2016年2月23日
更佳視野 A Better View
读经: 路加福音19章1-10節
Reading: Luke 19: 1-10
只因人多，他的身量又矮，所以不得看見。-路加福音19章3節
Because he was short he could not see over the crowd.- Luke 19:3
全年读经: 民數記7-8章;馬可福音4章21-41節
Bible in a Year: Numbers 7–8; Mark 4:21-41
我小時候很愛爬樹，爬得愈高，就能看得愈遠。有時候為了看得更清楚，我會踩著枝幹緩步前進，直到感覺樹枝已被我的重量壓彎才停止。如今爬樹的日子當然已成過去，畢竟這事既有危險性，又不太得體。
撒該這位財主在耶利哥城爬上樹的那一天，他不在乎是否得體（或許也不顧自身安全）。當時耶穌正行經這城，而撒該想見祂一面。然而「因人多，他的身量又矮，所以不得看見」 （路加福音19章3節） 。還好，這些並沒有阻礙他見基督的面或與祂交談。撒該的計畫成功了！與耶穌見面後，他的人生從此改變。耶穌說：「今天救恩到了這家。」 （9節）
有很多事會攔阻我們看見耶穌。驕傲會蒙蔽我們的眼，讓我們看不到祂是那位奇妙的策士；焦慮會讓我們不認得祂是和平之君（以賽亞書9章6節） ；名利物質的追逐會攔阻我們看到祂才是真正的滿足之源──生命之糧（約翰福音6章48節） 。
為了讓自己更清楚看見耶穌，你願意做些什麼？只要是為了與祂親近而誠心付出努力，都會得到好結果，因為上帝賞賜那些懇切尋求祂的人（希伯來書11章6節） 。
耶穌，感謝祢所賜的一切。當我讀經與禱告時，
幫助我清楚地認識祢，幫助我全心全意地追隨祢。
常常親近主，就能堅固對上帝的信心。
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As a child, I loved to climb trees. The higher I climbed, the more I could see. Occasionally, in search of a better view, I might inch out along a branch until I felt it bend under my weight. Not surprisingly, my tree-climbing days are over. I suppose it isn't very safe—or dignified.
Zacchaeus, a wealthy man, set aside his dignity (and perhaps ignored his safety) when he climbed a tree one day in Jericho. Jesus was traveling through the city, and Zacchaeus wanted to get a look at Him. However, "because he was short he could not see over the crowd" (Luke 19:3). Fortunately, those things did not stop him from seeing and even talking with Christ. Zacchaeus's plan worked! And when he met Jesus, his life was changed forever. "Salvation has come to this house," Jesus said (v. 9).
We too can be prevented from seeing Jesus. Pride can blind us from seeing Him as the Wonderful Counselor. Anxiety keeps us from knowing Him as the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6). Hunger for status and stuff can prevent us from seeing Him as the true source of satisfaction—the Bread of Life (John 6:48).
What are you willing to do to get a better view of Jesus? Any sincere effort to get closer to Him will have a good result. God rewards people who earnestly seek Him (Heb. 11:6).
Thank You Jesus for all that You are. Show me more of Yourself as I read the Bible and pray. Help me to pursue You with all of my heart and mind.
To strengthen your faith in God, seek the face of God.