弟兄姊妹们主内平安，今天我们分享的经文来自旧约尼西米记1章4－11节（Nehemiah 1:4-11）
When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said: “Lord , the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’ “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” I was cupbearer to the king.
我听见这话，就坐下哭泣，悲哀几日，在天上的　神面前禁食祈祷，说： “耶和华—天上的　神，大而可畏的　神啊，你向爱你、守你诫命的人守约施慈爱。愿你睁眼看，侧耳听，你仆人昼夜在你面前为你众仆人以色列民的祈祷，承认我们以色列人向你所犯的罪；我与我父家都有罪了。我们向你所行的甚是邪恶，没有遵守你藉着仆人摩西所吩咐的诫命、律例、典章。求你记念所吩咐你仆人摩西的话，说：‘你们若犯罪，我就把你们分散在万民中； 但你们若归向我，谨守遵行我的诫命，你们被赶散的人虽在天涯，我也必从那里将他们招聚回来，带到我所选择立为我名的居所。’ 这都是你的仆人、你的百姓，就是你用大力和大能的手所救赎的。主啊，求你侧耳听你仆人的祈祷，和喜爱敬畏你名众仆人的祈祷，使你仆人现今亨通，在王面前蒙恩。”我是作王酒政的。
我们先来熟悉一下这段经文
1、When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.
wept英[wept] v.  哭泣（weep的过去式）
mourned英 [mɔːnd]v. 哀悼，忧伤（mourn的过去式）
fasted英 [fa:stid]v. 禁食（fast的过去式）
2、Then I said: “Lord , the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments,
awesome英['ɔːs(ə)m]adj. 令人敬畏的，使人畏惧的，可怕的，有威严的
covenant英['kʌv(ə)nənt]n.契约，盟约
commandment英[kə'mɑːndmənt]n.诫命
3、let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you.
attentive英[ə'tentɪv]adj.留意的，注意的，专心的
confess英[kən'fes]v.承认，坦白
Israelites英['izriəlaits]n.以色列人
commit英[ kə'mɪt]vt.犯罪，做错事，招认
4、We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
wickedly英['wikidli]adv.恶劣地，心怀叵测地
toward英[tə'wɔːd]prep.向，对于
command英[kə'mɑːnd]n.命令，诫命
decree英[dɪ'kriː]n.法令，律例
5、“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
instruction英[ɪn'strʌkʃ(ə)n]n.指令，命令，指示，教导
unfaithful英[ʌn'feɪθf(ə)l]adj.不忠实的，不诚实的，不忠，出轨
scatter英['skætə]v.使分散
exiled英[eg'zaild]adj.流亡的，放逐的
horizon英[hə'raɪz(ə)n]n.地平线，视野，眼界，范围
dwelling英['dwelɪŋ]n.住处，居所，住所
6、“They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” I was cupbearer to the king.
redeem 英[rɪ'diːm]v.赎回，挽回
delight 英[dɪ'laɪt]v.高兴,喜悦
revere 英[rɪ'vɪə]v.敬畏
cupbearer 英['kʌp,beərə]n.酒政，上酒人，斟酒人
我们一起看一下语法
1、but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there
(1)return to 回到，返回，恢复，表示回到哪里
e.g. Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.
耶和华岂有难成的事吗？到了日期，明年这时候，我必回到你这里，撒拉必生一个儿子。
(2)even if 即使
e.g. Today we have seen that a person can live even if God speaks with them.
今天，我们体验到，即使上帝向人说话，人仍然能存活。
2、let your ear be attentive ……to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name.
(1) be attentive to 注意，对……关怀，留心
e.g. Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
主啊！求你听我的声音，求你留心听我恳求的声音。
(2) delight in 喜欢，喜悦  make delight in 以……为乐，乐于
e.g. The Lord will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your ancestors.
因为耶和华必再喜悦你，降福于你，像从前喜悦你列祖一样。
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
又要以耶和华为乐，他就将你心里所求的赐给你。
3、Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.
(1) grant sb favor 使……蒙恩
e.g. He showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.
他向他施恩，使他在司狱的眼前蒙恩。
(2) in the presence of 在……面前
Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God.
在白发人的面前，你要起立，要尊敬老年人，又要敬畏你的神。
He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials.
他在臣仆面前把酒政和膳长提出监来。
4、I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you.
(1)commit against 向……犯罪，得罪……
e.g.  I will cleanse them from all the sin they have commited against me .
我要除净他们一切的罪，就是向我所犯的罪。
What crime have I commited against you?
我在什么事上得罪你？
(2) commit to 委托
e.g. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this.
当将你的事交托耶和华，并倚靠他，他就必成全。
最后我们再回顾一下这段经文
When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said: “Lord , the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’ “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” I was cupbearer to the king.
尼希米是一个复兴时代的领袖，他给我们留下了很多的榜样。他不是只关心自己的事物，而是观望整个地平线。他得到波斯王的宠信，身在王宫作酒政，耶路撒冷的苦难离他甚远，毁灭的火烧不到他身上，但他不是一个隔岸观火的人。他时时关心家乡耶路撒冷的景况，听到有人来，就探听那边的消息，想知道那些被掳归回的人处境如何。
尼希米的身份，与一般难民不同，但他与他们有深切的认同感，他有一颗柔软、不忍之心，与他们同忧共苦。他不是独善其身，站在圈子以外，自以为义的指责和讥笑他们。他为了本族同胞，昼夜在神面前悲哀、禁食，为神的“众仆人以色列民祈祷”，恒切祷告，达四月之久。他是神特别兴起的器皿，作中保和牧人，给他的时代带来了复兴。
人在优越的环境，要纪念受苦的肢体，把他们带到神面前，因为我们是为这国同受苦的。
我们一起祷告
大而可畏的主，你是有丰盛怜悯和慈爱的神，你向爱你、守你诫命的人守约施慈爱。愿主赐给我们破碎的心，明亮的眼睛，能够领会你旨意的头脑，顺服的意志，以及一种不畏缩退后的决心，去从事你所要我们作的事工，求你兴起我们，使我们都能成为像尼西米一样有负担且敢承担的器皿。祷告是奉耶稣的名求，阿们！
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