God is good in both the good times and the bad.  

无论顺境或逆境，上帝都是美善的。

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16

所以我们只管坦然无惧地来到施恩的宝座前，为要得怜恤，蒙恩惠，作随时的帮助。-希伯来书4章16节

During the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, more people were looking for work than there were jobs available. I was one of those job seekers. After nine anxious months, I landed employment as a copywriter. But the company soon fell on bad times and I was jobless again. 

在1997年亚洲金融风暴时，求职者甚多，但僧多粥少，我就是其中一个求职者。经过九个月的煎熬，我终于找到了一份撰稿员的工作。可惜不久之后，这间公司陷入了财务危机，致使我又再次成了无业游民。

Ever been there? It seems like the worst is over when suddenly the bottom drops out on you. The widow at Zarephath could relate (1 Kings 17:12). Due to a famine, she was preparing the last meal for herself and her son when the prophet Elijah requested a bite to eat. She reluctantly agreed and God provided a continuous supply of flour and oil (vv. 10–16).

你曾经历类似的状况吗？原以为已经柳暗花明，没想到又再陷入困境。这也令我想到旧约中撒勒法的寡妇（列王纪上17章12节）。那时正值饥荒，她在为自己和儿子准备最后一餐饭时，先知以利亚向她要点饼吃。她勉强答应了，但得到上帝持续地供应她面粉和油（10-16节）。

But then her son fell ill. His health declined until he stopped breathing. The widow cried out, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?” (v. 18).

然而，后来这个寡妇的儿子病了，病情日渐加重直至断气。寡妇哭号说：“神人哪，我与你何干？你竟到我这里来，使上帝想念我的罪，以致我的儿子死呢？”（18节）

At times, we may want to respond like the widow—wondering if God is punishing us. We forget that bad things can happen in this fallen world.

有时，我们或许也会像这个寡妇一样，以为上帝正在惩罚我们！我们忘记了在这个堕落的世界里，随时都可能会发生不幸的事。

Elijah took the concern to God, praying earnestly and honestly for the boy, and God raised him up! (vv. 20–22).

以利亚将这件事带到上帝面前，诚挚迫切地为这个孩子祷告，上帝就让他活了过来！（20-22节）

When the bottom drops out on us, may we—like Elijah—realize that the faithful One will not desert us! We can rest in God’s purposes as we pray for understanding.

当我们陷入困境的时候，愿我们都能像以利亚一样清楚知道，信实的上帝永不会离弃我们！在我们祷告寻求解答时，可以坦然无惧，知道上帝必有祂的旨意。

Father, when life overwhelms us, help us to remember that You are powerful and You care. May we like Elijah cling to You in faith, knowing that You work for the good of those who love You.

天父，当生活让我们力不能胜时，求祢帮助我们记得祢是大有能力的，并且祢关心我们。愿我们像以利亚一样凭信心倚靠祢，知道你所做的工，对于那些爱祢的人来说都是有益处的。

1 Kings 17:15-24    NIV

17 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. 17 Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. 18 She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?” 19 “Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20 Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” 21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!” 22 The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. 23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!” 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”

列王纪上 17:15-24 

17 妇人就照以利亚的话去行。她和她家中的人并以利亚，吃了许多日子。 16 坛内的面果不减少，瓶里的油也不缺短，正如耶和华借以利亚所说的话。17 这事以后，做那家主母的妇人她儿子病了，病得甚重，以致身无气息。 18 妇人对以利亚说：“神人哪，我与你何干？你竟到我这里来，使神想念我的罪，以致我的儿子死呢？” 19 以利亚对她说：“把你儿子交给我。”以利亚就从妇人怀中将孩子接过来，抱到他所住的楼中，放在自己的床上， 20 就求告耶和华说：“耶和华我的神啊，我寄居在这寡妇的家里，你就降祸于她，使她的儿子死了吗？” 21 以利亚三次伏在孩子的身上，求告耶和华说：“耶和华我的神啊，求你使这孩子的灵魂仍入他的身体！” 22 耶和华应允以利亚的话，孩子的灵魂仍入他的身体，他就活了。 23 以利亚将孩子从楼上抱下来，进屋子交给他母亲，说：“看哪，你的儿子活了。” 24 妇人对以利亚说：“现在我知道你是神人，耶和华借你口所说的话是真的。”

INSIGHT

灵粮透视

It can be easy to think that life will go well if we do everything we’re supposed to do. But today’s story reminds us that life isn’t a formula. The widow was faithful and obedient, and yet her son died. But we can be encouraged that there’s nothing too hard for God, for He is the one who can even bring the dead back to life (v. 23).

我们常以为如果做了所有该做的事，生活就会一帆风顺。但今天的故事提醒我们，生活不可能是一个固定的公式。这个寡妇有信心，而且愿意顺服，但她的儿子却死了。然而，令我们鼓舞的是，在上帝没有任何难成的事，因为祂能够叫死人复活（23节）。

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Commit your situation to our faithful God. 

你是否感到力不能胜？当把你的境况交托给信实的上帝。 

整理：于姊妹