11月6日
神爱世人
“看哪，天和天上的天，地和地上所有的，都属耶和华—你的上帝。耶和华但喜悦你的列祖，爱他们，从万民中拣选他们的后裔，就是你们，像今日一样。”
申命记 10:14-15
在上帝所有的创造中，祂最喜悦的还是他拣选的子民。因为不管上帝的产业多么富足，也不管人的光景如何惨淡，上帝还是把人类当成最宝贵的财富。
耶稣对尼哥底母说：“上帝爱世人，甚至将他的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信他的不至灭亡、反得永生”（约3:16）。换句话说，世人正处在将要灭亡的生死关头，然而因为上帝对他们的深爱，祂选择让他们得到救赎。
在整本圣经中，显然上帝都是至高神圣的，然而祂选择饶恕赦免世人的罪。(罗3:23–24)。诗篇反复赞美上帝的奇妙创造，然而祂唯独最爱的还是人(诗8:5)。先知以赛亚看到人因堕落走入歧途，然而上帝受苦的仆人耶稣却担当了人类的软弱、哀痛和审判 (赛53:4–6)。
这些“然而”都表明上帝对人类的爱，这实在是极大的恩典。
今日祷告：
耶稣，我是个罪人。然而祢依然爱我。我感谢祢。阿们。
November 6
Yet
Look, the highest heavens and the earth and everything in it all belong to the Lord your God. Yet the Lord chose your ancestors as the objects of his love. And he chose you, their descendants, above all other nations, as is evident today.
D E U T E RONOMY 1 0 : 1 4 – 1 5
Of the entirety of his creation, God’s greatest joy is reserved for his chosen people. For regardless of how much God possesses, and regardless of how broken people become, his most esteemed treasure is humanity.
To Nicodemus, Jesus said, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). In other words, people were in a state of perishing, yet because of his deep love for his people God chose to initiate the process by which his people could be reclaimed.
In the whole of the Bible, it is clear that God is holy, yet he has chosen to offer forgiveness to people (Romans 3:23–24). The Psalms resound with wonder as they recognize that creation is so marvelous, yet God gives humankind his utmost affection (Psalm 8:5). Isaiah reveals that humanity has gone astray, yet the Suffering Servant of God will carry humanity’s weakness, sorrow, and punishment (Isaiah 53:4–6). The yet of God is a wonderful gift indeed.
Pray for the Day:
Jesus, I am a sinner and yet you love me. Thank you! Amen.
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