Strength for the Journey旅程需要的力量
Dexu Xia
Strength for the Journey
All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 1 Kings 19:5
One summer, I faced what seemed an impossible task—a big writing project with a looming deadline. Having spent day after day on my own, endeavoring to get the words onto the page, I felt exhausted and discouraged, and I wanted to give up. A wise friend asked me, “When’s the last time you felt refreshed? Maybe you need to allow yourself to rest and to enjoy a good meal.”
I knew immediately that she was right. Her advice made me think of Elijah and the terrifying message he received from Jezebel (1 Kings 19:2)—although, of course, my writing project wasn’t anywhere near the cosmic scale of the prophet’s experience. After Elijah triumphed over the false prophets on Mount Carmel, Jezebel sent word that she would capture and kill him, and he despaired, longing to die. But then he enjoyed a good sleep and was twice visited by an angel who gave him food to eat. After God renewed his physical strength, he was able to continue with his journey.
When the “journey is too much” for us (v. 7), we might need to rest and enjoy a healthy and satisfying meal. For when we are exhausted or hungry, we can easily succumb to disappointment or fear. But when God meets our physical needs through His resources, as much as possible in this fallen world, we can take the next step in serving Him.
Looking back, when have you needed to slow down and receive sustenance before pressing on? How can you look for signs of burnout as you serve God?
旅程需要的力量
有一个天使拍他说：“起来吃吧！”—列王纪上19章5节
某年夏天，我接了一项看似不可能完成的文案，字数庞大加上截稿时间迫在眉睫，我每天埋头苦干，费尽心思将想法跃然于纸上。这令我精疲力竭，甚至沮丧地想要放弃。一位满有智慧的朋友问我︰“妳最近一次充电是在什么时候？也许妳需要让自己放松一下，享受丰富的一餐。”
我当下就知道她是对的。她的建议让我想起以利亚，还有他面临耶洗别要杀害他的威胁（列王纪上19章2节），当然我的困境根本比不上先知可怕的经历。那时，以利亚在迦密山大胜那些假先知后，耶洗别差遣人去告诉以利亚，她将要逮捕他、杀害他。以利亚因此感到害怕，甚至绝望而一心求死。后来他好好地睡上一觉，天使也两次带食物来给他吃。上帝使他恢复体力之后，他就有能力行走前面的路程。
如果“当走的路甚远”（7节），我们就可能需要休息，享受一些健康且令人满足的一餐。因为当疲惫或饥饿的时候，我们很容易感到恐惧与失望。然而，只要上帝以祂的资源供应我们的身体所需，即便身处于这个堕落的世界里，我们仍可继续服事祂。
创造的主啊，祢造我们成为祢的子民。我们为自己的不足感谢祢，因这提醒我们是软弱的，唯有祢才是大能的上帝。请帮助我们，用快乐欢喜的心来服事祢。
你曾在何时需要放慢脚步，充电之后再继续前行呢？在服事上帝时，你可从哪些现象看出自己已疲累不堪？