Rev Xi An Poon
主題經文:「現在求你容僕人住下,替這童子作我主的奴僕,叫童子和他哥哥們一同上去。」——創世記44:33
引言:
《創世記》第44章表面上記載的是一場銀杯失竊的風波,但如果我們只看銀杯,就很容易錯過神在這個家庭中多年來所作的工作。多年前,雅各特別疼愛約瑟,哥哥們因父親的偏愛而嫉妒約瑟,最後把他賣到埃及。那一次,他們選擇犧牲弟弟來保全自己,也任由父親在失去兒子的痛苦中生活多年。
如今,歷史好像再次重演。
雅各仍然特別疼愛拉結所生的兒子。這一次,被父親緊緊抓住的是便雅憫。猶大甚至向約瑟形容:「我父親的命與這童子的命相連。」——創世記44:30
這句話對其他十個兄弟來說,其實並不容易接受。父親有這麼多兒子,為甚麼他的生命只與便雅憫相連?難道沒有便雅憫,父親就活不下去;沒有他們,父親卻沒有關係嗎?
但奇妙的是,這一次哥哥們沒有再因父親的偏愛而傷害弟弟。當銀杯從便雅憫的袋中被搜出來,他們原本可以撇下便雅憫,證明自己沒有偷杯,然後平安回家。可是他們沒有這樣做。他們一起撕裂衣服,一起回到埃及,也一起站在約瑟面前承擔。
猶大更走到約瑟面前,願意代替便雅憫留下作奴僕。
同樣的家庭、同樣的偏愛、同樣有機會犧牲一個弟弟來保全自己,但這一次,他們作出了完全不同的選擇。
原來神多年來不只是安排約瑟在埃及掌權,也一直在暗中改變這群兄弟的生命。祂把他們重新帶回過去失敗的路口,不是要定他們的罪,而是要讓他們走出一條新的道路。
猶大曾經提出把約瑟賣作奴僕;如今,他卻願意自己成為奴僕,換取便雅憫的自由。神正把一個偏離祂心意的生命,重新帶回祂原本的安排,使猶大漸漸成為一個能承擔責任、能為人代求,也能承接神旨意的人。
一、在相似的試驗中作出新的選擇
「銀杯就在便雅憫的口袋裏搜出來。他們就撕裂衣服,各人把馱子抬在驢上,回城去了。」——創世記44:12–13
多年前,他們犧牲約瑟來保全自己;如今,他們沒有撇下便雅憫,而是與他一同回城,一同面對危機。神有時讓我們再次遇見相似的人、相似的衝突和相似的壓力,不是要我們重複失敗,而是要顯明我們的生命是否已被祂改變。真正的悔改,不只是為過去的錯誤難過,而是當我們再次站在相似的路口時,不再走回從前的道路。
若生命沒有被神改變,即使換了環境,我們仍會重複從前的反應;但當神在我們裏面工作,我們便能在相似的處境中作出新的選擇。
二、從逃避責任走向忠心承擔
「僕人曾向我父親為這童子作保,說:我若不帶他回來交給父親,我便在父親面前永遠擔罪。」——創世記44:32
猶大沒有說:「銀杯是在便雅憫的袋中,這不是我的責任。」他記得自己曾向父親作出的承諾,所以願意站出來承擔。生命回到神的心意,不只是停止做錯事,更是願意承擔神放在我們身上的責任。成熟的生命不只是說:「這不是我的錯。」而是願意問:「在這件事上,神要我承擔甚麼?」
在家庭中、教會中和服事中,當別人軟弱或問題出現時,我們是選擇退後、推卸,還是願意忠心站在神所安排的位置上?
三、成為神旨意流出的出口
「現在求你容僕人住下,替這童子作我主的奴僕,叫童子和他哥哥們一同上去。」
——創世記44:33
從前,是猶大提出把約瑟賣作奴僕;如今,也是猶大,願意代替便雅憫成為奴僕。
從前,他犧牲弟弟來保全自己;如今,他願意犧牲自己來成全弟弟。
神不只是使猶大停止作惡,更把他塑造成一個願意承擔、代求和犧牲的人。
後來,君王的血脈從猶大支派而出,大衛從猶大而出,按肉身說,主耶穌基督也從猶大支派而來。
這不是因為猶大從來沒有失敗,也不是他靠自己的好行為換取神的揀選;而是神沒有放棄他,反而一步一步修剪、破碎和塑造他的生命。
神要恢復的,不只是猶大的品格,更是他生命原本的用途,使他重新成為神旨意與祝福流出的出口。
總結:
《創世記》第44章讓我們看見,神的恩典不只是赦免我們過去的錯誤,更要把我們從生命的偏差中重新帶回來。
從前,兄弟們撇下約瑟;如今,他們與便雅憫一同回城。
從前,猶大逃避父親的痛苦;如今,他願意為父親承擔。
從前,猶大把弟弟賣作奴僕;如今,他願意代替弟弟成為奴僕。
也許我們曾經走錯,曾作過不合神心意的選擇,也曾因自己的軟弱傷害別人。但神沒有放棄我們。
祂讓我們再次面對生命中的問題,不是要羞辱我們,而是要醫治我們;不是要證明我們失敗,而是要讓我們重新作出合乎祂心意的選擇。
神不只是要修正我們過去的錯誤,祂更要恢復我們生命原本的用途。
當我們願意從偏差中回轉,神便能使我們重新站在祂所安排的位置上,成為祂恩典與祝福流出的出口。
省察:
我的生命中,有甚麼思想、態度或選擇,已使我偏離神的心意?
當神再次讓我面對相似的處境時,我是否願意不再重複過去的選擇,重新走回祂的道路?
禱告:
親愛的天父,感謝祢沒有因我的失敗而放棄我。求祢光照我生命中的偏差,使我願意真實回轉,不再逃避責任,也不再只顧自己。求祢塑造我成為一個願意承擔、代求和付上代價的人,恢復我生命原本的用途,使我重新走回祢的心意,成為祢恩典與祝福流出的出口。奉主耶穌基督的名禱告,阿們。
創世記 44
1 約瑟吩咐家宰說:「把糧食裝滿這些人的口袋,儘著他們的驢所能馱的,又把各人的銀子放在各人的口袋裡, 2 並將我的銀杯和那少年人糴糧的銀子一同裝在他的口袋裡。」家宰就照約瑟所說的話行了。 3 天一亮就打發那些人帶著驢走了。 4 他們出城走了不遠,約瑟對家宰說:「起來,追那些人去,追上了就對他們說:『你們為什麼以惡報善呢? 5 這不是我主人飲酒的杯嗎?豈不是他占卜用的嗎?你們這樣行是作惡了。』」 6 家宰追上他們,將這些話對他們說了。 7 他們回答說:「我主為什麼說這樣的話呢?你僕人斷不能做這樣的事。 8 你看,我們從前在口袋裡所見的銀子,尚且從迦南地帶來還你,我們怎能從你主人家裡偷竊金銀呢? 9 你僕人中無論在誰那裡搜出來,就叫他死,我們也做我主的奴僕。」 10 家宰說:「現在就照你們的話行吧!在誰那裡搜出來,誰就做我的奴僕,其餘的都沒有罪。」 11 於是他們各人急忙把口袋卸在地下,各人打開口袋。 12 家宰就搜查,從年長的起,到年幼的為止,那杯竟在便雅憫的口袋裡搜出來。 13 他們就撕裂衣服,各人把馱子抬在驢上,回城去了。
14 猶大和他弟兄們來到約瑟的屋中,約瑟還在那裡,他們就在他面前俯伏於地。 15 約瑟對他們說:「你們做的是什麼事呢?你們豈不知像我這樣的人必能占卜嗎?」 16 猶大說:「我們對我主說什麼呢?還有什麼話可說呢?我們怎能自己表白出來呢?神已經查出僕人的罪孽了,我們與那在他手中搜出杯來的都是我主的奴僕。」 17 約瑟說:「我斷不能這樣行。在誰的手中搜出杯來,誰就做我的奴僕。至於你們,可以平平安安地上你們父親那裡去。」
18 猶大挨近他,說:「我主啊,求你容僕人說一句話給我主聽,不要向僕人發烈怒,因為你如同法老一樣。 19 我主曾問僕人們說:『你們有父親有兄弟沒有?』 20 我們對我主說:『我們有父親,已經年老,還有他老年所生的一個小孩子。他哥哥死了,他母親只撇下他一人,他父親疼愛他。』 21 你對僕人說:『把他帶到我這裡來,叫我親眼看看他。』 22 我們對我主說:『童子不能離開他父親,若是離開,他父親必死。』 23 你對僕人說:『你們的小兄弟若不與你們一同下來,你們就不得再見我的面。』 24 我們上到你僕人我們父親那裡,就把我主的話告訴了他。 25 我們的父親說:『你們再去給我糴些糧來。』 26 我們就說:『我們不能下去。我們的小兄弟若和我們同往,我們就可以下去,因為小兄弟若不與我們同往,我們必不得見那人的面。』 27 你僕人我父親對我們說:『你們知道我的妻子給我生了兩個兒子, 28 一個離開我出去了,我說他必是被撕碎了,直到如今我也沒有見他。 29 現在你們又要把這個帶去離開我。倘若他遭害,那便是你們使我白髮蒼蒼、悲悲慘慘地下陰間去了。』 30 我父親的命與這童子的命相連,如今我回到你僕人我父親那裡,若沒有童子與我們同在, 31 我們的父親見沒有童子,他就必死。這便是我們使你僕人我們的父親白髮蒼蒼、悲悲慘慘地下陰間去了。 32 因為僕人曾向我父親為這童子作保,說:『我若不帶他回來交給父親,我便在父親面前永遠擔罪。』 33 現在求你容僕人住下,替這童子做我主的奴僕,叫童子和他哥哥們一同上去。 34 若童子不和我同去,我怎能上去見我父親呢?恐怕我看見災禍臨到我父親身上。」
Genesis 44
1 And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. 2 Also put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money.” So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. 3 As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys. 4 When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Get up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? 5 Is not this the one from which my lord drinks, and with which he indeed practices divination? You have done evil in so doing.’ ”
6 So he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words. 7 And they said to him, “Why does my lord say these words? Far be it from us that your servants should do such a thing. 8 Look, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? 9 With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”
10 And he said, “Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you shall be blameless.” 11 Then each man speedily let down his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack. 12 So he searched. He began with the oldest and left off with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.
14 So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there; and they fell before him on the ground. 15 And Joseph said to them, “What deed is this you have done? Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?”
16 Then Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; here we are, my lord’s slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found.”
17 But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father.”
18 Then Judah came near to him and said: “O my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s hearing, and do not let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even like Pharaoh. 19 My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father or a brother?’ 20 And we said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, who is young; his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him.’ 21 Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’ 22 And we said to my lord, ‘The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’ 23 But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.’
24 “So it was, when we went up to your servant my father, that we told him the words of my lord. 25 And our father said, ‘Go back and buy us a little food.’ 26 But we said, ‘We cannot go down; if our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we may not see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’ 27 Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons; 28 and the one went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn to pieces”; and I have not seen him since. 29 But if you take this one also from me, and calamity befalls him, you shall bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.’
30 “Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad’s life, 31 it will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave. 32 For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father forever.’ 33 Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. 34 For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would come upon my father?”


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