by 鍾卓權牧師
摩西在獻燔祭和平安祭給金牛犢的以色列子民面前摔碎了十誡那兩塊石版後、在預備新的兩塊石板再上西乃山給耶和華重寫十誡時、他伏地下拜、說：「主阿、我若在你眼前蒙恩、求你在我們中間同行、因為這是硬著頸項的百姓．...」(出埃及記 34)。摩西祈求的是「神在他們中間同行」。親愛的弟兄姊妹們，讓我們一起學習摩西的心態，謙卑祈求耶和華在我們中間同行。
想起在巴蘭的曠野快要出發前往迦南地的時候，摩西打發十二支派中的首領去窺探那應許之地，他們在途中挑了一掛最大的葡萄，還拿了些石榴和無花果，四十天後回來給摩西和眾人看。猶大的族長迦勒說：「我們立刻上去得那地吧，我們足能得勝」(民數記13:30)。其他探子反對說，我們不能去攻擊那個地方的人，他們比我們強壯多了，又加上恐嚇的言詞來長他人威風，恐懼地形容仇敵亞衲族人為偉人，自己卻為蚱蜢。
以法蓮的族長約書亞和猶大的族長迦勒隨著撕裂衣服，對全會眾說：「… 耶和華若喜悅我們、就必將我們領進那地…也不要怕那地的居民、…有耶和華與我們同在、不要怕他們，但全會眾說、拿石頭打死他們二人。」 (民數記14:7-10a) 。
「有耶和華與我們同在」是約書亞和迦勒勇氣的來源。當時耶和華本想用瘟疫擊殺全會眾，因為他們經歷了一切的神蹟，仍然不信還藐視耶和華。後來摩西為百姓代求，耶和華才赦免了他們。但祂說：「他們斷不得看見我向他們的祖宗所起誓應許之地、凡藐視我的、一個也不得看見」(民數記14:23) 。結果以色列的子民在曠野漂流四十年，唯有迦勒和約書亞可以進去迦南地。這事可讓我們再思考如何應用少數服從多數的原則，此時以色列眾人就甚悲哀，自發地上了迦南地，結果他們被仇敵殺敗了，因為那時耶和華已經不在他們中間。
故此、我們要祈求的是耶和華在我們中間同行。在提出關於會員大會提名程序一事之前，我想大家知道我絕非看輕會員大會中臨時提名的兩位執事同工的事奉能力，我也不是反對會章的架構，我不同意的是會員大會中即時提名增加執事的過程是過於倉卒，尤其是執事的職位更應該讓弟兄姊妹有充分的時間謹慎地表決支持，我是反對如此匆忙逼切的這個過程而已。我的投票難免會帶來誤會和傷痛，我請求兩位執事同工原諒。
讓我們繼續與神同行、祈求 神的主權和憐憫並以基督的心為心彼此配搭、榮耀主名。阿們。
Translation:
Moses broke the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments in front of the Israelites who were worshipping the golden calf with sacrifices of burnt offering and peace offering. After preparing two new stone tablets of the Ten Commandments and bringing them to the Lord on Mount Sinai, Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. “‘Lord,’ he said, ‘if I have found favor in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance’” (Exodus 34:8 9 NIV). What Moses prayed for was to have "God to walk among them." Dear Brothers and Sisters, let’s learn from Moses to humble ourselves and
pray that the Lord will walk with us also.
When Moses was about to leave for Canaan in the wilderness of Balaam, he sent the leaders of the twelve tribes to spy on the Promised Land. After forty days, the leaders came back with the largest grapes, pomegranates and figs they’d picked along the way and showed them to Moses and everyone. Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it” (Numbers 13:30). The other spies objected by saying that the people in that place were mightier and stronger than them. They praised the descendants of Anak as great
warriors while comparing themselves to the lowly locusts.
Joshua, the Patriarch of Ephraim, and Caleb, the patriarch of Judah, tore their clothes and said to the whole congregation, “‘If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into the land’ ... ‘and don't be afraid of the inhabitants of the land’ ... ‘Jehovah is with us, don't be afraid of them’. But the whole congregation said: ‘Stone them to death’” (Numbers 14:7 10a).
"The Lord is with us" was the source of courage for Joshua and Caleb. At that time, the Lord wanted to annihilate the Israelites with a plague because they were unconvinced by the Lord’s miracles and despised God. Then Moses interceded for the people, and the Lord spared them. However, God said: “Not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it” (Numbers 14:23). As a result, the people of Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years, and only Caleb and Joshua could enter the land of Canaan. This causes us to evaluate how to apply the principle of majority rule. At this time the people of Israel were so sad that they spontaneously went up to the land of Canaan, and as a result they were defeated by the enemy because the Lord was no longer with them.
Therefore, it is important for us to pray for the Lord to walk with us. Before I bring up the matter about our church officer nominating process, I want to stress that I am by no means questioning the ability of the two deacons who were nominated in the Membership Meeting. I am not against the structure of the By Laws. I disagree that the process of immediately nominating the deacons in the meeting was too rush, especially the position of the deacon should give the brothers and sisters sufficient time to consider
carefully. I disagree with such hastily process of rushing a nomination. My vote will inevitably led to misunderstandings and hurt feelings. I ask the two deacons to forgive me. Let us continue to walk with God, pray for God's sovereignty and mercy.
May we all have the same mindset as Christ Jesus and serve one another so that the Lord’s name will be praised. Amen.
