Move Your Fence 扩张境界
Dexu Xia
See, I am doing a new thing! Isaiah 43:19
The village vicar couldn’t sleep. As World War II raged, he’d told a small group of American soldiers they couldn’t bury their fallen comrade inside the fenced cemetery next to his church. Only burials for church members were allowed. So the men buried their beloved friend just outside the fence.
The next morning, however, the soldiers couldn’t find the grave. “What happened? The grave is gone,” one soldier told the reverend. “Oh, it’s still there,” he told him. The soldier was confused, but the churchman explained. “I regretted telling you no. So, last night, I got up—and I moved the fence.”
God may give fresh perspective for our life challenges too—if we look for it. That was the prophet Isaiah’s message to the downtrodden people of Israel. Instead of looking back with longing at their Red Sea rescue, they needed to shift their sight, seeing God doing new miracles, blazing new paths. “Do not dwell on the past,” He urged them. “See, I am doing a new thing!” (Isaiah 43:18–19). He’s our source of hope during doubts and battles. “I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, [providing] drink to my people, my chosen [people]” (v. 20).
Refreshed with new vision, we too can see God’s fresh direction in our lives. May we look with new eyes to see His new paths. Then, with courage, may we step onto new ground, bravely following Him.
What new thing would God like to accomplish in your life? What new ground has God led you to and what will you do with it?
Merciful God, thank You for providing fresh perspective for my life in You. Refresh my sight to see new ground to walk with You.
看哪！我要做一件新事。—以赛亚书43章19节
在二次世界大战期间，有位乡村牧师拒绝了一小群美国士兵的请求，不允许他们将殉职的同袍，葬在教堂旁围着篱笆的墓园里。因为教堂的墓园只许教会会友安葬，所以士兵们只好将挚友葬在围篱外，此事让这位乡村牧师彻夜难眠。
但隔天早上，士兵们遍寻不着坟墓。有位士兵问牧师说：“发生了什么事？坟墓怎么不见了?”他回答：“还在那里啊！”士兵正感困惑，他接着解释：“我后悔拒绝了你们，所以我昨夜起床挪移了围篱。”
只要我们寻求，上帝也可能会给我们新观点来看待人生的挑战。这正是先知以赛亚向受压迫的以色列民所传讲的信息。他们不应回头渴望红海的救赎，而是需要新的眼光，看见上帝正在做又新又奇的事，展开新的道路。上帝劝诫他们：“不要思想古时的事。看哪！我要做一件新事”（以赛亚书43章18-19节）。当我们心生疑惑和面对争战时，上帝是我们盼望的来源，正如祂说：“因我使旷野有水，使沙漠有河，好赐给我的百姓、我的选民喝。”（20节）
当我们更新视野，也会看见上帝为我们人生指出新的方向。愿我们能用新的眼光看见祂开的新路，并且鼓足勇气，勇敢地跟随祂踏上新的境界。
上帝要在你的生命中做哪件新事？上帝已引导你
进入何种新的境界？你又将如何面对新境界？
施怜悯的上帝，
感谢祢赐给我新的观点来看待我的生命。
求祢更新我的眼光，让我看见与祢同行的新境界。