our daily bread

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Dexu Xia

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Mar 13, 2018, 2:36:24 AM3/13/18

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Lead Me to the Rock

I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2

While shopping for a humidifier, I noticed an older woman walking back and forth down the aisle. Wondering if she was shopping for humidifiers also, I moved aside to allow her to draw near. Soon we chatted about a flu virus in our area, one that left her with a lingering cough and headache.

A few minutes later, she launched into a bitter tirade, expressing her theory about the origin of the virus. I listened, unsure what to do. She soon left the store, still angry and frustrated. Though she had expressed her frustration, I couldn’t do anything to take away that pain.

While God may not take away all our pain, we can rest in the peace He provides.

David, Israel’s second king, wrote psalms to express his anger and frustration to God. But David knew that God not only listened, He could also do something about his pain. In Psalm 61, he writes, “I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (v. 2). God was his “refuge” (v. 3)—the “rock” to which David ran.

When we’re in pain, or come in contact with someone in pain, David’s example is a good one to follow. We can head to “the rock that is higher” or lead someone there. I wish I had mentioned God to the woman at the store. While God may not take away all our pain, we can rest in the peace He provides and the assurance that He hears our cry.

Father God, make me mindful of those in need of a listening ear and the hope of Your presence.

Rest on the Rock

领我到磐石

我心里发昏的时候，……求祢领我到那比我更高的磐石。-诗篇61篇2节

当我逛街选购加湿器时，留意到一位老妇人也在这排货架前走来走去。我猜想她可能也想买加湿器，我就稍往旁边站，好让她选购商品。很快地，我们聊到本地的流感病毒，她还提到自己罹患流感后，咳嗽和头痛始终无法消除。

几分钟后，她开始抱怨，对流感的根源高谈阔论，而且越讲越激动，我却不知如何回应。接着她带着愤怒与沮丧，很快就离开了商店。她向我述说心里的忧闷，但我却无法除去她的痛苦。

以色列的第二任国王大卫在所写的诗篇中，向上帝述说他的愤怒和忧闷。大卫深知上帝不只聆听他的呼求，而且能减轻他的痛苦。在诗篇61篇，大卫写道：“我心里发昏的时候，……求祢领我到那比我更高的磐石”（2节）。上帝是他的“避难所”（3节），是他投奔的“磐石”。

若我们正经历苦难，或遇见处于痛苦艰困的人，大卫是值得我们效法的典范。我们可直奔“更高的磐石”，或引领人来亲近祂。我真希望自己在商店里能和那位老妇人分享福音，虽然上帝不一定会挪去我们所有的痛苦，但我们可以确信祂会垂听我们的呼求，心中得享平静安稳。

天父上帝，求祢帮助我能时时留意，
哪些人正需要有人倾听他们的心声，
并渴望得着祢同在的盼望。