A Grieving God 忧伤的神

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Dexu Xia

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May 20, 2025, 4:25:52 AM5/20/25

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Do not fear, for I am with you. Isaiah 41:10

Today's Insights Isaiah 41 starts with God warning “islands” and “nations” (v. 1). He asks a rhetorical question: “Who has stirred up one from the east?” (v. 2). It is God Himself who has stirred up this “one.” He is Cyrus, the great Persian king who wouldn’t be born for another 150 years, yet Isaiah introduces him by name (44:28-45:1). God calls this future Persian monarch “his anointed” (45:1)—anointed in the sense that God will use Cyrus to vanquish those who’d conquered His people. He’ll do this “for the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen” (v. 4). Isaiah 41:8-20 comprises a shift in tone from the first seven verses of the chapter: “But you, Israel, my servant . . .” (v. 8). God comforts a people long persecuted: “I have chosen you and have not rejected you” (v. 9). And He grieves with us and extends His comfort to us today.

Today's Devotional In the aftermath of Turkey’s devastating earthquake in February 2023, a haunting photo came across newswires: a father sitting amid ruins holding a hand extending from the rubble—the hand of his daughter. We see the edge of the mattress where his daughter had been sleeping, and we see her lifeless fingers that he now holds. His face is grim; his grief is profound. In this father’s gritted face, I see a semblance of our own heavenly Father. Genesis tells us that God was grieved by the devastation of sin in His creation: “It broke his heart” (6:6 nlt). Isaiah, speaking of the future Messiah, says, “He was . . . a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief” (53:3 nlt). God grieves for us, and with us, and sits at the edge of the rubble of our lives, reaching for us: “I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand” (41:13).

Whatever devastation you currently face—a tragic circumstance, the loss of a dear one, or maybe even the effects of your own sin—know that God grieves with you. Whatever earthquake has shaken your life, see that God is reaching for your hand. Whatever your current sorrow, hear the God of love saying to you, “Do not fear; I will help you” (v. 13).

Reflect & Pray

In what ways has your life, current or past, been shaken to the core? What does it mean to you that God grieves with you?

Thank you Father God to grieves with me and for me, thank You for reaching to me with

Your “righteous right hand.”

by Kenneth Petersen

不要害怕，因为我与你同在。以赛亚书 41:10

今日经文：以赛亚书 41:10-13

今日心得：以赛亚书41章以上帝对“海岛”和“列国” 的警告（1节）开篇。祂反问：“谁从东方兴起一人？”（2节）。正是神上帝亲自兴起了这“一人”。这人就是居鲁士，这位伟大的波斯君王，虽然还要150年才会出生，但以赛亚却点名介绍了他（44:28-45:1）。上帝称这位未来的波斯君王为“受膏者”（45:1），受膏者是指神将使用居鲁士征服那些征服他子民的人。他这样做是为了“我的仆人雅各，我所拣选以色列的缘故”（4节）。以赛亚书41章8-20节的语气与本章前七节有所不同：“惟你以色列我的仆人……”（8节）。上帝安慰了长期受逼迫的子民：“我拣选了你，没有弃绝你”（9节）。祂与我们同悲，并将祂的安慰赐予我们。

今日灵修 2023年2月，土耳其发生毁灭性地震后，一张令人难忘的照片出现在新闻通讯社：一位父亲坐在废墟中，握着女儿从废墟中伸出的手。我们看到了女儿睡觉时用的床垫的边缘，也看到了他握着女儿毫无生气的手指。他的脸色阴沉，悲痛欲绝。在这位父亲紧咬牙关的脸上，我看到了我们天父的影子。创世记告诉我们，上帝因祂所造万物被罪孽所摧残而忧伤：“这罪孽使祂心碎”（6:6 新译本）。以赛亚在论到未来的弥赛亚时说：“他……多受痛苦，常经忧患”（53:3 新译本）。上帝为我们忧伤，与我们同在，祂坐在我们人生的废墟边缘，扶持着我们：“我是耶和华你的上帝，搀扶你的右手”（41:13）。

无论你目前面临什么样的困境，悲惨的境遇、失去亲人，甚至可能是你自身罪孽的后果，你都要知道，上帝与你同在。无论你的生命遭受了怎样的地震，都要知道上帝正向你伸出他的手。无论目前有何悲伤，你都要听着，慈爱的上帝对你说：“不要害怕，我必帮助你”（13节）。

反思与祷告你的人生，无论是现在还是过去，在哪些方面受到了深刻的震撼？上帝与你同悲，这对你来说意味着什么？

天父，感谢您与我同悲，也为我而悲，感谢您向我伸出您“公义的右手”。