讀經： 尼希米記四章8至14節 8大家同謀要來攻擊耶路撒冷，使城內擾亂。 9然而，我們禱告我們的神，又因他們的緣故，就派人看守，晝夜防備。 10猶大人說：灰土尚多，扛抬的人力氣已經衰敗，所以我們不能建造城牆。 11我們的敵人且說：趁他們不知不見，我們進入他們中間，殺他們，使工作止住。 12那靠近敵人居住的猶大人十次從各處來見我們，說：你們必要回到我們那裡。 13所以我使百姓各按宗族拿刀、拿槍、拿弓站在城牆後邊低窪的空處。 14我察看了，就起來對貴冑、官長，和其餘的人說：不要怕他們！當記念主是大而可畏的。你們要為弟兄、兒女、妻子、家產爭戰。 |
| 我們無論做甚麼事情，最容易出現的負面情緒就是灰心。尼希米記第四章正是要處理這個問題。 百姓之所以出現灰心，是有幾個客觀的原因的。請看第10節：他們力氣衰敗。他們已經做了一段很長的時間，但工作似乎做不完，他們已筋疲力竭，非常疲累。這是他們出現灰心的原因之一。 讓我們反問自己：我們甚麼時候最容易感到灰心？豈不是最疲累的時候嗎？豈不是忙完一整天，感到太累而無法再繼續下去的時候嗎？留意當時的百姓已專心修建了城牆一半，所以出現勞累也很正常(6節)。同樣地，當我們把工作做了一半，感到疲累的時候，卻發現還有一半未做，便會覺得無法堅持下去，於是便會出現灰心。 而且，我們還得留意，百姓只看見眼前的灰土，還需很多時日去清理(10節)。他們失去了遠象，只看見眼前的殘垣斷壁，無法憧憬修畢的城牆。我們為神工作的時候，都會有一個遠象。這是神給你的遠象，千萬不要因為注目於眼前的境況，而令你忘記了遠象，否則就只會感到灰心，而失去達成這遠象的決心。 接著，百姓還感到害怕和憂慮。他們只記著誰人的話？請看第12節：「我們的敵人且說……」，敵人的話一定是負面的攻擊或批評，我們若只記著他們的話，就當然會失去安全感，只有灰心和恐懼了。 尼希米如何幫助百姓克服灰心呢？他按照百姓的宗族將他們組織起來，安排每組輪流分工：這組修建城牆的時候，那組就拿著兵器防守，同時，也讓他們有休息的機會。而最重要的，是他鼓勵士氣，使眾人的目光專注在神的身上。留意第14節，他說：「當紀念主！」我們如何能叫自己從灰心失望中，重新站立起來呢？就是要紀念主過往為我們成就的一切，以及緊握祂給我們的應許。 |
Bible Reading: Nehemiah 4:8-14 8 and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion. 9 Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night. 10 Then Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall." 11 And our adversaries said, "They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their midst and kill them and cause the work to cease." 12 So it was, when the Jews who dwelt near them came, that they told us ten times, "From whatever place you turn, they will be upon us." 13 Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses." |
| There is one problem which faces all of us from time to time. It is discouragement. In Nehemiah all of chapter 4 deals with this subject. Here we are given several reasons why the people became discouraged. Look at verse 10. The people's strength was failing. They were tired. They had been working a long time at the seemingly endless task and they had become exhausted. That is one of the first reasons for discouragement. Ask yourself-when do I feel most discouraged? Isn't it when you are most tired? When you have had a hard day and you feel too tired to go on? Then notice these people became tired half way through the job (v.6). When we are half way through, don't we begin to think the job is taking too long and we will never get finished? The result-discouragement. Then notice, all that the people could see was rubbish (v.10). They had lost their vision of the finished wall and could only see the present situation. So you have a vision for the work of God where you are? Never lose it. It has been given to you by God. Don't let the present circumstances discourage you from seeing the fulfilment of that vision. Then they became afraid. Fear took over. Who did they start quoting? Look at verse 12. 'Our enemies say.' Have you ever heard the phrase 'They say'? It is always something negative isn't it? When you listen to that, you lose your sense of security. Fear and discouragement take its place. What is the cure for discouragement? Nehemiah grouped the people together more-into families. Then he allowed half of them to stand watch while the others worked. He gave some of them a rest. Most of all he directed their attention to the Lord. Look at verse 14. What did he say? 'Remember the Lord.' How do you do that? By remembering what he has done in the past and what he has promised to do for you now. |
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