降服
雅各走到了事情的尽头。在他人生的大部份时间里，他都在战斗。他使用许多的资源和个人的精力，来保证他会获得神的祝福，使得万事都为他所用。
被挑战极限不是有趣的经历。这里雅各的哭泣是一种放弃，而不是信靠神的护理。但当雅各用尽他自己一切的力量，他最终发现了神的恩典。
或许现在你正感到自己是多么无力掌控配偶或孩子，或在工作上赶上别人。或许你在对抗一种难以摆脱的瘾或一种试探，已经经历了一次又一次的尝试、失败。或许你害怕因着一种紧抓着你的罪而受到惩罚。或许你意识到，你一直想用自己的好行为来“补偿神”，希望祂能给予你生命中所要的东西。
你在哪里困住了？被挑战极限有可能是神恩典的礼物，因为它告诉我们，我们不能救自己。一旦学会这一重要的真理，我们就会开始相信神的眷顾和祂透过耶稣所做的救赎之工。
圣灵，求你来挑战我们的极限，让我们看到我们是多么需要从耶稣而来的救赎恩典。教导我们不要信靠自己，而是单单地信靠基督。阿们。
创世记 43:1-14
1那地的饥荒甚大。
2他们从埃及带来的粮食吃尽了，他们的父亲就对他们说：“你们再去给我籴些粮来。”
3犹大对他说：“那人谆谆地告诫我们说：‘你们的兄弟若不与你们同来，你们就不得见我的面。’
4你若打发我们的兄弟与我们同去，我们就下去给你籴粮。
5你若不打发他去，我们就不下去，因为那人对我们说：‘你们的兄弟若不与你们同来，你们就不得见我的面。’”
6以色列说：“你们为什么这样害我，告诉那人你们还有兄弟呢？”
7他们回答说：“那人详细问到我们和我们的亲属，说：‘你们的父亲还在吗？你们还有兄弟吗？’我们就按着他所问的告诉他，焉能知道他要说，必须把你们的兄弟带下来呢？”
8犹大又对他父亲以色列说：“你打发童子与我同去，我们就起身下去，好叫我们和你，并我们的妇人孩子，都得存活，不至于死。
9我为他作保，你可以从我手中追讨。我若不带他回来交在你面前，我情愿永远担罪。
10我们若没有耽搁，如今第二次都回来了。”
11他们的父亲以色列说：“若必须如此，你们就当这样行：可以将这地土产中最好的乳香、蜂蜜、香料、没药、榧子、杏仁都取一点，收在器具里，带下去送给那人做礼物。
12又要手里加倍地带银子，并将归还在你们口袋内的银子仍带在手里，那或者是错了。
13也带着你们的兄弟，起身去见那人。
14但愿全能的神使你们在那人面前蒙怜悯，释放你们的那弟兄和便雅悯回来。我若丧了儿子，就丧了吧！”
Resignation
"If it must be . . ." - Genesis 43:11
Jacob has reached the end of his rope. For most of his life, he has been fighting. He has used up a lot of resources and personal energy in trying to guarantee that he will receive God's blessings, that things will turn out in his favor.
Being confronted with our limits is not a fun experience. Jacob's cry here is one of resignation, not of trust in God's providence. But when Jacob runs out of options for working in his own strength, he finally discovers the grace of God.
Perhaps you're discovering how powerless you are to control your spouse or your children, or to push past others at work. Maybe you've tried and failed again and again to beat an addiction or a temptation that won't go away, or you fear punishment for a sin that is catching up with you. Perhaps you realize that you have been trying to "pay God off" with your good deeds in the hopes that he will give you what you want in life.
Where are you "stuck"? Being confronted with limits can be a gift of God's grace because it teaches us that we cannot save ourselves. And once we learn that important truth, we can begin to trust God's providential care and his saving work through Jesus.
Holy Spirit, confront us with our limits. Let us see how much we need the saving grace that comes from Jesus. Teach us to trust not in ourselves but in Christ alone. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
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