Free from Frostbite vs 自由与遵从

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Dexu Xia

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Feb 3, 2019, 2:41:47 AM2/3/19

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Free from Frostbite

Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Psalm 119:35

On a winter day, my children begged to go sledding. The temperature hovered near zero degrees Fahrenheit. Snowflakes raced by our windows. I thought it over and said yes, but asked them to bundle up, stay together, and come inside after fifteen minutes.

Out of love, I created those rules so my children could play freely without suffering frostbite. I think the author of Psalm 119 recognized the same good intent in God as he penned two consecutive verses that might seem contradictory: “I will always obey your law” and “I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts” (vv. 44–45). How is it that the psalmist associated freedom with a spiritually law-abiding life?

Following God’s wise instruction allows us to escape the consequences that come from choices we later wish we could undo. Without the weight of guilt or pain we are freer to enjoy our lives. God doesn’t want to control us with dos and don’ts; rather, His guidelines show that He loves us.

While my kids were sledding, I watched them blast down the hill. I smiled at the sound of their laughter and the sight of their pink cheeks. They were free within the boundaries I’d given them. This compelling paradox is present in our relationship with God—it leads us to say with the psalmist, “Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight” (v. 35).

Dear God, give me a love for Your ways like the psalmist had. I want to worship You with the choices I make every day.

Obedience flows freely from a heart of love.

自由与遵从

求祢叫我遵行祢的命令，因为这是我所喜乐的。-诗篇119篇35节

一个冬日，我的孩子们吵着要去滑雪橇。那天的气温一直在摄氏零下18度左右。窗外雪花纷飞，我仔细想了想，还是答应了他们，但是要求他们穿暖一点，待在一起，并在15分钟后进来。

我因为爱他们而订了这些规则，这样他们就可以自由地玩耍，而不会被冻伤。我想，诗篇119篇的作者也明白了上帝的美意，因而写了两节看似前后矛盾的经文：“我要常守祢的律法”和“我要自由而行，因我素来考究祢的训词”（44-45节）。诗人怎么会将自由和遵守律法连结在一起呢？

我们遵从上帝明智的教导，就可以避免做出让自己后悔的选择，以及随之而来的后果。没有罪恶或痛苦的重担，我们就能更自由地享受生活。上帝不是要以该做和不该做的事来控制我们，相反地，祂所订下的规则显明祂深爱我们。

在孩子们滑雪橇时，我看着他们冲下山丘。我面带微笑地听他们的笑声，看着他们微红的脸颊。他们在我设定的界限内是自由的，我们与上帝的关系也有这种看似矛盾的情况，让我们与诗人一同祈求：“求祢叫我遵行祢的命令，因为这是我所喜乐的。”（35节）

亲爱的上帝，让我像诗人一样喜爱祢的道路，
我愿用每天所做的选择来尊崇祢。