以赛亚书 40：28-31

你岂不曾知道吗？你岂不曾听见吗？永在的神耶和华，创造地极的主，并不疲乏，
也不困倦。他的智慧无法测度。疲乏的，他赐能力。软弱的，他加力量。就是少年
人也要疲乏困倦，强壮的也必全然跌倒。但那等候耶和华的，必从新得力，他们必
如鹰展翅上腾，他们奔跑却不困倦，行走却不疲乏。

Isaiah 40:28-31 New International Version (NIV)

28 
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
    

The LORD is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.
    

He will not grow tired or weary,

and his understanding no one can fathom.
    

29 
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
    

30 
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
    

31 
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
    

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,
    

they will walk and not be faint.

    

以赛亚书 40 章是神开始施恩和安慰以色列人的经文。但在祂有力的安慰背后，有
一个隐藏的张力：读者心中的怀疑。这点经文并没有明显指出，但我们从先知所传
递的信息中不难看见。因先知在经文中多次传递一个问句，“你岂不曾知道吗？你
岂不曾听见吗？”
In Isa ch.40 God begins to show mercy and to comfort the Israelites. What is behind
His powerful words, however, is a hidden tension, which is the doubt of the readers.
The text does not mention it obviously. Yet, we can see it through a repeating
rhetorical question in this chapter: Do you not know? Have you not heard?

我在上周阅读一位温哥华知名牧者对疫情的属灵教导。他提及很多基督徒在困难中
的品格见证，这点相信大家和我一样耳熟能详。但当他写到，他会用罗马书 8：28
来看待发生的一切时（我们晓得万事都互相效力，叫爱神的人得益处，就是按他旨
意被召的人），我心中第一时间冒出的是疑问。这真的是神想让我们看待灾难的角
度吗？我们在苦难面前不是该少谈“益处”吗？为何我心中从来没有这个声音？

Last week I was reading an article written by a famous local pastor on

the pandemic situation in Vancouver. He mentioned a lot on Christian’s
witness in difficult time, and I believe you are all very familiar with
this kind of teaching. Yet, when he came to talk about how he would look
at the whole thing from a spiritual perspective, he quoted Rom 8:28,
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who
love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” What came to
my mind immediately was doubt. Is this how God wants us to view this
disaster? Should we not talk less about “good” in suffering? Why is
there no such a voice in my heart?

但这周当我静下再思时，渐渐发现，这句经文是多么有盼望！最近为了应急，我有
很多的会议，很多需要考虑的细节。但当这些 考虑占据我的头脑时，我发现心灵
缺少了一种通透的能力，就是直接地听神所说的，知道他所应许的。我的疑问岂不
是现实的阴影蒙蔽于我的灵性之上吗？

Yet, when I have a quiet moment this week and rethink this verse, I find
the hopefulness in it! To due with the emergent situation, I have been
having meetings and considering details. When all these occupy my mind,
I find a shadow on my heart, which is to simply hear what God says and
simply know what he promises. My doubt is how the shadow of current
situation covers on my spirituality.
感谢神，他说，疲乏的，他赐能力。软弱的，他加力量。我们需要每日肉身的力量，
担当各自的责任。我们更加需要灵性上的力量，去相信神所给我们的盼望。神让万
事互相效力，甚至能使用当下的疫情，来使爱神的人得益处。

Thanks be to God, for he says, He gives strength to the weary and

increases the power of the weak. We need physical strength to take our
responsibility every day. We also need spiritual strength to trust the
hope that God grants us. By this strength we will know that in all
things, even in the current pandemic situation, God works for the good
of those who love him.