our daily bread
Dexu Xia
A Mother’s Love
He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. Psalm 91:15
When Sue’s parents divorced when she was young, the legal tussle over her custody and other matters resulted in her being sent to a children’s home for a while. Bullied by bigger kids, she felt lonely and abandoned. Her mother visited only once a month, and she hardly saw her father. It was only years later, however, that her mother told her that while the home’s rules prevented her from visiting more often, she had stood at the fence every single day, hoping to catch a glimpse of her daughter. “Sometimes,” she said, “I would just watch you playing in the garden, just to check if you were okay.”
When Sue shared this story, it gave me a glimpse of God’s love. Sometimes we may feel abandoned and alone in our struggles. How comforting it is to know that God is in fact watching over us all the time! (Psalm 33:18). Even though we can’t see Him, He is there. Like a loving parent, His eyes and His heart are constantly on us wherever we go. Yet, unlike Sue’s mom, He can act on our behalf at any time.
Psalm 91 describes God delivering, protecting, and lifting up His children. He is more than a refuge and a shelter. As we navigate the dark valleys of life, we can take comfort in the knowledge that the all-powerful Lord is watching over us and is active in our lives. “I will answer [you],” He declares. “I will be with [you] in trouble, I will deliver [you]” (v. 15).
Lord, thank You for the assurance that we’re always under Your watchful care.
Our heavenly Father is ever near.
一个母亲的爱
他若求告我，我就应允他；他在急难中，我要与他同在；我要搭救他，使他尊贵。-诗篇91篇15节
舒婷还小的时候父母就离婚了，由于监护权和其他法律事项的争执，导致有一段时间她必须住在儿童之家。那时，她被里头一些较大的孩子欺负，常感到孤独和被遗弃。她母亲每个月只来看她一次，她父亲则几乎从未现身。然而几年后，舒婷才由母亲的口中得知，尽管儿童之家的规定让她无法频繁地去看舒婷，但她每天都会站在栅栏边上，希望能看到舒婷的身影。她说：“有时，我只是看着妳在花园里玩，只想知道妳过得好不好。”
舒婷所分享的这个故事，让我得以一窥上帝的爱。有时在生活的挣扎中，我们也会感到孤独甚至被遗弃。但知道其实上帝一直看顾着我们，就能心得安慰（诗篇33篇18节）。虽然我们看不见上帝，但祂的确就在那里。祂像一位慈爱的父亲，无论我们往哪里去，祂的眼目都必看顾。而且与舒婷的母亲不同的是，祂还可以随时为我们行奇事。
诗篇91篇描述上帝能拯救、保守，并托住祂的儿女，显然祂不仅是避难所或庇护所。当我们行在生命的死荫幽谷，仍能安心无惧，因为知道全能的主正在看顾我们，并在我们的生命中动工。正如祂说：“我就应允[你]；[你]在急难中，我要与[你]同在；我要搭救[你]。”（15节）
主啊，谢谢祢，因祢应许永远都会看顾保守我们。
天父永远在我们身边。