Our surprising God often shows His presence when we least expect Him.

在最意想不到时，上帝会奇妙地显明祂的同在。

For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. Esther 8:16

犹大人有光荣，欢喜快乐而得尊贵。-以斯帖记8章16节

As the minister spoke at a funeral for an old military veteran, he mused about where the deceased might be. But then, instead of telling the people how they could know God, he speculated about things not found anywhere in Scripture.Where is the hope? I thought.

在一位退伍老兵的丧礼中，讲员的信息谈到人死后会到哪里去，但他并没有提到如何认识上帝，只是分享一些没有圣经根据的假设。我默默地想：这样怎会有盼望呢？

At last he asked us to turn to a closing hymn. And as we rose to sing “How Great Thou Art,” people began to praise God from the depths of their souls. Within moments, the spirit of the entire room had changed. Suddenly, surprisingly, in the middle of the third verse my emotions overwhelmed my voice.

最后，讲员以一首诗歌做为结束。当会众一同起立高唱《祢真伟大》时，大家都从内心深处赞美上帝，瞬间改变整个聚会的氛围。唱到第二节时，我的情绪激动，以致无法继续吟唱。

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

当我想到，神竟愿差祂儿子，

降世舍命，我几乎不领会；

主在十架，甘愿背我的重担，

流血舍身，为要赦免我罪。

Until we sang that great hymn, I had wondered if God was going to show up at that funeral. In reality, He never leaves. A look at the book of Esther reveals this truth. The Jews were in exile, and powerful people wanted to kill them. Yet at the darkest moment, a godless king granted the right to the enslaved Israelites to defend themselves against those who sought their demise (Est. 8:11–13). A successful defense and a celebration ensued (9:17–19).

在吟唱这首优美的诗歌之前，我还怀疑，这个丧礼是否有上帝的同在。事实上，上帝从未离开我们。从以斯帖记，我们就能看到这个真理，那时犹太人被掳到外邦，有权势的恶人想屠杀他们。但在最黑暗的时刻，一个不认识上帝的国王，却允许被奴役的犹太人起来保护自己，抵御要毁灭以色列族的人（8章11-13节）。最后，他们大获全胜并设筵欢乐（9章17-19节）。

It should be no surprise when God shows up in the words of a hymn at a funeral. After all, He turned an attempted genocide into a celebration and a crucifixion into resurrection and salvation!

在丧礼中，上帝会透过诗歌显明祂的同在，这是毋庸置疑的。毕竟，上帝能将一场民族浩劫转变为欢乐的庆典，并将耶稣被钉十字架转变为复活和救恩！

Esther 8:11-17New International Version (NIV)

11 The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children,[a] and to plunder the property of their enemies. 12 The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. 13 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

14 The couriers, riding the royal horses, went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.

The Triumph of the Jews

15 When Mordecai left the king’s presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. 16 For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. 17 In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.

整理：于姊妹