耶稣在十架上受死，拯救我们脱离罪恶。

In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. Jonah 2:2

我遭遇患难求告耶和华，祢就应允我。-约拿书2章2节

My mother discovered my kitten Velvet atop the kitchen counter, devouring homemade bread. With a huff of frustration, she scooted her out the door. Hours later, we searched our yard for the missing cat without success. A faint meow whistled on the wind, and I looked up to the peak of a poplar tree where a black smudge tilted a branch.

我母亲发现我家的猫咪绒绒跑到厨房的台面上，偷吃了她做的面包，她一气之下就把绒绒赶出门外。几小时后，我们在院子里找它却遍寻不获。最后，终于从白杨树梢上传来微弱的猫叫声，我抬头一看，一团黑影把枝桠都压弯了，这不正是那小家伙吗！

In her haste to flee my mother’s frustration over her behavior, Velvet chose a more precarious predicament. Is it possible that we sometimes do something similar—running from our errors and putting ourselves in danger? And even then God comes to our rescue.

绒绒偷吃了面包之后，为了逃避我母亲的怒气，选择了一个更危险的处境。有时，我们是否也会像绒绒一样，为了逃避过错，而让自己身陷险境呢？不过，即使这样，上帝仍会拯救我们。

The prophet Jonah fled in disobedience from God’s call to preach to Nineveh, and was swallowed up by a great fish. “From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the  his God. He said: ‘In my distress I called to the , and he answered me’ ” (Jonah 2:1–2). God heard Jonah’s plea and, “commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land” (v. 10). Then God gave Jonah another chance (3:1).

上帝要先知约拿前往尼尼微城传讲信息时，约拿不愿顺服上帝而逃跑，结果被一条大鱼吞进肚子里。他在鱼腹中向上帝祷告说：“我遭遇患难求告耶和华，祢就应允我”(约拿书2章1-2节)。上帝听了约拿的呼求就“吩咐鱼，鱼就把约拿吐在旱地上”(10节)。随后，上帝给了约拿第二次机会(3章1节)。

After exhausting our efforts to woo Velvet down, we summoned the local fire department. With the longest ladder fully extended, a kind man climbed high, plucked my kitten from her perch, and returned to place her safely in my arms.

纵然我们费尽心力，仍无法把绒绒救下来，最后只好请消防队来帮忙。有一位仁慈的消防员架设了最长的云梯，爬到高处把绒绒抱了下来，将它放在我的臂弯中。

Oh the heights—and the depths—God goes to in rescuing us from our disobedience with His redeeming love!

无论我们因不愿顺服上帝而逃到危险的高处，或陷入幽深的低谷，上帝都会以救赎的大爱来拯救我们！

亲爱的上帝，我们今天实在需要祢的拯救！

Jonah 2 NIV

2 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2 He said: “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry. 3 You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. 4 I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ 5 The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; sea weed was wrapped around my head. 6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. 7 “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. 8 “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. 9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

约拿书 2 

2 约拿在鱼腹中祷告耶和华他的神， 2 说：“我遭遇患难求告耶和华，你就应允我。从阴间的深处呼求，你就俯听我的声音。 3 你将我投下深渊，就是海的深处，大水环绕我，你的波浪洪涛都漫过我身。 4 我说：‘我从你眼前虽被驱逐，我仍要仰望你的圣殿！’ 5 诸水环绕我，几乎淹没我，深渊围住我，海草缠绕我的头。 6 我下到山根，地的门将我永远关住。耶和华我的神啊，你却将我的性命从坑中救出来。 7 我心在我里面发昏的时候，我就想念耶和华。我的祷告进入你的圣殿，达到你的面前。 8 那信奉虚无之神的人离弃怜爱他们的主， 9 但我必用感谢的声音献祭于你，我所许的愿我必偿还。救恩出于耶和华！” 10 耶和华吩咐鱼，鱼就把约拿吐在旱地上。

INSIGHT

灵粮透视

The story of Jonah is a story of the unexpected. The only character in the story who doesn’t obey God is the one the reader would expect to be obedient, the one who told the sailors, “I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land” (Jonah 1:9). In contrast to the fugitive prophet, the pagan sailors turn to God (v. 16); the fish did as the Lord commanded (2:10); the Ninevites (a blood-thirsty and pagan people) repented (3:5–10). But the unexpected doesn’t stop there. God goes to great lengths to teach Jonah who He is. Rather than punish the disobedient prophet who is angry at God’s mercy, God invites Jonah (and us) to contemplate the depths of His love and mercy.

约拿的故事实在是充满了出人意料的事。在整个记载中，唯一不顺服上帝的人，却是读者认为一定会顺服上帝的人，正如约拿对水手们说：“我敬畏耶和华—那创造沧海旱地之天上的上帝”（约拿书1章9节）。与这位逃跑的先知恰恰相反的是：外邦的水手们转向上帝（16节）；大鱼听从上帝的吩咐（2章10节）；尼尼微人（嗜血成性的外邦人）悔改了（3章5-10节）。但更让人意料不到的，是上帝还用许多方式让约拿更认识祂。后来，虽然这位悖逆的先知因上帝的怜悯而发怒，但上帝并没有惩罚他，反而要约拿（和我们）去思想祂的慈爱和怜悯是何等长阔高深。

When have you experienced the love and mercy of God?

你何时经历过上帝的慈爱和怜悯呢？

整理：于姊妹