“‘照你所说的而行。愿人永远尊你的名为大。’” - 撒下 7:25-26

在《出人意外的恩典A Grace Disguised》这本书中，杰瑞·席哲叙述他的妻子、母亲、和女儿在交通意外中逝世的悲剧，他很想知道，透过这个可怕的考验，他可以从中学到什么功课。结果他选择用救赎这个字带来盼望：“[神]希望使用[生命中]恶劣的环境来塑造我们并最终塑造整个世界，好让我们变得异常美丽。救赎所应许要带来的改变，是何等完美啊。”

在成为以色列第二任君王、并且经历宁静祥和的岁月之前，大卫曾忍受了家庭不和、死亡的威胁、和许多的战争。在这一切事上，他知道“耶和华与他同在。”现在，耶和华更应许大卫，他的国必永远坚立，他的位也必稳固，直到永远。这位君王知道，他必须选择顺服神的话和寻求跟从神的旨意，并且引领他的百姓如此每一步跟随前行。大卫知道，“耶和华 … 救赎[以色列民]作自己的子民，… 显出[他]的大名。”为了成就祂对万国的美好旨意，神不断在作工，好叫大卫的一生和以色列民在他们的世代有所作为。

同样，如今我们总离不开大卫的后裔耶稣的救赎工作，祂也期望我们能够在我们的世代有所作为。

祷告

主啊，惟愿我全然相信，你的救赎工作时常都在修正、鼓励、和塑造我，叫我成就你美善的旨意。奉基督名祈求，阿们。

撒母耳记下 7:18-29

18于是大卫王进去，坐在耶和华面前，说：“主耶和华啊，我是谁，我的家算什么，你竟使我到这地步呢？
19主耶和华啊，这在你眼中还看为小，又应许你仆人的家至于久远。主耶和华啊，这岂是人所常遇的事吗？
20主耶和华啊，我还有何言可以对你说呢？因为你知道你的仆人。
21你行这大事使仆人知道，是因你所应许的话，也是照你的心意。
22主耶和华啊，你本为大，照我们耳中听见，没有可比你的，除你以外再无神。
23世上有何民能比你的民以色列呢？你从埃及救赎他们做自己的子民，又在你赎出来的民面前行大而可畏的事，驱逐列邦人和他们的神，显出你的大名。
24你曾坚立你的民以色列做你的子民直到永远，你耶和华也做了他们的神。
25耶和华神啊，你所应许仆人和仆人家的话，求你坚定直到永远，照你所说的而行。
26愿人永远尊你的名为大，说：‘万军之耶和华是治理以色列的神！’这样，你仆人大卫的家必在你面前坚立。
27万军之耶和华以色列的神啊，因你启示你的仆人说‘我必为你建立家室’，所以仆人大胆向你如此祈祷。
28主耶和华啊，唯有你是神，你的话是真实的，你也应许将这福气赐给仆人。
29现在求你赐福于仆人的家，可以永存在你面前。主耶和华啊，这是你所应许的，愿你永远赐福于仆人的家。”

Thank You, Lord!

"Do as you promised, so that your name will be great forever." - 2 Samuel 7:25-26

In the book A Grace Revealed Jerry Sittser tells about the tragic deaths of his wife, mother, and daughter in an auto accident. He wondered what could come out of such a horrific ordeal. He settled on redemption as the word that brought him hope: “[God] wants the harsh conditions [of life] to shape us and eventually the whole world into something extraordinarily beautiful. Redemption promises to transform, so completely.”

David endured family squabbles, death threats, and many military battles before he experienced a time of rest and peace as Israel’s second king. Through it all, he knew “the Lord was with him.” And now the Lord had made a promise that his kingdom would endure and his throne would be established forever. The king knew he had to obey God’s Word and seek to follow God’s will, reminding his people every step of the way. David knew that Israel was “the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself and to make a name for himself.” God was working to make something out of David’s life and out of this nation for his good purposes all the nations.

Similarly, we are never beyond the redemptive work of David’s descendant Jesus in his desire to make something out of us today.

Prayer

Lord, may I trust your redemptive work of always pruning, encouraging, and molding me to serve your good purposes. In Christ’s name, Amen.