BETHEL

"Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it." Genesis 28:16

Probably the last person Jacob expected to meet that night was God. Jacob was running for his life. He had bargained his brother Esau out of his birthright and had tricked his father into giving him Esau's blessing. Jacob was hardly a candidate for sweet dreams. Yet he saw God and heard God's promise of protection. He woke up exclaiming, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it." Guilty as sin, exhausted and asleep in some desolate rocky spot far from home, Jacob met the God who cannot be outrun.

Jacob named the place Bethel, which means "house of God." Many churches and temples have borrowed that name to this day. But it should be remembered that it was given first to a wild and unexpected place. God often meets us in unexpected places: in the kindness of a stranger, the peaceful smile of someone terminally ill, the solitude of a lonely motel room, or the sudden deep conviction of some sin.

God is faithful but unpredictable. He has shown up in some strange places, such as a manger and, worse, on a cross. God's relentless love for us gave the poet Francis Thompson the idea of picturing God as "The Hound of Heaven." He won't let us go, and he may remind us of that just about anywhere. Watch for "Bethels" on your way through life, especially in the unexpected places.

PRAYER

Lord, where can we go from your Spirit? Where can we flee from your presence? Help us see that you are with us always, and open our hearts to welcome you, we pray. Amen.

创世记 28:10-19

October - 6

伯特利

「耶和华真在这里，我竟不知道。」 创28:16

雅各布那晚最意想不到会碰上的，大概就是神了。他正没命地逃亡。他与兄长以扫交易，取去他的长子名分，又哄骗父亲给了他本属以扫的祝福。他大概不是会作美梦的人，但他却看见神，并听到神要保护他的应许。他醒来说：「耶和华真在这里，我竟不知道。」这之前的雅各布，愧疚难当，筋疲力竭，倒在远离家的荒石地上就睡着了。但就是在这里，他遇上了他无法摆脱的神。

雅各布给那地方起名叫伯特利，就是「神殿」的意思；不少教堂、圣殿至今仍以这取名。但我们绝不要忘记，那原是一处荒芜、意想不到之地。神常在出乎意料之外的地方与我们相见：在陌生人伸出援手时、绝症病人的平和笑颜中、寂静旅馆房间内独处时，或为犯了错而深感愧疚时。

神信实但不可测。祂在一些奇怪的地方出现，诸如马槽，和令人不堪想象的「十架」。神对我们锲而不舍的爱令诗人法兰西汤臣想到以「天上的猎狗」来描绘神。祂无处不在地提醒我们，祂不会放过我们。你一生中要一路留意「伯特利」，特别是在意想不到之处。

祷告

主啊，我们可往哪里去远离祢的灵？我们可往哪里去躲避祢的面？求祢使我们明白，祢一直与我们同在，并打开我们的心来迎接祢。这是我们的祈求，阿们。

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