To take the fear out of living, put your faith in the living God.

信靠永生上帝，驱走一切忧惧。

The  said to [Gideon], “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.”
  Judges 6:23

耶和华对[基甸]说：“你放心，不要惧怕，你必不至死！”-士师记6章23节

It was ten-year-old Cleo’s first time fishing, and as he looked into the container of bait he seemed hesitant to get started. Finally he said to my husband, “Help me, I-S-O-W!” When my husband asked him what the problem was, Cleo responded, “I-S-O-W! I’m scared of worms!” His fear had made him unable to act.

十岁的克里欧第一次钓鱼，他往鱼饵罐里看了一眼，却好像有点犹豫，迟迟没有动手。最后他终于对我的丈夫说：“帮我！我很……”我的丈夫问他怎么了，他结结巴巴地说：“我很……怕虫子！”他的惧怕让他无法采取行动。

Fear can paralyze grown men too. Gideon must’ve been afraid when the angel of the Lord came to him as he was threshing wheat in secret, hiding from his Midianite enemies (Judg. 6:11). The angel told him he had been chosen by God to lead His people in battle (vv. 12–14).

成年人也会因惧怕而失去行动力。当耶和华的使者向基甸显现时，相信他一定十分惊恐。那时他正躲避米甸人的抢夺，偷偷地打着麦子（士师记6章11节）。天使对他说，上帝已经选召他，要他带领上帝的百姓出去争战（12-14节）。

Gideon’s response? “Pardon me, my lord, . . . but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family” (v. 15). After being assured of the Lord’s presence, Gideon still seemed fearful and asked for signs that God would use him to save Israel as He promised (vv. 36–40). And God responded to Gideon’s requests. The Israelites were successful in battle and then enjoyed peace for forty years.

基甸怎样回答呢？他说：“主啊，我有何能拯救以色列人呢？我家在玛拿西支派中是至贫穷的，我在我父家是至微小的”（15节）。即使上帝表明必与他同在，但基甸似乎仍然感到不安，并求上帝赐予印证，他才能相信上帝的应许：必使用他来拯救以色列人（36-40节）。上帝回应了基甸的恳求，给了他印证。后来，以色列人果然打败了米甸人，享受了四十年的和平。

We all have fears of various kinds—from worms to wars. Gideon’s story teaches us that we can be confident of this: If God asks us to do something, He’ll give us the strength and power to do it.

我们都有不同的忧虑和恐惧，我们怕虫子、怕战争，各式各样无所不有。然而，基甸的故事提醒我们不要惧怕，若上帝要我们去做某件事，就一定会赐下我们所需要的勇气和能力。

Lord, thank You for the assurance that You are with us.

主啊，感谢祢，因祢必定与我们同在。

Judges 6:11-16New International Version (NIV)

11 The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshingwheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”

13 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”

14 The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”

15 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”

16 The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”

士师记 6:11-16Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified) (CUVMPS)

耶和华之使者向基甸显现

11 耶和华的使者到了俄弗拉，坐在亚比以谢族人约阿施的橡树下。约阿施的儿子基甸正在酒榨那里打麦子，为要防备米甸人。 12 耶和华的使者向基甸显现，对他说：“大能的勇士啊，耶和华与你同在！” 13 基甸说：“主啊！耶和华若与我们同在，我们何至遭遇这一切事呢？我们的列祖不是向我们说，耶和华领我们从埃及上来吗？他那样奇妙的作为在哪里呢？现在他却丢弃我们，将我们交在米甸人手里。”14 耶和华观看基甸，说：“你靠着你这能力，去从米甸人手里拯救以色列人。不是我差遣你去的吗？” 15 基甸说：“主啊，我有何能拯救以色列人呢？我家在玛拿西支派中是至贫穷的，我在我父家是至微小的。” 16 耶和华对他说：“我与你同在，你就必击打米甸人，如击打一人一样。”

整理：于姊妹