“百姓喊着说：‘这是神的声音，不是人的声音。’希律不归荣耀给神，所以主的使者立刻罚他，他被虫所咬，气就绝了。” – 徒 12:22-23
使徒行传再次提醒我们要敬畏神。希律王像神一样坐在王位上。他的穿着和他所说的话会使人们误认为他是神，而不是人。我们不要忘记，他们想从他那里得到一些东西：和平和食物。
然而，王没有将神应得的赞美归给祂，所以他被击倒，被虫咬致死。
但我们要小心，不要这么快就对希律王下定论。我们可能没有宝座可坐，也没有皇袍可穿。甚至连一个跟从我们的人都没有。但有时，我们照样会在自己的生活中扮演神的角色。
过度担心就是其中一种方式。忧虑是一个信号，表明我们在生活中取代了神的角色，自己俨然成了神。就好像我们紧紧抓住这件事，误以为我们能控制它——当然我们不能。
任何一个过度忧虑的人都会告诉你，那样的生活其实没有满足感和快乐。当我们试图坐在自己生命的宝座上，占据了唯有神应得的位置，却不敞开心扉信靠祂，我们就给自己招来麻烦。虽然我们不一定会被击倒或被虫咬，但我们这样做可能会危害自己的灵魂。我们需要停止扮演神，让祂引导我们进入丰盛的生命。
祷告
神啊，你比我更精通如何妥善管理我的生活。今天帮助我把我的生命交托给你。阿们。
使徒行传 12:6-11
6希律将要提他出来的前一夜，彼得被两条铁链锁着，睡在两个兵丁当中，看守的人也在门外看守。
7忽然，有主的一个使者站在旁边，屋里有光照耀。天使拍彼得的肋旁，拍醒了他，说：“快快起来！”那铁链就从他手上脱落下来。
8天使对他说：“束上带子，穿上鞋！”他就那样做。天使又说：“披上外衣，跟着我来！”
9彼得就出来跟着他，不知道天使所做是真的，只当见了异象。
10过了第一层、第二层监牢，就来到临街的铁门，那门自己开了。他们出来，走过一条街，天使便离开他去了。
11彼得醒悟过来，说：“我现在真知道主差遣他的使者，救我脱离希律的手和犹太百姓一切所盼望的。”
18到了天亮，兵丁扰乱得很，不知道彼得往哪里去了。
19希律找他，找不着，就审问看守的人，吩咐把他们拉去杀了。后来希律离开犹太，下恺撒利亚去，住在那里。
20希律恼怒推罗、西顿的人。他们那一带地方是从王的地土得粮，因此就托了王的内侍臣伯拉斯都的情，一心来求和。
21希律在所定的日子，穿上朝服，坐在位上，对他们讲论一番。
22百姓喊着说：“这是神的声音，不是人的声音！”
23希律不归荣耀给神，所以主的使者立刻罚他，他被虫所咬，气就绝了。
24神的道日见兴旺，越发广传。
Stop Playing God
“They shouted, ‘This is the voice of a god, not of a man.’ Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.’” – Acts 12:22-23
Here Acts helps us again to stand in awe of God. King Herod had set himself up on his throne like a god. What he wore and what he said would have prompted the people to say that he was a god, not a man. And let’s not forget that they wanted something from him: peace and food.
Well, the king did not give due praise to God, so he was struck down and eaten by worms.
But let’s be careful not to pass judgment on King Herod so quickly. We may not have a throne to sit on or royal robes to wear. We may not even have one person following us. But sometimes we play God in our own lives.
Excessive worry is one way we do that. Worry is a signal that we are taking over God’s role of being God in our lives. It’s as though we hold tight to this thing as if we have control over it—but of course we do not.
As anyone who worries excessively can tell you, there is very little contentment and joy in living that way. When we try to sit on the throne of our lives, taking God’s rightful place and not opening ourselves to trust in him, we set ourselves up for trouble. Though we might not be struck down or eaten by worms, we can endanger our very souls. We need to stop playing God and let him guide us into full life.
Prayer
God, you are better at running my life than I am. Help me to give you my life today. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
