The Ultimate Healer真正的医治者
Dexu Xia
[Hezekiah] broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made. 2 Kings 18:4
When a medical treatment began to provide relief for a family member’s severe food allergies, I became so excited that I talked about it all the time. I described the intense process and extolled the doctor who had created the program. Finally, some friends commented, “We think God should always get the credit for healing.” Their statement made me pause. Had I taken my eyes off the Ultimate Healer and made the healing into an idol?
The nation of Israel fell into a similar trap when they began to burn incense to a bronze snake which God had used to heal them. They’d been performing this act of worship until Hezekiah identified it as idolatry and “broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made” (2 Kings 18:4).
Several centuries earlier, a group of venomous snakes had invaded the Israelite camp. The snakes bit the people and many died (Numbers 21:6). Although spiritual rebellion had caused the problem, the people cried out to God for help. Showing mercy, He directed Moses to sculpt a bronze snake, fasten it to a pole, and hold it up for everyone to see. When the people looked at it, they were healed (vv. 4–9).
Think of God’s gifts to you. Have any of them become objects of praise instead of evidence of His mercy and grace? Only our holy God—the source of every good gift (James 1:17)—is worthy of worship.
How has God shown you His goodness through other people? Why is it so easy to give people credit for what God has done in your life?
Dear God, I worship You as the all-powerful God who hears my prayers. Thank You for sustaining my life and caring for me.
希西家]打碎摩西所造的铜蛇。—列王纪下18章4节
我有一位家人因严重食物过敏而需要治疗，医药治疗奏效后使我惊喜万分，以至我一直与人谈论这件事。我向人描述这套有效的密集疗程，并高度赞扬开发这套疗程的医师。某次，我的朋友听了之后回应说：“我们认为医治的功劳是永远属于上帝的。”朋友的话不禁使我停下来思考，我是否过度崇拜医治过程的人事物而忘了那位真正的医治者？
以色列民也曾陷入同样的陷阱中，因他们对着上帝用来医治他们的铜蛇烧香祭拜。以色列人持续祭拜铜蛇，直到希西家王宣告这是拜偶像的行为，并下令“打碎摩西所造的铜蛇”（列王纪下18章4节）。
这事要追溯到几个世纪前，一群火蛇侵入以色列人的营地，咬了他们并造成许多人死亡（民数记21章6节）。虽然这灾祸是因以色列人背叛上帝所致，他们仍呼求上帝的医治。上帝怜悯他们并指示摩西打造一条铜蛇，高挂在杆子上让众人看见。凡是被咬的人，只要仰望这铜蛇就能得医治（4-9节）。
想想上帝曾赐给你的祝福，其中有哪些赏赐和祝福已成为你赞美的对象，而不是上帝怜悯与恩惠的证据？唯有我们圣洁的上帝──那各样美善的恩赐和赏赐的源头（雅各书1章17节），才配得所有的敬拜与赞美。
上帝如何透过其他人向你彰显祂的美善？
为何我们很容易将上帝在我们生命中所成就的美事，
归功与人呢？
亲爱的上帝，我敬拜祢，因祢全知全能并聆听我的祷告。谢谢祢供应我所需，并看顾我。