5月28日

標　　題：以神的話語為樂

經　　節：耶和華─萬軍之神啊，我得著你的言語就當食物吃了；你的言語是我心中的歡喜快樂，因我是稱為你名下的人。（耶利米書十五章16節）

倘若你收到國家領袖或名人的字條，你也許會存起來，當作紀念品。從神而來的信息，則更是珍貴！

有時候，我們發現自己沒法控制環境。當馬利亞與馬大面對自己兄弟拉撒路的死亡時，就是這種心境。在這些時候，耶穌的一句話會帶來許多喜樂（約翰福音十一：41∼45）。其他的時候，耶穌的話則會更正我們。「撒但，退我後邊去吧！」（馬太福音十六：23）和「你這小信的人哪！」（馬太福音十四：31）這兩句話似乎不能帶來喜樂。然而，耶利米說神的話語是他心中的歡喜快樂。

那聖潔的全能神居然開口對我們說話，實在令人難以置信！我們是何等地榮幸，神居然關心我們，願意質問我們敗壞的思想與行為。無論祂是讚美或責備，我們仍舊要喜樂。因為由我們的主那兒領受到改變生命的話語！每回敬拜神，我們心裡一定要預備聆聽，全能神可能有話要對我們說。每當打開聖經，我們應當期待神在我們與祂相交時，有話對我們說。在禱告時，我們應該比自己想說什麼話，更關心神要對我們說些什麼話。

當你從神那兒領受到一句話，不管是讚美或責備，要以全能神向你說話為樂。

Rejoicing in God’s Word

Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. (Jeremiah 15:16)

If you were to receive a note from the leader of your country or someone famous, you would probably save it as a keepsake. How much more precious is a message from almighty God!

Sometimes we find ourselves in circumstances that are beyond our control. This was the case for Mary and Martha as they were grieving the death of their brother Lazarus. At these times a word from Jesus can bring much rejoicing (John 11:41–45). Other times when Jesus speaks, His words bring correction. “Get behind Me, Satan!” (Matt. 16:23) and “O you of little faith” (Matt. 14:31) do not seem to bring joy. Yet Jeremiah said that God’s word brought him joy.

It is overwhelming to consider that holy, almighty God would speak directly to us! What a privilege that He would care enough to challenge our destructive thoughts or practices. No matter whether His words are praising us or chastising us, we ought to consider it joy to receive life-changing words from our Master!

Every time we prepare to worship the Lord, we ought to do so with anticipation that almighty God may have something to say to us. Whenever we open our Bibles, we should expect that God has something to tell us in our time with Him. We ought to be far more concerned with what God will say to us during our prayer times than with what we intend to tell Him.

When you receive a word from your Lord, whether it be of praise or of correction, consider it joy that almighty God would speak to you.