Read: Isaiah 40:6–11 | Bible in a Year: Isaiah 39–40; Colossians 4

阅读: 以赛亚书章-节 | 全年读经进度: 以赛亚书39-40章;歌罗西书4章

The Good Shepherd cares for His sheep.

好牧人看顾祂的羊。

He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart. Isaiah 40:11

祂必像牧人牧养自己的羊群，用膀臂聚集羊羔抱在怀中。-以赛亚书40章11节

I sat in the hospital room with my husband, waiting anxiously. Our young son was having corrective eye surgery and I felt the butterflies jostle in my stomach as I fretted and worried. I tried to pray, asking God to give me His peace. As I leafed through my Bible, I thought about Isaiah 40, so I turned to the familiar passage, wondering if anything fresh would strike me.

我和丈夫坐在医院的手术室外头，焦虑地等待。我们的小儿子正在进行视力矫正手术，我的心里七上八下，觉得烦躁不安。我试着祷告，求主让我心中有平安。当我心不在焉地翻阅圣经时，突然想起了以赛亚书40章，我立刻翻到那熟悉的经节，期望可以从中得到一点安慰。

As I read, I caught my breath, for the words from so many years ago reminded me that the Lord “tends his flock like a shepherd” as He “gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart” (v. 11). In that moment my anxiety left me as I realized the Lord was holding us, leading us, and caring for us. That was just what I needed, Lord, I breathed silently. I felt enveloped in God’s peace during and after the surgery (which thankfully went well).

我一边读，一边感到万分惊讶，因为这些几千年前的话语提醒我，上帝“像牧人牧养自己的羊群，用膀臂聚集羊羔抱在怀中”（11节）。那一刻，我的焦虑全然消失，因为我明白了上帝正怀抱我们，引导我们，顾念我们。我低声地感谢上帝说：主啊，那正是我需要的！在接下来手术进行的时间，直到手术顺利完成之后，感谢主，我都感到上帝以平安环绕着我。

The Lord promised His people through the prophet Isaiah that He would be their shepherd, guiding them in their daily lives and giving them comfort. We too can know His gentle tending as we tell Him our anxious thoughts and seek His love and peace. We know that He is our Good Shepherd, holding us close to His heart and carrying us in His everlasting arms.

上帝藉着先知以赛亚应许祂的子民，祂要成为他们的牧者，在日常生活中引导他们、安慰他们。同样地，当我们将焦虑告诉上帝，寻求祂的爱和平安时，也可以感受到祂温柔地呵护我们。当知道上帝是我们的好牧人，祂会将我们抱在怀中，并要以祂永久的膀臂保抱我们。

Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep. Thank You for the gift of Your sacrificial love and for the peace that passes all understanding.

主耶稣基督，祢是为羊群舍命的好牧人，

感谢祢牺牲的爱，
并赐下出人意外的平安给我们。

??Isaiah? ?40:6-11? ?NIV??

“A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” “All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!” See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.”

INSIGHT

Isaiah 40 starts a significant shift in the book of Isaiah, from grief and pronouncements of judgment for Israel’s sin, to a note of rock-solid comfort (v. 1), forgiveness, and healing—based entirely on God’s mercy and goodness. When the prophet wonders whether the people are too weak and fickle for this message, he is reminded that God’s restoration is not based on them, but only on God’s powerful word (v. 8). 

In fact, Isaiah 40 is the first Old Testament text that explicitly articulates the theme of “good news” (v. 9) so important in the New Testament. This good news is that God’s powerful love in our lives does not depend on us. Despite our sin, we can always rely on our merciful God who will both tenderly care for us like a shepherd (v. 11) and, like a mighty warrior (v. 10), powerfully transform our lives.

In order to trust God with our deepest struggles, why do we need Him to be both tender like a shepherd and powerful like a warrior? 

Monica Brands

灵粮透视

以赛亚书40章是全书的重大转折点，从为以色列国的罪恶哀痛和宣告审判，转为宣告让人确实得安慰（1节）、赦免和医治的信息，而这一切全都源自于上帝的怜悯和良善。当先知质疑百姓是否太软弱和犹疑不定，以至无法接受这样的信息时，上帝提醒他说，上帝所带来的复兴并不在于他们，乃在于上帝大有能力的话语（8节）。

事实上，以赛亚书40章是旧约圣经第一次明确阐述“好信息”（9节），而这也是新约圣经中，非常重要的一个主题。这个美好的信息是，上帝在我们生命中的大爱，并不是在于我们。尽管我们有罪，却依然可以倚靠这位慈爱的上帝，祂像牧人一样温柔地照顾我们（11节），又像是大能的勇士（10节），大有能力地改变我们的生命。

为何我们需要上帝像温柔的牧人，又像大能的勇士呢？这对于我们在困境中倚靠祂有何帮助呢？

整理：于姊妹