When Believing Is Seeing 相信就看见
Dexu Xia
The wolf and the lamb will feed together. Isaiah 65:25
“I can’t believe what I’m seeing!” My wife, Cari, called me to the window and pointed out an adult doe in the woods just outside our fence, bounding from one end of our yard to the other. Keeping pace beside her inside the fence were our large dogs, but they weren’t barking. Back and forth they went, for nearly an hour. When the doe paused and faced them, the dogs stopped also, straightening their front legs and crouching back on their haunches, ready to run again. This wasn’t predator and prey behavior; the doe and the dogs were playing together, enjoying each other’s company!
To Cari and me, their morning romp provided a picture of the coming kingdom of God. The prophet Isaiah proclaims God’s promise of that kingdom with the words, “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth” (Isaiah 65:17). He goes on to say that “the wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox” (v. 25). No more predator, no more prey. Just friends.
Isaiah’s words seem to show us that there will be animals in God’s eternal kingdom; they also point to what God is preparing for His creation, especially “for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). What a beautiful place that will be! As we trust in Him by faith, God lifts our eyes to the reality that’s coming: peace and safety in His presence forever!
By: James Banks
What do you look forward to most about God’s kingdom? Whom can you share your hope with today?
Thank You for everything good that’s coming, loving Father! Please help me look forward to You today.
豺狼必与羊羔同食。—以赛亚书65章25节
妻子卡莉把我叫到窗边，指着在我家篱笆外的一只成年母鹿说：“我真不敢相信自己看到了什么！”篱笆靠近树林，这只母鹿就在外面沿着院子的篱笆奔跑跳跃，从一端跳到另一端。在篱笆内跟着它来回奔跑的则是我家的几只大狗，但它们都没有吠，只是来回跟着母鹿跑了将近一个钟头。母鹿停下来看着狗儿们，狗儿也停下来，把前脚伸直，翘起臀部，准备再次奔跑。这不是猎食者和猎物的行为，那只母鹿和狗儿是一起玩耍，享受彼此的陪伴！我和卡莉都认为，这早晨的嬉戏为我们描绘了将来上帝国度的景象。关于这个国度，先知以赛亚宣告上帝应许说：“看哪，我造新天新地”（以赛亚书65章17节）。接着他又说：“豺狼必与羊羔同食，狮子必吃草与牛一样”（25节）。到那日，不再有猎食者，也不再有猎物，大家都是朋友。以赛亚的话似乎告诉我们，在上帝永恒的国度中会有动物。同时也显示出上帝为受造物，尤其是为“爱祂的人”所预备的一切（哥林多前书2章9节）。那将是多么美好的地方！当我们凭信心倚靠上帝时，祂就会让我们看见将来的真实景况：在祂面前能享有平安与保障，直到永永远远！ 作者： 庞雅各
对于上帝所应许的新天新地，你最期待的是什么？
今日，你可以与谁分享你的盼望？耶稣必再来把祂的子民接到天父的家中。
慈爱的天父，我为将要到来的一切美好感谢祢!愿主今日就将期待永恒天家的信心赐给我！