9月3日
标 题：我绝不！
经 节：至于我，断不停止为你们祷告，以致得罪耶和华。我必以善道正路指教你们。（撒母耳记上十二章23节）
我们有时候很想放弃，不理神的百姓！他们是那么不完美，可能罪恶深重，然而，他们是祂的百姓。撒母耳清楚地警告以色列人立王的危险性，但他们仍执意要像邻国一样，有王治理他们，并且愿意付上任何代价来立王。这些百姓一立了王，就知道自己有罪，只不过一切都太迟了。那么撒母耳做了些什么呢？他们曾经漠视他的警告，现在却又要寻求他的帮助。撒母耳大可抛弃他们，任凭他们承受行为的后果。
撒母耳知道，诚如耶稣知道，神要祂的仆人去服事有病的，不是服事健康的（马太福音九：12）。撒母耳并没有把百姓的反应当做是他们的拒绝，他知道百姓的态度显示出他们与神的关系。撒母耳事奉的对像是神，不是以色列百姓。当神命令他要帮助他们，虽然他们拒绝他的信息，他还是帮助他们。
有时候，人们并没有照着应有的反应，回应神借着你说出的信息。不要因此而灰心，他们的态度反映出他们与神的关系。你是神的仆人。如果耶稣投注时间在那些灵性有需要的人身上，你可以预料，祂也要你做同样的事。不要对神的百姓失去耐心。要记得，神爱他们，诚如祂爱你一样。
Far Be It from Me!
Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I
should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you
the good and the right way. (1 Samuel 12:23)
It can be tempting at times to give up on God’s
people! They are so imperfect and can be so sinful, yet they are His people.
Samuel had thoroughly warned the Israelites of the dangers in appointing a king
over Israel. Yet they wanted to be like the nations around them, insisting that
they were willing to pay any price. Almost as soon as the people were granted
their desire, they recognized their sin. But it was too late. What was Samuel
to do? They had ignored his warnings. Now they wanted him to continue to
minister to them. It would seem appropriate for Samuel to abandon them and
allow them to suffer the consequences of their actions. Samuel knew, as Jesus
knew, that God sends His servants to the sick, not the healthy (Matt. 9:12).
Samuel did not take the people’s response as a rejection of him but as an
indication of their walk with God. Samuel was serving God, not the Israelites.
When God commanded him to minister to them, he could do nothing else, despite
their resistance to his message.
At times people will not respond as they should to
the message God speaks through you. Don’t become discouraged; it is a
reflection of their relationship with God. You are God’s servant; if Jesus
spent His time with the spiritually needy, you can expect Him to ask you to do
the same. Don’t lose your patience with God’s people. Keep in mind that God
loves them as much as He loves you.
