Fire And Rain September 27, 2013— byJulie Ackerman Link Read: Isaiah 16:1-5 In mercy the throne will be established; and One will sit on it in truth . . . judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness. —Isaiah 16:5 Bible in a Year: Isaiah 3-4; Galatians 6 When a wildfire raged through the beautiful canyons near Colorado Springs, Colorado, it destroyed the habitat of all kinds of wildlife and hundreds of homes. People across the nation cried out to God, pleading with Him to send rain to douse the flames, put an end to the destruction, and give firefighters relief. Some people’s prayers had an interesting condition attached to them. They asked God to show mercy and send rain without lightning, which they feared would start even more fires. This reminds me of how we live in tension between things that save us and kill us. With fire, we cook our food and keep warm, but in it we can be consumed. With water, we keep our bodies hydrated and our planet cooled, but in it we also can drown. Too much or too little of either is life-threatening. We see the same principle at work spiritually. To thrive, civilizations need the seemingly opposite qualities of mercy and justice (Zech. 7:9). Jesus scolded the Pharisees for being sticklers about the law but neglecting these “weightier matters” (Matt. 23:23). We may lean toward justice or mercy, but Jesus keeps them in perfect balance (Isa. 16:5; 42:1-4). His death satisfies God’s need for justice and our need for mercy. Father, for personal reasons I sometimes lean towardshowing mercy, and sometimes I just want justice now.Teach me the balance as I look at Your character andgive me the wisdom I need in specific situations. God’s justice and mercy met at the cross. 火和雨 2013年 09月 27日 - Julie Ackerman Link 读经: 以赛亚书16章1-5节 必有宝座因慈爱坚立，必有一位诚诚实实坐在其上，⋯⋯施行审判，寻求公平，速行公义。 —以赛亚书16章5节 全年读经: 以赛亚书3-4章 加拉太书6章 熊熊森林大火在科罗拉多州附近美丽的大峡谷燃起，狂烧多日，摧毁了野生动物的栖息地，以及数以百计的房屋。全国各地的百姓都向上帝呼求，求祂降下雨来熄灭烈火、终止灾难，使消防队员有喘息的机会。有些人的祷告似乎很有趣，因为他们求上帝显出怜悯，降下大雨，但却不要发出闪电，因为他们怕闪电会引发更多火苗。 这让我想到生命中有的事情经常十分微妙，正如「水能载舟亦能覆舟」一样，一些事情能让我们生，也可以致我们死。因为有火，我们得以煮食取暖，但同时它也能烧毁我们。同样的，水让我们维持生命，浇灌土地，但我们也可能会因水而溺毙。两者之间无论过与不及，都足致害命。 属灵的原则也是一样。要建设文明社会，需要执法公正和怜悯这两个相对的特质（撒迦利亚书7章9节）。耶稣曾责备法利赛人，因他们为了坚守律法，却忽略更重要的事，就是公义、怜悯和信实（马太福音23章23节）。 我们可能会偏向公义，或倾向怜悯，但耶稣却能同时兼顾两者（以赛亚书16章5节，42章1-4节）。祂的死既能满足上帝对公义的要求，又为人们提供了所需的怜悯。 天父，由于个人的原因，我有时会偏向怜悯；有时却要即刻的公义。当我看到祢的属性，从中学到智慧，求祢教导我在特定的环境里，在怜悯和公义中取得平衡。 十字架成就了上帝的公义与怜悯。
Posted on: Fri, 27 Sep 2013 05:48:56 +0000
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