3 月 24 日 预苦期第三周 星期一

(邱品尧牧师 佳恩堂)

经文-出埃及记 3：1-15

3 摩西牧养他岳父米甸祭司叶忒罗的羊群，一日领羊群往野外去，到了神的山，就是何烈山。 2 耶和华的使者从荆棘里火焰中向摩西显现。摩西观看，不料，荆棘被火烧着，却没有烧毁。 3 摩西说：“我要过去看这大异象，这荆棘为何没有烧坏呢？” 4 耶和华神见他过去要看，就从荆棘里呼叫说：“摩西！摩西！”他说：“我在这里。” 5 神说：“不要近前来。当把你脚上的鞋脱下来，因为你所站之地是圣地。” 6 又说：“我是你父亲的神，是亚伯拉罕的神、以撒的神、雅各的神。”摩西蒙上脸，因为怕看神。7 耶和华说：“我的百姓在埃及所受的困苦，我实在看见了；他们因受督工的辖制所发的哀声，我也听见了。我原知道他们的痛苦。 8 我下来是要救他们脱离埃及人的手，领他们出了那地，到美好宽阔、流奶与蜜之地，就是到迦南人、赫人、亚摩利人、比利洗人、希未人、耶布斯人之地。 9 现在以色列人的哀声达到我耳中，我也看见埃及人怎样欺压他们。 10 故此，我要打发你去见法老，使你可以将我的百姓以色列人从埃及领出来。” 11 摩西对神说：“我是什么人？竟能去见法老，将以色列人从埃及领出来呢？” 12 神说：“我必与你同在。你将百姓从埃及领出来之后，你们必在这山上侍奉我，这就是我打发你去的证据。”13 摩西对神说：“我到以色列人那里，对他们说：‘你们祖宗的神打发我到你们这里来。’他们若问我说：‘他叫什么名字？’我要对他们说什么呢？” 14 神对摩西说：“我是自有永有的。”又说：“你要对以色列人这样说：‘那自有的打发我到你们这里来。’” 15 神又对摩西说：“你要对以色列人这样说：‘耶和华你们祖宗的神，就是亚伯拉罕的神、以撒的神、雅各的神，打发我到你们这里来。’耶和华是我的名，直到永远；这也是我的纪念，直到万代。

经文反思

摩西已经四十年在旷野，在每日的规律生活中，忘记了年轻时的热情，失去任何的异象和目标，摩西已经没有预期生命中会有任何变化。但是，上帝神圣的呼召临到摩西，祂告诉摩西，他是神，他的身份和摩西祖先的关系。并且清楚地告诉摩西，摩西的使命是什么，摩西要如何完成他的使 命。这对摩西来说，是一个人生大改变的开始。

立约的神完成祂救恩的工作，有既定的计划，按着自己的时间表，用超乎想象的方法，带着威严和充分的理由，并且提供充足的证据来带领人。神从来不勉强他所拣选的人，而是鼓励人，加力量给人，使他有充足的信心和装备来面对即将来临的挑战。

神永远不忘记祂的约。祂一旦与人立约，就永远不反悔。祂爱属祂的人，并且永远爱到底。神爱祂的百姓，透过祂所拣选的领袖，来拯救人脱离仇敌的辖制。我们为着神永不离弃的爱，深深被感动。

祷告

守约施慈爱的神，我们从摩西的身上，看到你对百姓无条件的爱。你为了拯救以色列百姓，呼召摩西，成为带领百姓出埃及的领袖。你是自有永有的神，你从不改变，你对我的爱永不改变。主 啊，你了解我们的痛苦，身上所受的捆绑，你就愿意差遣使者来拯救我们。主啊，你知道我们的软弱和痛苦，求你来拯救我们，脱离一切的辖制，奉主耶稣基督的名求，阿门！

实践

回想你信主的历程，神如何带领你信主，如何引导你的脚步，如何呼召你来服事神？请你记录下来，神呼召你的内容，为着这一切的经历，向主献上感恩和赞美。求神帮助你能够坚持起初的呼 召，继续完成神的托付。

24 March The Monday in the Third Week of Lent

Rev Samuel Chiu      Redeemer Methodist Church

Scripture: Exodus 3:1–15

1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush.  He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. 7 Then the Lord said,  “I have surely seen the  affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their  taskmasters.  I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “But I will be with you,  and this shall be the sign for you,  that I have sent you:  when you have brought  the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” 13 Then Moses said  to God,  “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord,[b] the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.

Reflections on the Scripture

Moses had been in the wilderness for forty years, and in the daily routine of life, forgetting the zeal of his youth and losing any vision or purpose,  Moses had not expected any  change in his life.  But God's divine call came to Moses, and He told Moses that He was God, His identity and the relationship of Moses' ancestors. And Moses was clearly told  what Moses' mission was and how Moses was to fulfil his mission. This was the beginning of a big life change for Moses.

The covenant God accomplishes His work of salvation with a set plan, on His own timetable, leading people in ways beyond imagination, with majesty and good reason, and providing ample evidence. God never begrudges His chosen  one but encourages and  strengthens him so that he is sufficiently confident and equipped to face the coming challenges.

God never forgets His covenant. Once He has made a covenant with a man,  He never repudiates it. He loves those who belong to Him and will always love them to the end. God loves His people and rescues them from the enemy through His chosen leaders. We are deeply moved by God's unfailing love.

Prayer

God of covenant and love,  we see in Moses your unconditional love for your people.  You called Moses to be the leader who led the people out of Egypt in  order to save the people of Israel. You are the God of all eternity, you never change,  your love for me never changes. Lord, you know our pain and our bondage, and you are willing to send a messenger to save us. Lord, you know our weakness and pain, come and save us from all dominion, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!

Application

Think back on your journey of conversion. How did God lead you to faith, how did He guide your steps, and how did He call you to serve Him? Please record what God has called you to and offer thanksgiving and praise to the Lord for all these experiences. Pray that God will help you to be able to hold on to your initial calling and continue to fulfil God's commission.