12月4日

標　　題：嫩芽

經　　節：他在耶和華面前生長如嫩芽，像根出於幹地。（以賽亞書五十三章2節）

耶穌的降臨就像幹地中的嫩芽。植物在幹地只有極微渺的生存希望，因為土質又幹又硬，大部分的植物很難穿破地殼堅硬的表面。然而，耶穌被預言像一株嫩芽，穿過堅硬的土壤，並且克服乾旱和無生命跡象的環境，帶來了新的生命。

當耶穌誕生的時候，祂的百姓對神的話語無動於衷。有四百年之久，沒有任何記錄記載神對祂的百姓說話。耶穌時代的宗教領袖研讀並記憶經文，但是神的話語對他們毫無生命力。當神的兒子來到他們中間，他們變得對真理滿懷敵意，他們殺了祂。縱然百姓憎惡祂，耶穌仍把生命帶給所有相信祂的人。

耶穌有足夠能力把生命帶給任何人、社會及文化，不管他們的心是如何堅硬或懷有很深的敵意。即使那些對罪無動於衷的罪人，也會發現耶穌能穿越苦毒的心靈，帶來生命的氣息。耶穌在某人身上的工作，乍看之下也許並不牢靠，但它會像芥菜種一樣，最終會變為強壯。

當你為自己所關心的人禱告時，如果此人對耶穌沒有興趣，不要灰心。就像一株嫩芽在乾旱之地會找到一條成長之道，耶穌的愛有能力穿透似乎完全沒有反應的生命。

A Tender Plant

For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. (Isaiah 53:2)

The coming of Jesus was like a tender plant in the midst of a parched ground. Parched ground offers little hope for survival; it is dry and too hardened to allow most plants to penetrate its crust. Yet Jesus was prophesied as a tender plant that would break through the hostile soil and overcome the dry and lifeless environment in order to bring life.

When Jesus was born, His people were hardened to God’s Word. There is no written record of God’s having spoken to His people for four hundred years. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day had studied and memorized the Scriptures, but the words were lifeless to them. So hostile had they become to the truth that when God’s Son came to them, they killed Him. Nevertheless, despite the enmity of the people, Jesus brought life to all who believed in Him.

Jesus is capable of bringing life to any person, society, or culture no matter how hardened or hostile they have become to the gospel. Even the most calloused sinner will discover that Jesus knows how to penetrate the heart and bring life where there was only bitterness. The work of Jesus in a person’s life may seem fragile at first, but like the mustard seed, it will eventually grow into something strong.

As you pray for someone you care about, don’t be discouraged if this person has not responded to Jesus. Just as a tender plant finds a way to grow in a hard and unreceptive environment, so the love of Jesus has the ability to emerge in a life that seems completely unresponsive.