當走的路甚遠 (卓爾君牧師)
我們常常用聖經人物來為孩子命名，或許是期待孩子可以為神所用，或者希望孩子可以擁有這些聖經人物的某些特質，但我們常忘了這些人物其實是經歷過許多考驗與苦難才獲得最後的品格與特質，我們是否也希望我們的孩子一樣經歷這些考驗與苦難呢？
十字架的道路與這世界的道路不同，而神所定義的成功也與人所定義的不同。在列王記第十九章中，神本來可以只告訴我們以利亞一生中最引人入勝的得勝戰役，但是神卻告訴我們這位偉人的恐懼和軟弱，顯露他為了自己生命而逃跑的故事。
許多聖經中的人物是有缺點的，但是神卻喜歡使用功能失調的人來成就大事。我們的軟弱一方面證實我們只是人，另一方面在我們身上卻要顯出神的恩慈與大能。
列王紀上 19:1-7 (和合本)
- 亞哈將以利亞一切所行的和他用刀殺眾先知的事，都告訴耶洗別。
- 耶洗別就差遣人去見以利亞，告訴他說：“明日約在這時候，我若不使你的性命像那些人的性命一樣，願神明重重地降罰與我。”
- 以利亞見這光景，就起來逃命，到了猶大的別是巴，將僕人留在那裡。
- 自己在曠野走了一日的路程，來到一棵羅騰樹下（註：“羅騰”，小樹名，松類。下同）；就坐在那裡求死說：“耶和華啊，罷了！求你取我的性命，因為我不勝於我的列祖。”
- 他就躺在羅騰樹下睡著了。有一個天使拍他說：“起來吃吧！”
- 他觀看，見頭旁有一瓶水與炭火燒的餅，他就吃了喝了，仍然躺下。
- 耶和華的使者第二次來拍他說：“起來吃吧！因為你當走的路甚遠。”
1 King 19:1-7 (NIV)
- Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
- So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
- Elijah was afraid[a] and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,
- while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”
- Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”
- He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
- The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.”