牧者心聲 2009年6月 李建國傳道

｢“我赤身出於母胎，也必赤身歸回。賞賜的是耶和華，收取的也是耶和華；耶和華的名是應當稱頌的。”在這一切的事上，約伯並不犯罪，也不以神為愚妄｣（伯1:21-22）。

 

約伯在苦難中, 經歷一剎那間面對家破人亡, 妻離子亡, 自己又患上頑疾, 處於痛不欲生的境況, 但依然能夠無怨無恨地稱頌讚美上帝的名, 這實是難能可貴的事. 難怪神給予他正面的評價. 到底約伯這堅強的信念有什麼秘訣? 這秘訣就是他能 — 知己知神. 知己是知道自己本是一無所有的被造之物, 只不過是塵土, 知神是承認祂是造萬物之主, 就是一切的源頭. 知道生命與百物都是按祂旨意賞賜給祂所愛的人. 所以, 約伯明白到無論是賞賜或收取, 總都是神對他的恩典 —「耶和華的名是應當稱頌的」.

 

數月前前, 我年老的母親特然患上心腎衰竭重病, 引至雙腿嚴重水腫. 不能走動.眼見她每天身體漸漸虛弱無力, 受著病患的痛苦, 心裏感到非常難過. 可惜醫生也不能肯定她發病原因, 只叫家人做好心理的準備. 當時不單要照顧患病的母親, 又惦記著在香港被末期癌病折磨著的家姊及心臟病特發留院的岳父. 我和內子真感到壓力非常沉重. 知道這不是人能可解決的事情, 唯有仰望天父的憐憫幫助. 就在一個晚上, 我緊握臥在床上母親的手, 為她禱告, 並引導她決志相信主耶穌. 誰知在第二天的清晨, 她竟然站在我房門前叫醒我們. 告知我們她在睡夢中聽見有聲音叫她起來行走.她就醒來下床行走. 當時我們真的被她嚇一跳. 但至此以後, 她的水腫慢慢的消退, 心與腎又出奇地恢復正常狀態. 連醫生也沒法解釋. 不足一個月, 她不用柺杖也能行走, 並到處見證神對她的恩典. 這事過後, 我和內子經過細心考慮, 為方便母親行走及有更多老人設施, 於是我們決定搬到公寓去. 誰知就在搬遷的那天, 就收到香港家人來電, 得知家姊病危, 希望我能回港為她洗禮. 於是我放下工作和搬遷的事, 返港探望她. 感謝天父讓我能趕到在家姐離世前為她施洗. 並且親眼看見她帶著笑容下被天父接去, 永遠安息在天父的懷裡. 雖然我們都感到離別的傷痛, 但相信這一切都是神最美的祝福. 最初, 我們很擔心母親若知道家姐的離世會有什麼的打擊.  誰知她知道後卻很安然地說:｢不用為我擔憂, 我們總會將來復活在天堂再見的.｣   我真的不敢相信母親能有這麼大的信心. 今天我雖然好像失去了家姐, 但神卻拯救了母親的生命, 岳父也康復了. 不信主的姐父現也跟著兒女在主日到教堂敬拜神. 搬遷的事也順利的完成了. 短短的半年, 患難臨到我家人, 但神卻叫一切變成恩典. 當然, 除了感謝神外, 還要感謝各肢體常常為我們禱告及關懷. 是的, 無論是收取或是賞賜, 神啊, 這都是你的恩典. 耶和華的名是應當稱頌的!

 

請禱告記念我和內子計劃明年初到德國短宣, 幫助當地中國留學生及餐館華工(國粵語)團契福音外展工作.

 

 

Pastor’s Corner  June 2009          Pastor David Lee

 

Job said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised. In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. (Job 1:21-22)

 

Job had a painful trial. All at once, he lost all his children and got seriously sick. However, he was still praising God’s name without complaints and bitterness.  What is the secret of his faith that he could stand strong and won God’s approval? It must be: “He knows himself and he knows God”.  He knows himself as a created being that was nothing but dust, and he knows God as His creator who gives life and everything to His loved ones according to His good will.  Job understands the grace of God – He gives and He takes away, the name of the LORD is to be praised.

 

A few months ago, my mother was diagnosed with heart and kidney failure that resulted in serious edema in the leg.  It was a hard time for us to take care of her as she was unable to walk. Even the doctors could not find the cause and they just advised us to prepare for the worst. At the same time, we were much saddened by the fact that my sister was suffering from cancer and was in her last stage of life.  What was more, my father-in-law had a heart attack and was hospitalized!  We were hard-pressed indeed and the only hope for us was to realize that our Father still cares even it was impossible for us to handle life by ourselves.  One night, I hold my mother’s hand tight by her bed and prayed with her.  We guided her to pray to receive Jesus Christ.  Amazingly, in the next morning, we found her standing at our door waking us up!  She told us that she just had a dream and heard a voice calling her to get up and walk. She then woke up, got up and walked!  We were much surprised and ever since then, her edema has gone and her heart and kidney function went back to normal! She could even walk by herself without any assistance in a month’s time and she shared God’s grace on her to everyone around!  Even the doctors could not explain this good news! 

Thereafter, Anna and I decided to move in to an apartment with my mom. This would not only help her daily life but also help her to enjoy many facilities.   On the day of moving, we got a call from Hong Kong that my sister is dying.  She was waiting for me to return to baptize her and see her return to the LORD. Though we were stricken by the pain of separation, but deep inside we understood it was God’s blessings.  However, the biggest fear we had was how my mom would take this.  Yet, when she heard she peacefully said, “Don’t worry about me. I have faith that we will meet again in heaven.”  Thanks God for her great faith! Though it seemed we have lost our sister today, but God has saved my mom, and also my father-in-law!  Also, my brother-in-law started to bring his children to church for Sunday worship.  Looking back, we had faced many sufferings in a short six months’ period. Yet God has turned everything into blessings.  Besides, I want to thank every brother and sister who kept praying and caring for us.  No matter give or take, they’re all God’s grace. May the Lord’s name be praised!

 

Please remember me and Anna as we plan our mission trip to Germany next year, to help fellowships in outreaching local Chinese students and restaurant workers (both Cantonese and Mandarin)          

 

(translated by Mrs. Connie Liu)