The Would-Be Woodcutter 伐木工的烦恼
Dexu Xia
The Would-Be Woodcutter
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
One year when I was in college, I cut, stacked, sold, and delivered firewood. It was a hard job, so I have empathy for the hapless logger in the 2 Kings 6 story.
Elisha’s school for prophets had prospered, and their meeting place had become too small. Someone suggested they go into the woods, cut logs, and enlarge their facilities. Elisha agreed and accompanied the workers. Things were going remarkably well until someone’s axhead fell into the water (v. 5).
Some have suggested that Elisha simply probed in the water with his stick until he located the axhead and dragged it into sight. That would hardly be worth mentioning, however. No, it was a miracle: The axhead was set in motion by God’s hand and began to float so the man could retrieve it (vv. 6–7).
The simple miracle enshrines a profound truth: God cares about the small stuff of life—lost axheads, lost keys, lost glasses, lost phones—the little things that cause us to fret. He doesn’t always restore what’s lost, but He understands and comforts us in our distress.
Next to the assurance of our salvation, the assurance of God’s care is essential. Without it we would feel alone in the world, exposed to innumerable worries. It’s good to know He cares and is moved by our losses—small as they may be. Our concerns are His concerns.
What “little” things are troubling you that you can cast on God right now? How does it encourage you to know that you can be assured of His daily care for you?
Loving God, here are my concerns. Please take them, provide as You see best, and give me Your peace
伐木工的烦恼
你们要将一切的忧虑卸给上帝，-因为祂顾念你们。—彼得前书5章7节
我在念大学时，有一年我做了一份临时工，需要砍伐、堆叠、贩售和运送柴火。那是一份辛苦的工作，让我对列王纪下第6章所提到的那位倒霉的伐木工，心生同情。
当时以利沙办的先知学校蓬勃发展，使聚会的场所变得不敷使用。有人建议他们到森林砍伐木头，扩建校舍。以利沙同意这个做法，并陪同工人前去。事情进行地异常顺利，直到有人的斧头掉进了水里（5节）。
有些人认为，以利沙只是将他的棍子探入水中，探测到斧头的位置，把它捞上来。然而，若真是如此，这件事就不值一提了。事实上这是个神迹：上帝的手推动了那把斧头，让它开始浮上来，好让那工人取回去（6-7节）。
这个简单的神迹蕴含了一项深远的真理：上帝在乎我们生命中的小事，像是遗失斧头、钥匙、眼镜和手机等，这些让我们烦心的小事情。上帝不一定会让我们失而复得，但祂了解我们的烦恼，也会在我们困苦愁烦时，安慰我们。
除了我们得救的确据，另一个重要的确据就是上帝在乎我们。若没有这个确据，我们在世上会感到孤单，有数不清的忧虑。知道上帝在乎我们，关心我们的失落，包括那些微不足道的事，就足以叫人心安。上帝在乎我们所在乎的。
慈爱的上帝，我的忧虑愁烦，求祢为我担当，按照祢
看为最好的，供应我的需求，并将祢的平安赐给我。
你现在可以将哪些困扰你的“小”事卸给上帝呢？
知道上帝天天看顾你，如何激励你呢？