神拣选了我们！
我们迷失了。在我四岁时，父亲离开了我们。我还记得当时和母亲、弟弟坐在公交车上。我们要去哪儿？“往Jessie姨妈家去”母亲说。我很喜欢母亲的姐姐Jessie，但还不晓得原来我们是要搬去那里住。我的姨妈和姨父下定决心，要帮助这位需要工作的单亲母亲来抚养两个儿子。
以赛亚书49章的内容使我回想起这一幕，特别在圣周期间。我的姨妈和姨父不仅仅给了我们一个住处，更是把我们看为他们家庭的一部分。我们和他们的女儿一起，组成了现在所谓的“混合家庭”，生活变得很幸福。我的姨父在几年前离开人世，他一生并不是一个有什么宗教信仰的人，然而因着他对我们的接纳，对我来说他成了一个“天父”的形象。直到他生命的最末期，神才在他里面兴起对基督的信心。
神在以色列诞生以前就拣选了她。即使祂的百姓徘徊不定，神仍是信实的，因此以色列可以成为“外邦人的光”。祂使祂的百姓成为在世人看来神所拣选的一个民族。以赛亚领受这个应许之后大概七百年，耶稣走在耶路撒冷的路上成就了这应许。现在，神的儿子将会把救恩带给所有人，犹太人以及外邦人。耶稣毅然地艰苦跋涉，要走向受难日的十字架，来救赎祂的百姓，使他们成为世界的光。他们是被拣选的！
神啊，感谢祢，在我们还迷失和不知道的时候祢就拣选了我们！当耶稣走向十字架以成就祢应许的时候，求祢开我们的眼睛，使我们成为心怀感恩的信徒。奉耶稣的名求，阿们。
以赛亚书 49:1-7
1众海岛啊，当听我言！远方的众民哪，留心而听！自我出胎，耶和华就选召我；自出母腹，他就提我的名。2他使我的口如快刀，将我藏在他手荫之下；又使我成为磨亮的箭，将我藏在他箭袋之中；
3对我说：你是我的仆人以色列；我必因你得荣耀。
4我却说：我劳碌是徒然；我尽力是虚无虚空。然而，我当得的理必在耶和华那里；我的赏赐必在我神那里。
5耶和华从我出胎，造就我作他的仆人，要使雅各归向他，使以色列到他那里聚集。原来耶和华看我为尊贵；我的神也成为我的力量。
6现在他说：你作我的仆人，使雅各众支派复兴，使以色列中得保全的归回尚为小事，我还要使你作外邦人的光，叫你施行我的救恩，直到地极。
7救赎主－以色列的圣者耶和华对那被人所藐视、本国所憎恶、官长所虐待的如此说：君王要看见就站起，首领也要下拜；都因信实的耶和华，就是拣选你－以色列的圣者。
Chosen!
"This is what the Lord says... 'the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.'" — Isaiah 49:7
We were lost. Dad left when I was four. I recall riding a bus with Mom and my little brother. Where were we going? "To Aunt Jessie's," she said. I liked Mom's sister but didn't understand we were moving there. My aunt and uncle had decided they had to help my now single, working mother raise her two sons.
Isaiah 49 brings that memory to mind, especially during Holy Week. My aunt and uncle didn't just give us a home; they embraced us as part of their family. With their daughter we became what today would be called a "blended family." It became quite happy. My uncle, who died years ago, wasn't religious; yet by embracing us he became a "God the Father" figure for me. And very late in life God raised in him faith in Christ.
God chose Israel before her birth. He remained faithful to his people although they wandered, so that Israel could become "a light for the Gentiles." He made his people a nation that the world would know as God's chosen. Isaiah received God's promise some 700 years before Jesus fulfilled it on the road to Jerusalem. Now God's Son would bring salvation to all peoples, Gentiles as well as Jews. Jesus trekked resolutely toward Good Friday's cross to redeem his people and make them the light of the world. Chosen!
Thank you, God, for choosing us when we were lost and didn't know it! As Jesus approaches the cross to fulfill your promises, open our eyes and make us grateful believers. In Christ, Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
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