約書亞記 1:1 耶和華的僕人摩西死了以後，耶和華對摩西的助手嫩的兒子約書亞說： 2 「我的僕人摩西死了。現在你要起來，和眾百姓過這約旦河，往我所要賜給以色列人的地去。 3 凡你們腳掌所踏之地，我都照我所應許摩西的話賜給你們了。
Joshua 1:1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.
在曠野遊蕩了40年之後，終於到了以色列人進入應許之地的時候了。四十年來，以色列人曾經歷過悲傷和困難，但從另ㄧ個角度，生活卻很”輕鬆”。上帝用嗎哪和鵪鶉餵養了以色列民，並給他們水喝。當他們抱怨某種特定的缺乏時，上帝照顧了他們的需要。他們不需要打戰，因為敵人通常不會來在曠野居住。但是現在是時候了，以色列人要起來，越過約旦河，奪取應許之地！他們需要實際踏足這塊土地才能獲得所有權。
長期以來，我們的許多教會是否已成為“曠野”：我們享受上帝的供應和與外界隔絕的“和平”。上帝回答了我們的祈禱（或“抱怨”），或許“曠野”成為了我們的“舒適區”。現在是我們的教會“起來，越過約旦河”的時候了。是的，我們將面對戰鬥，但上帝應許無論我們走到哪裡，祂都將與我們同在（1：9）！ “因此，現在起來，過這約旦河”！
After forty years of wandering in the wilderness, the time had finally come for the Israelites to enter the Promised Land. At various points during the forty years the Israelites had experienced sorrow and difficulty, but at other times life was quite easy. God fed His people manna and quail and provided them with water. When the people complained of a specific lack, God took care of their needs. They did not need to fight because enemies generally didn’t reside in areas of the wilderness. But now the time had come for the Israelites to arise and to go over the Jordan to claim the Promised Land! And they needed to actually set foot on the land in order to claim it.
For too long many of our churches have become places of “wilderness”: we enjoy God’s provision and “peace” sheltered from the outside world. God has answered our prayers (or “complaints”) so the “wilderness” has become our “comfort zone”. It is about time for our churches to “arise, go over this Jordan”. Yes, we will face battles, but God promises that He will be with us wherever we go (1:9)! “Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan”!
吹號者 