“连空中的鹳鸟也知道自己来去的季候；斑鸠、燕子和白鹤也谨守迁移的时令；我的子民却不晓得耶和华的法则。” – 耶 8:7（新译本）
有时候，尽管我们很想试图保持现状，但我们必须面对现实：变化是生活不可避免的一部份。青少年被鼓励“行万里路”，而“空巢老人”也逐渐习惯了孩子离家后不再一样的生活节奏。然而，一旦到了该改变的时候，我们往往也会抗拒。
先知耶利米提到了鹳鸟、斑鸠、燕子和白鹤，将它们聪明的举动与离弃耶和华的人的愚蠢行为进行了对比。耶利米哀叹他周围的人反应迟钝、缺乏智慧，因为“他们弃绝了耶和华的话”。先知实际上是在说：“连鸟儿都知道该做什么，而这些人太愚笨了！”每件事都有其适合的季节，我们的任务就是分辨当下处在什么季节而后行事。
我在这里邀请你思考一下自己处在什么季节。是忏悔的季节吗？是放手的季节吗？是回转的季节吗？使徒保罗鼓励教会要“警醒不倦”，为彼此“祈求”，为圣灵带领我们去做的事做好准备（弗6:18）。
祷告
主啊，我们很容易分心或气馁，我们需要你的智慧，好知道我们该如何生活。求你引导我们警惕不倦，留意我们生命中的季节，并以合宜的方式来回应。阿们。
耶利米书 8:4-9
4“你要对他们说：‘耶和华如此说：人跌倒，不再起来吗？人转去，不再转来吗？
5这耶路撒冷的民为何恒久背道呢？他们守定诡诈，不肯回头。
6我留心听，听见他们说不正直的话，无人悔改恶行说：“我做的是什么呢？”他们各人转奔己路，如马直闯战场。
7空中的鹳鸟知道来去的定期，斑鸠燕子与白鹤也守候当来的时令，我的百姓却不知道耶和华的法则。
8‘你们怎么说“我们有智慧，耶和华的律法在我们这里”？看哪，文士的假笔舞弄虚假。
9智慧人惭愧，惊惶，被擒拿，他们弃掉耶和华的话，心里还有什么智慧呢？
Understanding The Appointed Seasons
“Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons, and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration.” – Jeremiah 8:7
Sometimes, as much as we want to hold on to the way things are, we must face the reality that change is a part of life. Teenagers are encouraged to “leave the nest,” and “empty nesters” gradually become used to different rhythms in life as their children leave home. Still, even when it’s time for a change, we can tend to resist it.
The prophet Jeremiah refers to storks, doves, swifts, and thrushes, contrasting their wise behaviors with the foolishness of people who have turned away from the Lord. Jeremiah laments the thick-skulled attitudes of the people around him, who lack wisdom because “they have rejected the word of the Lord.” The prophet is saying, in effect, “Even the birds know what needs to be done, but these people are so stubborn!” There is a season for everything, and it’s our task to recognize what season it is.
The invitation here is to consider what season it is for each of us. Is it time to repent? Is it time to relinquish? Is it time to restore? The apostle Paul encourages the church to “be alert and always keep on praying” for each other as a way of being ready for whatever the Spirit will lead us to do (Ephesians 6:18).
Prayer
Lord, it’s easy for us to become distracted or discouraged, and we need your wisdom to know how we should live. Guide us to be alert, paying attention to the seasons in our lives, and to respond as we ought. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
Comments powered by Talkyard.