Mercy and Grace 怜悯与恩典
Dexu Xia
[Josiah] began to seek the God of his father David. 2 Chronicles 34:3
A stately sunflower stood on its own in the center of a lonely stretch of national highway, just a few feet from the fast lane. As I drove past, I wondered how it had grown there with no other sunflowers visible for miles. Only God could create a plant so hardy it could thrive so close to the roadway in the gray gravel lining the median. There it was, thriving, swaying gently in the breeze and cheerfully greeting travelers as they hurried by.
The Old Testament tells the story of a faithful king of Judah who also showed up unexpectedly. His father and grandfather had enthusiastically served other gods; but after Josiah had been in power for eight years, “while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David” (2 Chronicles 34:3). He sent workmen to “repair the temple of the Lord” (v. 8), and as they did they discovered the Book of the Law (the first five books of the Old Testament; v. 14). God then inspired Josiah to lead the entire nation of Judah to return to the faith of their ancestors, and they served the Lord “as long as [Josiah] lived” (v. 33).
Our God is the master of unanticipated mercies. He’s able to cause great good to spring up unexpectedly out of the hard gravel of life’s most unfavorable circumstances. Watch Him closely. He may do it again today.
What mercies have you seen from God that you
never anticipated? How does the thought that He’s able to bring about
unexpected good give you hope today?
Heavenly Father, I praise You for never changing. Your mercies are “new every morning!” (Lamentations 3:23). Help me to look forward to what You have for me today.
约西亚]就寻求他祖大卫的上帝。—历代志下34章3节
在偏僻的高速公路中央分隔岛上，一株向日葵生机勃勃地伫立着，离快车道只有咫尺之距。每当我开车经过时，总是想不透它如何在这意想不到的地方生长，因在方圆百里之内都不见其他向日葵。惟有上帝才能创造出如此强韧的植物，能在高速公路中央分隔岛的石砾中茁壮成长。它生气盎然地在风中摇曳，向匆匆经过的旅人欢然致意。
在旧约圣经中，讲述到一位信实的犹大王约西亚，他的作为也是出人意料。王的父亲和祖父都热衷事奉别的神；但到了约西亚王执政的第八年，他“尚且年幼，就寻求他祖大卫的上帝”（历代志下34章3节）。他差遣工人去“修理耶和华他上帝的殿”（8节），而他们在修筑上帝的殿时就发现了律法书（旧约圣经的前五卷书；14节）。接着，上帝启示约西亚王，带领犹大全国子民回到他们列祖的信仰中，“约西亚在世的日子”（33节），他们就事奉耶和华。
我们的上帝所赐的怜悯和恩典常出人意料。祂有能力使人绝处逢生，让意想不到的美好事物发生。仔细留意了！或许祂今天要再次彰显奇妙的作为。
你曾看过上帝赐下哪些意料之外的怜悯？想到祂能让意想不到的好事发生，如何令你今天充满希望？
天父我赞美祢，因祢永不改变。
祢的怜悯每早晨都是新的！
帮助我满怀期待地面对今天祢为我预备的一切。