8月28日靈修禱文|DEVOTION

1 Samuel 16:7

We are very familiar with the story of David and Goliath, a young man who was not particularly strong striking down a giant who was fully armed. This looks very legendary. But we can learn from the analysis of a thesis "David's Choice" in International Symposium on Ballistics, May 21-24, 1995, that if David could throw a stone at a speed of about 34 metres per second, with the density of the local rocks, it could penetrate the skull. In other words, when David went to see Saul, telling him that he killed lions and bears whilst grazing his sheep, he not only pointed out his courage, but the method he had planned to take on the giant, on speed but not on strength. However, Saul and other people saw only the stature and physical strength superficially, but not the courage and wisdom in David. When facing Goliath, David mentioned twice that Goliath relied on sword and spear, but he relied on the name of the Lord. He knew certainly that God would give the Philistines into the hands of the Israelites. For most of David's life, when he was to make choices, he could make a correct one. He fully dedicated his energy and wisdom and walked with the Lord. God looks on the heart. He saw David's courage and wisdom, unlike King Saul and others. David was able to strike down the giant in the name of the Lord, as he could understand God's mind well. This had been established in his extensive experience of sheep tending, where he could meditate quietly on the grass. From the Psalms we can see his intimate conversation with God. We can see how much he longed for God.

O Lord, thanks for your not looking on the outward appearance as man does. You look on our hearts. Perhaps we are good outwardly, but our hearts are far from you. May the Holy Spirit always remind us to act according to your mind when making decisions in our lives. May we, like David, long for you and have intimate fellowship with you every day. Amen.

Elder Henry Leung

撒母耳記上16:7

我們都很熟識大衛與歌利亞的故事，一個並不是特别强壯的少年將一個有强大武裝的巨人打倒。 看似十分傳奇，但從一篇在 International Symposium on Ballistics, May 21-24, 1995 的論文 "David's Choice" 中分析可以知道，以當地石塊的密度，若大衛能擲出每秒三十四公尺左右的速度，這石子便能射穿頭骨。换言之，當大衛去見掃羅告訴他曾經在牧羊時打死獅子和熊時，他並不僅是表明他的勇氣，而是他準備對付巨人的方法，不是力量而是速度。但掃羅及其他人所看到的卻是表面的身材體能，而看不到大衛裏面的勇氣和智慧。當大衛面對歌利亞時，他兩次提到歌利亞是靠著刀槍，而他是靠著耶和華的名。他肯定知道神必将非利士人交在以色列人手中。大衞在他一生中大部份時間面對扶擇時，都能作出正確的决定，將自己的力量智慧全部獻上，與主同行。神是看內心的，祂看得到大衛的勇氣和智慧，並不像掃羅王及其他人一般。大衛能依靠耶和華的名去打敗巨人是因他能體貼神的心意，這是他在漫長牧羊的時刻，在草地上安靜默想而建立起来的。從詩篇我們可看到他和神親密的交談，可以看見他是何等渴慕神。

主啊，感謝您，因為你不像世人以貌取人，你是看我們内心的。可能我們表面很好，但内心卻遠離你的心思。求你的聖靈時常提醒我們，在生活上面對的抉擇，我們都能依着你的心意而行。讓我們好像大衛一樣渴慕您，在我們每日的生活中與你有親密的交通，阿們。

梁季怡 長老