What does it take to maintain hope in harsh times? Watching. Waiting. Praying. Remembering.

在艰难的时刻该如何持守盼望呢？仰望、等候、祷告、纪念。

But as for me, I watch in hope for the , I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. Micah 7:7

至于我，我要仰望耶和华，要等候那救我的上帝，我的上帝必应允我。-弥迦书7章7节

My favorite football team has lost eight consecutive games as I write this. With each loss, it’s harder to hope this season can be redeemed for them. The coach has made changes weekly, but they haven’t resulted in wins. Talking with my coworkers, I’ve joked that merely wanting a different outcome can’t guarantee it. “Hope is not a strategy,” I’ve quipped.

在写这篇文章的时候，我最喜欢的橄榄球队已经连续输了八场比赛，晋级的可能性极低，但我还是盼望他们能赢球。他们的教练每周也调整战术，但还是无法使他们获胜。我和同事闲聊时说，仅仅期待赢球并不能保证胜利，我开玩笑说：“盼望并不是一种策略。”

That’s true in football. But in our spiritual lives, it’s just the opposite. Not only is cultivating hope in God a strategy, but clinging to Him in faith and trust is theonly strategy. This world often disappoints us, but hope can anchor us in God’s truth and power during the turbulent times.

这道理在橄榄球界是正确的，但在我们的属灵生活中，情况正好相反。对上帝存着盼望不只是个策略，以信心紧紧倚靠上帝更是唯一的对策。这个世界时常使我们失望，但在动荡的时刻，盼望能让我们在上帝的真理和能力中不致动摇。

Micah understood this reality. He was heartbroken by how Israel had turned away from God. “What misery is mine! . . . The faithful have been swept from the land; not one upright person remains” (7:1–2). But then he refocused on his true hope: “But as for me, I watch in hope for the , I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me” (v. 7).

先知弥迦明白这个事实。他因以色列民背离上帝而悲痛万分：“哀哉！……地上虔诚人灭尽，世间没有正直人”（7章1-2节）。但接着他调整焦点，专注在他真正的盼望：“至于我，我要仰望耶和华，要等候那救我的上帝，我的上帝必应允我。”（7节）

What does it take to maintain hope in harsh times? Micah shows us: Watching. Waiting. Praying. Remembering. God hears our cries even when our circumstances are overwhelming. In these moments, clinging to and acting in response to our hope in God is our strategy, the only strategy that will help us weather life’s storms.

在艰难的时刻，我们该如何持守盼望呢？弥迦告诉我们：仰望、等候、祷告、纪念。即使我们的困境叫人难以承受，上帝仍垂听我们的呼求。在这些时刻，抓住对上帝的盼望，紧紧地跟随祂便是我们的策略，也是帮助我们度过生命风暴的唯一对策。

Father, You’ve promised to be an anchor for our hearts when circumstances look discouraging. Help us call out to You in faith and hope, believing that You hear our hearts’ cries.

天父，祢已应允在看似绝望时，使我们不致失望。帮助我们以信心和盼望向祢求告，相信祢必垂听。

Micah 7:1-7    NIV

7 What misery is mine! I am like one who gathers summer fruit at the gleaning of the vineyard;there is no cluster of grapes to eat,none of the early figs that I crave. 2 The faithful have been swept from the land;not one upright person remains.Everyone lies in wait to shed blood;they hunt each other with nets. 3 Both hands are skilled in doing evil;the ruler demands gifts,the judge accepts bribes,the powerful dictate what they desire—they all conspire together. 4 The best of them is like a brier,the most upright worse than a thorn hedge.The day God visits you has come,the day your watchmen sound the alarm.Now is the time of your confusion. 5 Do not trust a neighbor;put no confidence in a friend.Even with the woman who lies in your embrace guard the words of your lips. 6 For a son dishonors his father,a daughter rises up against her mother,a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies are the members of his own household. 7 But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord,I wait for God my Savior;my God will hear me.

弥迦书 7:1-7 

7 哀哉！我好像夏天的果子已被收尽，又像摘了葡萄所剩下的，没有一挂可吃的，我心羡慕初熟的无花果。 2 地上虔诚人灭尽，世间没有正直人。各人埋伏要杀人流血，都用网罗猎取弟兄。3 他们双手作恶，君王徇情面，审判官要贿赂，位分大的吐出恶意，都彼此结联行恶。 4 他们最好的不过是蒺藜，最正直的不过是荆棘篱笆。你守望者说降罚的日子已经来到，他们必扰乱不安。5 不要倚赖邻舍，不要信靠密友，要守住你的口，不要向你怀中的妻提说。 6 因为儿子藐视父亲，女儿抗拒母亲，媳妇抗拒婆婆，人的仇敌就是自己家里的人。7 至于我，我要仰望耶和华，要等候那救我的神，我的神必应允我。

INSIGHT

灵粮透视

Micah prophesied some sixty-five years to Israel and Judah during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (Micah 1:1). He was a contemporary with Hosea, who prophesied to Israel (Hosea 1:1), and to Isaiah, who prophesied to Judah (Isaiah 1:1). Accusing God’s people of idolatry, moral corruption, oppression (Micah 1:7; 2:1–2; 3:9–11), Micah warned of God’s discipline. He called the people “to act justly and to love mercy” (6:8). His prophesy that Israel would be destroyed (1:6) came to pass in 722  (2 Kings 17:5–7). Micah also warned that “[Judah] will become a heap of rubble” (Micah 3:12). Because Hezekiah, the king of Judah, repented, Jerusalem was spared destruction from the invading Assyrians (2 Chronicles 32:20–22; Jeremiah 26:18–19).

约坦、亚哈斯和希西家在位期间，弥迦向以色列国和犹大国发预言，时间长达约六十五年（弥迦书1章1节）。与他同时期的先知，有向以色列国发预言的何西阿（何西阿书1章1节）和向犹大国发预言的以赛亚（以赛亚书1章1节）。弥迦指责上帝的百姓拜偶像、道德败坏、多行欺压（弥迦书1章7节，2章1-2节，3章9-11节），并警告他们上帝必会管教。他呼吁人们“行公义、好怜悯”（6章8节）。他预言以色列将被毁灭（1章6节），此预言于公元前722年应验（列王纪下17章5-7节）。弥迦也警告说犹大“将变为乱堆”（弥迦书3章12节）。但由于犹大王希西家悔改了，使耶路撒冷没有遭受亚述人的入侵而毁灭（历代志下32章20-22节；耶利米书26章18-19节）。

整理：于姊妹