移植后的困境
因着我对小红莓植物和果子的喜爱，我禁不住把树根送给一些家人和朋友，好移植在他们的园子里，而且我会定期去查看这些移被植过去的植株。那些将植株照顾得好的人，在分享他们如何享受这样和其中甜美果子时，脸上总是流露出欣喜之情。但那些植株毁损的人 (由于移植不成功，疏忽或被碾倒) 则宁愿不提罢了。
神对祂的葡萄树 (祂的百姓) 那种奢侈的爱，远胜过我对小红莓植物的热爱。诗篇80篇的作者问神，为何要拆毁那原本保护葡萄树的篱笆。结果果子就被偷摘了，藤蔓也被野地的走兽和昆虫糟蹋了，茎杆甚至被砍下来烧掉了。大部分园丁都会觉得，放弃这样一棵葡萄树是合情合理的。
然而诗人却勇敢地求神“眷顾这葡萄树”；作者恳求说，“救活我们”，“使我们回转”，“愿祢的脸光照我们”。提出这个复兴的恳求和盼望，唯一的根基就是，这棵树根和它的后代都是属于万军之神的。
作为神的百姓，这也是我们唯一的盼望。当我们偏离正路、陷入挣扎时，让我们也来求神使我们回转，复兴我们。
神啊，当我们因为自己的任性陷入困境时，帮助我们来呼求祢，因着祢的儿子为我们的罪被钉死，将永生赐给我们。奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。
诗篇 80:12-19
12你为何拆毁这树的篱笆， 任凭一切过路的人摘取？
13林中出来的野猪把它糟踏； 野地的走兽拿它当食物。
14万军之神啊，求你回转！ 从天上垂看，眷顾这葡萄树，
15保护你右手所栽的 和你为自己所坚固的枝子。
16这树已经被火焚烧，被刀砍伐； 他们因你脸上的怒容就灭亡了。
17愿你的手扶持你右边的人， 就是你为自己所坚固的人子。
18这样，我们便不退后离开你； 求你救活我们，我们就要求告你的名。
19耶和华－万军之神啊，求你使我们回转， 使你的脸发光，我们便要得救！
Transplants In Trouble
"Restore us, LORD God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved." — Psalm 80:19
My affection for raspberry plants and their fruit has spread to giving away roots to family members and friends to transplant in their gardens. The recipients will also tell you that I regularly check up on those transplants. The people who have cared well for them beam happily as they share their enjoyment of the plants and sweet fruit. But the people whose plants are in trouble (due to poor placement, neglect, or being mowed down) would rather not talk about them.
God's extravagant love for his vine, his people, far surpasses my crazy love for raspberry plants. The writer of Psalm 80 asks God why he has broken down the walls intended to protect the vine. As a result, the fruit is stolen, and the vine is ravaged by wild animals and insects. The vine's stalks are even cut down and burned. Most gardeners would feel justified in giving up on such a ruined vine.
Yet the psalmist boldly asks God to "watch over this vine"; the writer pleads, "revive us," "restore us," and "make your face shine on us." The plea and promise to be vibrant again is made solely on the basis that this root and its offspring belong to the Lord Almighty.
This is our only hope too, as God's people. When we stray and struggle, let's pray to be restored and revived also.
Lord God, when we are in trouble because of our waywardness, help us to call on you to revive us through your Son, who died for our sins to give us eternal life. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
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