中，让我们认识到并响应祂的呼召，祂的力量足以吸收一切伤害。当我们认识到十字架的痛苦时，我们要赞美祂的伟大，祂年复一年地回应这些加在祂身上的痛苦，回馈祂奇妙的爱。让我们现在就抓住这个机会吧。
