DCLM 天天吗哪(DAILY MANNA)——【无益的捷径】(FUTILE SHORTCUTS)

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2022-01-16
经文：王上 1 KINGS 15:16-24
钥节：于是，亚撒将耶和华殿和王宫府库里所剩下的金银，都交在他臣仆手中，打发他们往住大马士革的亚兰王希旬的孙子、 他伯利们的儿子便哈达那里去（王上1 KINGS 15:18）
很多人容易倾向于寻找最简单的方法。对于长期的问题，他们会找捷径来解决。在某个时间段，似乎是奏效的。但不久之后，他们会看到出现了更大的问题。
犹大王亚撒就去找了无益的捷径。虽然他一开始走得不错，“效法他祖大卫行耶和华眼中看为正的事”，为成功付出了巨大的代价。以色列王巴沙攻击亚撒，包围了犹大的部分领土。当亚撒发现赶不走巴沙的时候，就开始病急乱投医。他收集了耶和华殿中的所有财宝，交给亚兰王便哈达，请他停止与巴沙结盟。这一招确实奏效，因为亚兰王转而攻击以色列的城邑，迫使以色列王从犹大撤离。
从那以后，亚撒的生命质量开始断崖式下滑。他的背叛使他染上了怪病。然而在病痛期间，他还是拒绝转向神。相反，他四处求医问药，却始终不得医治。很快，他就病死了。这个起初行神眼中看为正的君王落入了可悲的下场。
我们要避免寻找简单快捷的出路。貌似简单容易，却并非长久之计。更糟糕的是，这可能会让我们的心偏离神，自欺欺人，以为我们可以解决自己的问题。要抵挡因为压力而寻求捷径处理生活中的各种挑战的做法。相反，我们乃要倚靠全能的主。
今日思想：捷径往往带来毁灭性的问题。
一年读经计划：《使徒行传》5-6

DAILY  MANNA
SUNDAY JANUARY 16, 2022
FUTILE SHORTCUTS
TEXT: 1 KINGS 15:16-24
KEY VERSE: "Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus..." (1 KINGS 15:18).
Many people are quick to take the easy way out. They seek shortcuts to finding a solution to an enduring problem. For a while, it may seem to be working. Soon enough, they realise that greater problems have been created.
Asa, king of Judah, sought futile shortcuts. Although he started well, for "he did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father", success for him came at a great price. Baasha, the king of Israel, waged war against him, and seized part of his territory. When Asa realised he could not dislodge Baasha, he turned to the wrong source for help. He gathered all the treasures in the house of the Lord and delivered them to Benhadad, king of Syria, with the plea that he should break his alliance with Baasha. It worked, because the king of Syria attacked Israeli cities, forcing the king of Israel to withdraw from Judah.
From then on, however, Asa's life took a downward plunge. His rebellion soon brought a strange disease upon him. Yet, in his sickness, he refused to turn to God. Instead, he kept hopping from one physician to the other, all to no avail. Soon, he died from that sickness; a pitiable end of a king that began his reign by doing right in the sight of God.
We must avoid taking the easy way out. It may appear simple and straightforward but it does not last. Worse still, it has the tendency to turn the heart from God, to make us self-conceited, and to think that we can solve our own problems. Resist the pressure to seek shortcuts in dealing with life challenges. Instead, let your dependence rest on the Almighty.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Shortcuts often lead to damning problems.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ACTS 5-6