Uphill All the Way 前路崎岖

[Dexu Xia]

Let him do to me whatever seems good to him. 2 Samuel 15:26

Christina Rossetti, a poet and devotional writer, found that nothing came easily for her. She suffered from depression and various illnesses throughout her life and endured broken engagements. Eventually she died of cancer.

When David burst into Israel’s national consciousness, it was as a triumphant warrior. Yet throughout his life, David faced hardship. Late in his reign, his own son, along with his trusted advisor and much of the country, turned against him (2 Samuel 15:1–12). So David took the priests Abiathar and Zadok and the sacred ark of God with him and fled Jerusalem (vv. 14, 24).  

After Abiathar had offered sacrifices to God, David told the priests, “Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again” (v. 25). Despite the uncertainty, David said, “If [God] says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ . . . let him do to me whatever seems good to him” (v. 26). He knew he could trust God.

Christina Rossetti trusted God too, and her life ended in hope. The road may indeed wind uphill all the way, but it leads to our heavenly Father, who awaits us with open arms.

By:  Tim Gustafson

In what ways has life seemed uphill and winding to you? How will you trust God to lead you on the road you’re traveling?

Dear God, this life seems so hard sometimes. Yet I trust You to do what’s right, for me and for everyone. Help me live in Your hope, anticipating the day I’ll be with You. 

愿祂凭自己的意旨待我。—撒母耳记下15章26节

    诗人兼灵修作家克莉斯缇娜·罗塞蒂（Christina Rossetti）的一生并不顺遂。她终生饱受忧郁症和其他各种疾病的折磨，又经历了几次取消婚约的伤痛，最后罹患癌症病逝。

    大卫以凯旋战士的形象，获得以色列举国人民的认可。然而，他的一生却非平坦顺遂。在大卫统治的末期，他亲生的儿子押沙龙与他信任的谋士亚希多弗，连同大半个国家的人民，都起来反抗他（撒母耳记下15章1-12节）。于是大卫带着祭司亚比亚他和撒督，以及上帝的约柜，一同逃离了耶路撒冷（14、24节）。

    在祭司亚比亚他向上帝献祭之后，大卫对祭司撒督说：“你将上帝的约柜抬回城去。我若在耶和华眼前蒙恩，祂必使我回来，再见约柜和祂的居所”（25节）。虽然情况仍未明朗，但大卫如此说：“倘若[上帝]说：‘我不喜悦你’，……愿祂凭自己的意旨待我”（26节）。大卫深知可以信靠上帝。

    克莉斯缇娜．罗塞蒂也同样信靠上帝，因此她的人生有个充满盼望的结局。人生的旅程或许一直是蜿蜒崎岖的上坡路，但却可以领我们到天父那里去，祂正等着欢迎我们！

作者：  葛庭墨

你在什么时候会觉得人生道路崎岖难行？
在行走人生道路时，
你要如何信靠上帝的带领？

亲爱的上帝，有时人生旅程看似艰辛难行，
但我相信祢会为我和所有人成就一切美事。
求祢帮助我不失去盼望，殷切期盼与祢同住的那一天。