第十三章

⁵ 你們為人不要貪愛錢財，要以現在所有的為滿足；因為神親自說過：“我決不撇下你，也不離棄你。” ⁶所以我們可以放膽說：“主是我的幫助，我決不害怕，人能把我怎麼樣呢？” ⁷你們要記念那些領導過你們，把神的道傳給你們的人；你們要觀察他們一生的成果，要效法他們的信心。 ⁸耶穌基督昨天、今天、一直到永遠都是一樣的。 ⁹你們不要被各樣怪異的教訓勾引去了。人心靠著恩典，而不是靠著食物得到堅定，才是好的；因為那些拘守食物的人，從來沒有得過益處。

默想

1. 出聲讀這段經文。花些時間思考作者所寫有關貪愛錢財、物質，以及相信神不會撇下我們，不會離棄我們，這兩方面的敘述。你認為這兩者有什麼關連嗎？
2. 花些時間反省我的生命，我對物質事物的看法是什麼？我是否常常希望更多的擁有？我是否覺得我擁有的越多，就越有安全感？若是神不照我的祈求應允，我會有何反應？「知足」對我是什麼意義？和神交談這些話題，仔細地聆聽神的回應。
3. 禱告。神啊，求你助我不貪愛金錢，而以我所有的為滿足；因為你說過「我決不撇下你，也不離棄你」。留意我的內心，求神改變我的不甘與不願。

 

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在「靈程筆記簿」上面。

 

CHAPTER 13

⁵Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,  “Never will I leave you;   never will I forsake you.” ⁶So we say with confidence,    “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.   What can man do to me?”   ⁷Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. ⁸Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.   ⁹Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them.

MEDITATION

1. Read the passage aloud.  Spend time pondering the connection the writer is making between obsession with material possessions and the belief that God will never leave us or let us down.  What do you make of this?  How are the two ideas related to each other?
2. Take several minutes to explore my life in light of this instruction.  How do I relate to material things?  Do I often wish I had more?  Do I feel that nothing can harm me because of what I have?  What fears do I have about God letting me down?  What would it be like to “be content with what I have”?  Talk with Him about this subject.  Attentively listen for his input.
3. Prayer.  May I keep my life free from the love of money and be content with what I have, for You have said, “I will never leave you, nor will I forsake you.”   Pause to notice my internal reaction to what I’m saying.  Ask God to change my reluctance and unwillingness.

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the  “Spiritual Journal” book.