God’s Loving Deeds 上帝慈爱的作为

[Dexu Xia]

Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story. Psalm 107:2

Today's Scripture Psalm 107:1-11, 41-43

Today's Insights  The book of Psalms is divided into five books or subsections. Psalm 107 is in Book 5 and celebrates Israel’s salvation history. Much of it is a reminder of the ways that God had delivered Israel time and again in her history. Some have speculated that this psalm may have been written after the Babylonian captivity upon Israel’s return to the land of promise they’d received so many years before. As such, it’s fitting to say, “Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things” (vv. 8-9). But gratitude isn’t reserved for Israel alone, for God has done loving deeds for all people. Today, as we reflect on His loving deeds to us, we can share our story with others.

Today's Devotion  They sit side by side on Ball Street in my city—the Grand Ideas Garden and the county jail. My friend Joann loved both places. She loved to sit in the garden, thinking about the goodness of God and her love for Him because of what He’d done in her life. She also loved to share with the women in the jail and tell her story of God redeeming her life after many bad choices and wandering far from Him. Often, she would tell me of her passion: her dream that all the women there would someday understand and experience the love of God for them personally.

The psalmist told his fellow Israelites to “tell their story” of how God redeemed them from their enemies (Psalm 107:2). They had “wandered in desert wastelands,” “they were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away” (vv. 4-5). At times they rebelled against God, and He disciplined them (vv. 10-12). Yet every time “they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, . . . he delivered them from their distress” (v. 6). They had much to give God thanks for and to talk about with others. As the Israelites learned, and we can learn also, He has a love that will never let us go. 

We too can take opportunities to “ponder the loving deeds of the Lord” toward us (v. 43), give thanks to Him, and tell our own story of His rescue.

Reflect & Pray

What has God done for you to transform your life? Who can you share your story with?

You are so good, and what You’ve done for me is worth telling others about, dear God. Please give me the words and open my mouth to speak about You. By Anne Getas

愿蒙耶和华救赎的人述说他们的故事。（诗篇 107:2）

今日经文：诗篇 107:1-11, 41-43

今日洞见：诗篇分为五卷或五个部分。诗篇 107 篇是第五卷中的一首诗歌，它颂扬了以色列的救赎历史。其中许多章节都在提醒人们，在以色列的历史中，神是如何一次又一次地拯救以色列的。有人推测，这篇诗篇可能是在以色列人从巴比伦被掳归回应许之地之后所写。因此，我们可以说：“愿他们因耶和华的慈爱和他向世人所行的奇事称谢他！因为他使干渴的得饱足，使饥饿的得饱美食。”（诗篇 107:8-9）

但感恩并非以色列独有，因为上帝对所有人都施行了恩慈的作为。今天，当我们反思祂对我们的慈爱时，我们可以与他人分享我们的故事。

今日灵修：在我所住的城市里，鲍尔街上并排坐落着两个处所，宏伟花园和县监狱。我的朋友乔安非常喜欢这两个地方。她喜欢坐在花园里，默想上帝的恩典，以及祂在她生命中所成就的一切，这让她更加爱上帝。她也喜欢与监狱里的女性分享她的故事，讲述上帝如何在她做出许多错误的选择、远离上帝之后救赎了她。她多次告诉我她的一个梦想：就是希望监狱里的所有女性，有一天都能理解并亲身经历上帝对她们的爱。

诗篇的作者曾劝勉他的以色列同胞“述说他们的故事”，讲述上帝如何将他们从仇敌手中救赎出来（诗篇107:2）。他们“在旷野漂流”，“又饥又渴，生命垂危”（4-5节）。他们有时悖逆神，神也管教他们（10-12节）。然而，每当“他们在患难中呼求耶和华，……他就救他们脱离困境”（6节）。他们有很多事要感谢神，也有很多事要与人分享。正如以色列人所经历的，我们也可以学习到，神的爱永不离弃我们。 我们也可以抓住机会“默想耶和华向我们所行的慈爱”（43节），感谢他，并向人讲述他拯救我们的故事。

反思与祷告 上帝为你做了什么使你的生命被改变？你可以与谁分享你的故事？

亲爱的神，你如此良善，你为我所做的一切都值得与人分享。求你赐给我合适的言词，开启我的口，让我可以述说你的恩典。

作者：安妮·盖塔斯