3 月 29 日 预苦期第三周 星期六

(张慕洁牧师 神恩堂)

经文:耶利米书 13:1-11

13 耶和华对我如此说：“你去买一根麻布带子束腰，不可放在水中。” 2 我就照着耶和华的话，买了一根带子束腰。 3 耶和华的话第二次临到我说： 4 “要拿着你所买的腰带，就是你腰上的带子，起来往幼发拉底河去，将腰带藏在那里的磐石穴中。” 5 我就去，照着耶和华所吩咐我的，将腰带藏在幼发拉底河边。 6 过了多日，耶和华对我说：“你起来往幼发拉底河去，将我吩咐你藏在那里的腰带取出来。” 7 我就往幼发拉底河去，将腰带从我所藏的地方刨出来，见腰带已经变坏，毫无用了。8 耶和华的话临到我说： 9 “耶和华如此说：我必照样败坏犹大的骄傲和耶路撒冷的大骄傲。 10 这恶民不肯听我的话，按自己顽梗的心而行，随从别神，侍奉敬拜，他们也必像这腰带变为无用。 11 耶和华说：腰带怎样紧贴人腰，照样，我也使以色列全家和犹大全家紧贴我，好叫他们属我为子民，使我得名声，得颂赞，得荣耀，他们却不肯听。

经文反思

这段经文透过麻布腰带的比喻，揭示当时以色列民与神的关系。腰带本是尊贵之物，贴身而用，象征以色列与神的亲密关系。然而，当它被藏在幼发拉底河边，受潮腐烂，便变得毫无用处。同 样，以色列民本是神拣选的子民，理应紧贴神，活出祂的荣耀，但他们却随从外邦，与他们结盟犹如敬拜偶像，结果失去了原有神子民的尊贵。今天，我们是否也像以色列一样，倚靠自己的聪明，试图在神以外寻求安全感与荣耀？请记住离开神，我们的价值便如那条腐烂的腰带，一无所用。

祷告

圣洁的天父，感谢你拣选我们，使我们成为你的儿女，拥有尊贵的身份。然而，我们常常倚靠自己的聪明，试图在你以外寻找安全感和成就，最终却落入败坏之中。求你赦免我们，使我们重新紧贴你，单单倚靠你的引导，活出讨你喜悦的生命。主啊，我今转向你！奉主耶稣基督的名祷告，阿们！

实践

当面对决定时，先停下来问自己：“我是否在倚靠自己的聪明，还是依靠神做这决定？”

设定每天的提醒，例如手机闹钟或便签，提醒自己：“我的尊贵来自神，而非自己的努力。”每天默想一节关于依靠神的经文，并操练在大大小小的事情上先寻求神的旨意

29 March The Saturday in the Third Week of Lent

(Rev Barnabas Zhang Immanuel Methodist Church)

Scripture- Jeremiah 13:1–11

13 Thus says the LORD to me, “Go and buy a linen loincloth and put it around your waist, and do not dip it in water.” 2 So I bought a loincloth according to the word of the LORD, and put it around my waist. 3 And the word of the LORD came to me a second time, 4 “Take the loincloth that you have bought, which is around your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.” 5 So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me. 6 And after many days the LORD said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take from there the loincloth that I commanded you to hide there.” 7 Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and I took the loincloth from the place where I had hidden it. And behold, the loincloth was spoiled; it was good for nothing. 8 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 9 “Thus says the LORD: Even so will I spoil the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. 10 This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who stubbornly follow their own heart and have gone after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be like this loincloth, which is good for nothing. 11 For as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the LORD, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen.

Reflections on the Scripture

This passage uses the metaphor of a linen belt to reveal the relationship between the Israelites and God. A belt is a valuable item, worn close to the body, symbolizing Israel’s intimate connection with God. However, when it was hidden by the Euphrates River, it became damp, decayed, and useless.

Likewise, the Israelites were God’s chosen people, meant to remain close to Him and reflect His glory. Yet, they followed foreign nations, forming alliances as if worshiping idols, and in doing so, they lost the honour of being God's people.

Today, are we like Israel, relying on our own wisdom and seeking security and glory apart from God? Remember, apart from Him, our value becomes like that decayed belt—worthless and unusable.

Prayer

Holy Father, thank You for choosing us and making us Your children, granting us a noble identity. Yet, we often rely on our own wisdom, seeking security and success apart from You, only to fall into ruin. Please forgive us and draw us back to You, that we may rely solely on Your guidance and live a life that pleases You. Lord, today I turn to You! In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!

Application

When facing a decision, pause and ask yourself: "Am I relying on my own wisdom, or am I trusting God in this decision?"

Set daily reminders—such as a phone alarm or a sticky note—to remind yourself: "My worth comes from God, not my own efforts." Meditate on a Bible verse about trusting God each day, and practice seeking His will first in both big and small matters.