〈約書亞記〉 7: 11 以色列人犯了罪，違背了我所吩咐他們的約，取了當滅的物；又偷竊，又行詭詐，又把那當滅的放在他們的家具裡。
閱讀經文：〈約書亞記〉 7:1-15
當以色列人打下耶和哥城，歡天喜地地慶祝之後，他們得意洋洋地準備接受下一個挑戰，攻打艾城。在《聖經》裡第一個提到艾城的人是亞伯拉罕，他經過示劍又遷到伯特利東邊的山，支搭帳篷。西邊是伯特利，東邊是艾（創12:8）。她的面積和人口都比耶利哥小和少，以致於以色列人輕視它，以為可以輕易致勝。約書亞派人去窺探艾城，這些探子認為只要有兩千人就可以把艾城拿下來。
不料，事與願違。他們不但敗退，還死了卅六人。戰爭裡死了人是很自然的事，兩軍交鋒哪有不死的，又不是電腦遊戲。但是對以色列人而言，一場戰爭裡死了百分之一的兵丁，算是傷亡慘重了。
Zarephath was a Gentile city occupied by Baal worshippers. The chief of the city had a daughter named Jezebel, Elijah’s archenemy. Elijah arrives with nothing. His purse and tummy are empty. Elijah spots a woman. Emaciated. Destitute. I envision Elijah stepping in her direction, and beneath his beard a smile is taking shape as he reviews God’s blessings. Protection in the court of Ahab, provision in the paucity of Kerith, and a shield of safety during the trek to Zarephath.
In your case would the God who gave you grace last week not give you grace again? Unbreakable courage requires good recall. Spiritual amnesia makes spiritual wimps. Spiritual remembrance makes spiritual giants.
God sees the needs of tomorrow and, accordingly, creates the training of today.
He did so with Agnes. As a young girl she was on fire for her faith. She left her home, her family, and country and became a missionary. She gave God everything, and God gave her a test: loneliness. She felt as if God had left her. On and off for fifty years, she battled a secret pain. Only late in life did she come to see her suffering as a way to understand the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all the people who feel unwanted. It was only then that Agnes—Mother Teresa—saw her test as part of her call.
Your test is a part of your call as well.
〈約書亞記〉 6:25 約書亞卻把妓女喇合與她父家，並她所有的，都救活了；因為她隱藏了約書亞所打發窺探耶利哥的使者，她就住在以色列中，直到今日。
閱讀經文：〈約書亞記〉 6:15-27
你有沒有覺得很奇怪？第七天要攻城時，神卻要以色列的兵丁繞城七次，為何不讓他們節省精力去打仗，反而要他們繞城七次，在又餓又累時才攻打呢？你會發現神的想法和人的想法往往不一樣。因為神知道，這個仗是祂要打的，以色列人只是助手而已。只靠以色列人能對付得了耶利哥的兩重城牆嗎？何況還有驍勇善戰的耶利哥人？所以當你發現神不按著你的禱告和想法去回應你時，你要感謝，因為天父已經有更好的方法來回應你的禱告。
在攻打耶利哥城時，約書亞宣佈了幾件事：第一，城中所有的人，不論男女老少、牛羊和驢都要死，只有喇合和她家中的可以存活。第二，不可取那當滅的物，免得連累全營，使全營受咒詛。第三，唯有金子、銀子和銅鐵的器皿，都要歸耶和華為聖。第四，不可重修耶利哥城。
〈約書亞記〉 6: 3 你們的一切兵丁要圍繞這城，一日圍繞一次，六日都要這樣行。
閱讀經文：〈約書亞記 〉6:1-14
以色列人在曠野走了四十年，現在進到迦南地的大多數人都是在曠野出生的；即使有在埃及出生的，對於城巿的印象也模糊不清了。來到迦南地，看到耶利哥城那麼高大的城牆，可能都是生平第一次。沒有人知道，他們要怎樣攻打耶利哥城。好像作夢一樣，要攻打銅牆鐵壁般的耶利哥城？不知道你有沒有看過電視劇三國裡演的攻城，他們有火炮先射，然後有雲梯前撲後繼地上，以色列人什麼都沒有。連埃及人那樣的戰車都沒有。他們憑什麼去打耶利哥城？耶利哥城裡的人又為何怕他們怕成那個樣子，他們怕的是誰？竟然因以色列人而把城門關得嚴緊，無人敢出入？
The prophet Elijah was headline news in the nation. He was also a sitting duck for a big head. So, in a preemptive measure, God led him to a creek where Elijah would be utterly dependent upon a brook for water and some birds for food.
The enemy of the saint is pride. We must fight it like the foe it is. Take note of your “hat size.” Are you getting a big head? Then volunteer for menial tasks—wash dishes, sweep floors.
You are loved but not indispensable. You are God’s child but not God’s golden child. You have a place in God’s plan, but you are not essential to God’s plan. The smaller we are, the more room there is for God.
〈約書亞記〉 5:13-14 約書亞靠近耶利哥的時候，舉目觀看，不料，有一個人手裡有拔出來的刀，對面站立。約書亞到他那裡，問他說：「你是幫助我們呢，是幫助我們敵人呢？」他回答說：「不是的，我來是要作耶和華軍隊的元帥。」約書亞就俯伏在地下拜，說：「我主有甚麼話吩咐僕人。」
經文：〈約書亞記〉 5:10-15
以色列人出埃及的第四十年正月初十，以色列人過了約旦河，接著約書亞做火石刀，為以色列人行割禮，緊接著就是逾越節了。約書亞的動作真的很快，三天之內，把這些事都擺平了。正月十四日晚上過逾越節家家戶戶烤羊羔，那是一個怎樣的場面啊！到處都是香噴噴的烤羊味，令人垂涎三尺。逾越節的第二天，他們吃了當地的出產，無酵餅和烘的穀；逾越節的第三天，嗎哪就不再下降，再也沒有嗎哪了。這時，以色列人才發現，在曠野裡讓他們感到厭煩的嗎哪，原來在世間找不到，原來那是稀奇之物，原來那是上天之珍。他們竟然身在福中不知福。很多東西都是沒有了，我們才會感到它們的寶貴，神的恩典之奇妙。
A person with no input from God has the vibrancy of Shafter Lake. It languishes a few miles west of my West Texas hometown. Envision a brackish mud puddle the size of a football field. Unlike true lakes, Shafter has no pure source. No river fills to flows through it. Gas, oil, and saltwater puddle and fume. Not a pleasant sight. The lake without an entrance or exit stinks.
So does the life with no divine source. Hence the invitation of Jesus. “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way” (John 7:37-38 MSG).
Like a plant absorbs light from the sun, the believer absorbs spiritual power from the divine.
〈約書亞記〉 5:9 耶和華對約書亞說：「我今日將埃及的羞辱從你們身上滾去了。」因此那地方名叫吉甲，直到今日。
閱讀經文：〈約書亞記〉 5:1-9
大敵當前，在耶利哥人和其他迦南人的密切「監視」下，神竟然要求以色列人先對自己的壯士們動刀，行割禮。我們都知道成人行割禮後，要忍受幾乎一星期的疼痛和坐立不安。雅各的兒子利未和西緬可殺盡示劍城的人，就是叫他們行割禮，才允許妹妹底拿和示劍結緍。示劍人不察，行了割禮（割包皮手術）後，大家疼痛不已時，利未和西緬便把他們都殺了。可見行了割禮之後，這些大男人是不能打仗的。神為何會在他們的敵人面前，讓他們變得如此軟弱，豈不十分危險？
Do you feel isolated from family and friends? Perhaps your isolation is less geographical and more ideological. Do you feel alone in your opinions and concerns? When we follow the crowd, we feel safe. When we swim against the tide, we need strength.
Turn to God as your best friend. Find what it means to walk in the Spirit, to lean on and lean into him as your comforter. Meditate on Scripture. Read inspirational books. Enjoy times of worship. Lay claim to a quiet spot where you can hear God’s voice. Speak less when you are in his presence.
“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 NKJV). Learn to savor the stillness. Trust God’s stops as well as God’s steps.
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