2016年3月17日
再三吩咐 Positive Repetition
读经: 申命記30章11-20節
Reading: Deuteronomy 30:11-20
我今日吩咐你⋯⋯愛耶和華你的上帝，行祂的道路。-申命記30章16節
I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him.- Deuteronomy 30:16
全年读经: 申命記30-31章;馬可福音15章1-25節
Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 30–31; Mark 15: 1-25
某位記者有個怪癖，就是絕不使用藍筆。有一次，同事要去買東西，問他是否需要買點什麼，他就請同事幫忙買一些筆。「但是不要藍筆！」他說，「我不要藍色的筆。我不喜歡藍色。藍色太沉重了。所以請幫我買一打原子筆，什麼顏色都好，就是不要藍色！」結果隔天同事拿了一打原子筆給他，全都是藍色的。一經詢問，同事尷尬地說：「你一直說『藍色、藍色』，結果我要買筆的時候，就只想到藍色啦！」這位記者的再三吩咐的確產生了效果，但卻是與他所想要的相反。
摩西是以色列的律法頒佈者，他也再三吩咐百姓遵守誡命。他勸告百姓持守上帝律法的次數就超過三十次。摩西諄諄告誡百姓，順服會帶來生命和昌盛，而悖逆則會招致滅亡（申命記30章15-18節），可惜百姓的行為卻與摩西的期待恰恰相反。
如果我們愛上帝，自然就會想要遵行祂的話語，並不是因為害怕若不照做就會有可怕的後果，而是因為我們愛祂，要討祂的喜悅。願我們時時謹記並彼此勉勵。
親愛的主啊，當我們從祢的話語得著教導和訓誡，
願聖靈親自成為我們的導師。求祢幫助我們，
當我們聽見祢的聲音時，能走在順服的道路上。
愛上帝就會為祂而活。
愛上帝就會為祂而活。
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A journalist had a quirky habit of not using blue pens. So when his colleague asked him if he needed anything from the store, he asked for some pens. "But not blue pens," he said. "I don't want blue pens. I don't like blue. Blue is too heavy. So please purchase 12 ballpoint pens for me—anything but blue!" The next day his colleague passed him the pens—and they were all blue. When asked to explain, he said, "You kept saying 'blue, blue.' That's the word that left the deepest impression!" The journalist's use of repetition had an effect, but not the one he desired.
Moses, the lawgiver of Israel, also used repetition in his requests to his people. More than 30 times he urged his people to remain true to the law of their God. Yet the result was the opposite of what he asked for. He told them that obedience would lead them to life and prosperity, but disobedience would lead to destruction (Deut. 30:15-18).
When we love God, we want to walk in His ways not because we fear the consequences but because it is our joy to please the One we love. That's a good word to remember.
Dear Lord, as we read Your inspired story, may Your Spirit be our teacher. Help us to walk the path of obedience as we hear the voice of Your heart.
Love for God will cause you to live for God.