God of Justice 公义的上帝
Dexu Xia
Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Amos 5:14
As a teenager, Ryan lost his mom to cancer. He found himself homeless and soon dropped out of school. He felt hopeless and often went hungry. Years later, Ryan founded a nonprofit that empowers others, especially young children, to plant, harvest, and prepare their own garden-grown food. The organization is built on the belief that nobody should go without food and that those who have something should care for those who don’t. Ryan’s concern for others resonates with the heart of God for justice and mercy.
God cares deeply about the pain and suffering we face. When He observed terrible injustice in Israel, He sent the prophet Amos to call out their hypocrisy. The people God once rescued from oppression in Egypt were now selling their neighbors into slavery over a pair of sandals (Amos 2:6). They betrayed innocent people, denied justice to the oppressed, and trampled “on the heads” of the poor (vv. 6-7), all while pretending to worship God with offerings and holy days (4:4-5).
“Seek good, not evil, that you may live,” Amos pleaded with the people. “Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is” (5:14). Like Ryan, each of us has experienced enough pain and injustice in life to be able to relate to others and to be of help. The time is ripe to “seek good” and join Him in planting every kind of justice. By: Karen Pimpo
What injustice do you see others enduring that resonates with your own experience? How might God use you to help them?
God of justice, thank You for not turning a blind eye to the pain and suffering in our world.
你们要求善，不要求恶，就必存活。—阿摩司书5章14节
莱恩在青少年时期母亲就因癌症去世，这使他无家可归，也很快辍学了。他感到绝望，而且经常挨饿。多年后，莱恩设立一个非营利组织，帮助人们（特别是孩子们）学习种植与收割，并且教导他们用从菜园采收的蔬果预备餐点。该组织的基本信念是﹕没有人应该挨饿，而且拥有食物的人应照顾那些缺乏的人。莱恩对人们的关怀，正反映出上帝的公义和怜悯之心。
上帝非常关心我们所面对的痛苦和磨难。当祂看见以色列人毫无公义怜悯，便差派先知阿摩司去谴责他们的虚伪。上帝曾经将以色列人从埃及的逼迫中拯救出来，现在他们却为了一双鞋而将邻居卖为奴隶（阿摩司书2章6节）。他们卖了无辜的人，不肯为受压迫的人伸张正义，甚至践踏穷人（6-7节），却假装在圣日用供物敬拜上帝（4章4-5节）。
阿摩司恳切地劝戒众人﹕“你们要求善，不要求恶，就必存活。这样，耶和华万军之上帝必照你们所说的，与你们同在”（5章14节）。像莱恩一样，我们每个人的生命都曾经历一些痛苦和不公，因此能理解别人并提供帮助。现在就是行善的良机，让我们与上帝一起播下公义的种子吧！作者： 平凯灵
别人有哪些不公平的遭遇，让你深有同感？
你认为上帝要你如何帮助他们？
公义的上帝，我要感谢赞美祢，因祢没有漠视世人的痛苦和苦难