於2022-10-11發佈


祂的新婦的標誌!早起的鳥兒喚醒了黎明
作者:曼迪-伍德豪斯 Mandy Woodhouse
原文來源:以利亞名單 https://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word.html?ID=28149 
日期:2022.10.9
翻譯:Kate
轉載/轉寄 請註明出處:國度禱告網

最近,我在太陽升起前被通常認為是美妙的聲音驚醒;一隻笑翠鳥(kookaburra)坐在我們的窗戶上,笑著--笑著,在最不方便的時候。

這隻笑翠鳥是在淩晨4點左右開始笑的,由於過去幾個月我一直很疲憊,所以我不是特別興奮。

我目前正處於一個強烈的緊迫感、心的過渡和調整的季節,就像基督身體裡的許多人一樣。我最不希望的是在破曉時分被笑聲吵醒,甚至被我最喜歡的鳥兒吵醒;但我知道,主想透過這隻澳大利亞的小袋鼠說話。

"神在其中,城必不動搖;到天一亮,神必幫助這城。"(詩篇46:5)

笑翠鳥的教訓

我首先注意到這隻鳥的一個特點是,它在夜裡就在笑。在太陽的光芒出現之前,笑翠鳥已經用歡樂喚醒了黎明。笑翠鳥的"笑聲"被認為是它們的"歌聲",我開始處理這個事實,即這隻鳥在黑暗中唱歌和笑。我在靈裡感覺到這是一種先知性的行為,為了正確駕馭季節、生活、事工、家庭和震動的國家的過渡和"運動",需要遵循這種先知性行為。

當太陽還沒有完全升起,你疲憊的腳上仍然感覺地面很冷時,醒來有時會很困難。但是我們必須聽到起床的呼召,我們必須在新的一天的光亮前做好準備。祂就在我們中間,祂是偉大的幫助者。

主開始透過這隻笑翠鳥向我展示了一些事,我相信在這個過渡和 "覺醒 "的時刻,這些東西將對新婦產生巨大的先知性鼓勵。

1. 黑暗不能使笑翠鳥的歌聲和歡樂黯淡無光

即使是黑暗也不能使這隻鳥的歌聲和歡樂黯淡。這隻小鳥有最美麗的笑聲。笑翠鳥的歌聲很明亮,它的歌聲照亮了黑暗。儘管它在身體上喚醒了我,它也在精神上喚醒了我。"光照在黑暗裡,黑暗卻不接受光。"(約翰福音1:5)。笑翠鳥沒有被缺乏陽光的情況所征服;笑翠鳥只是保持它的喜樂。

2. 鳥兒獨唱,但它全心全意地唱著

一隻孤獨的鳥兒唱出了它的心聲。它不僅用歌聲照亮了黑暗,而且還獨唱,沒有家人陪伴。大多數時候,笑翠鳥是成群結隊的,或者說是一家人,你可以聽到它們在整個莊園裡唱歌。但是這隻鳥卻獨自唱歌,用它的小肺唱出了上帝賦予它的歌聲--即使它是獨自唱的!

它的"家人"很可能就在附近,但無論出於什麼原因,這隻小鳥都在獨自歌唱。"無論做什麼,都要從心裡做,像是給主做的,不是給人做的。"(歌羅西書3:23)。我感到天父對那些感到孤獨、被拋棄或被拒絕的人的鼓勵:只要在這個時候繼續讚美祂的名字。

3. 在黑暗中,笑翠鳥的笑聲造就了一個美麗的地方

黑暗中,笑翠鳥用它輝煌的笑聲造就了一個美麗的地方。因為太陽還沒有出現,所以那裡很黑暗,很陰沉,而這隻鳥使那裡變得很美麗。笑翠鳥在淩晨時分帶來了大喜樂,甚至當我躺在床上聽的時候,它的歌聲所帶來的歡樂使我實際上忘記了前一天晚上我所忍受的哭泣。

"因為,他的怒氣不過是轉眼之間;他的恩典乃是一生之久。一宿雖然有哭泣,早晨便必歡呼。"(詩篇30:5)。在基督的身體裡,許多人已經在哭泣的山谷裡忍受了太久。神的國在乎 "公義、和平,並聖靈中的喜樂"(見羅馬書14:17)。讓喜樂成為護送你走出哭泣之谷的東西(見詩篇84篇)。

4. 它在等待中歌唱!

我可以邊等邊唱。甚至《以賽亞書》第54章也命令不孕不育的女人唱歌!那隻小鳥顯然不能等待黎明的到來,所以它開始唱出黎明的到來。為什麼我不能做同樣的事?我可能無法用眼睛看到日出,但我可以在我的靈魂中感受到它。等待是不容易的,但它不一定是我們人類頭腦中經常出現的那種艱苦的過程。



像大衛一樣,我可以命令我的靈魂等待主,我可以在等待時唱歌。"我等候耶和華,我的心等候;我也仰望他的話。我的心等候主,勝於守夜的,等候天亮,勝於守夜的,等候天亮。"(詩篇130:5-6)。我可以在我醒來的時候唱歌!而我的歌聲可以緩解冰冷地板對我疲憊雙腳的刺痛。

5. 它在黎明前歌唱

有時,需要一個先知性的行動來喚醒黎明。我知道神應許了一個比我所要求或想像的更好的未來(見耶利米書29:11),但有時我對下一季的"異象"感到黑暗和陰霾。然而,我可以自信地唱歌(或笑)來喚醒黎明。我可以對未來微笑,因為我知道上帝是美善的(見箴言31:25)。就像這隻小鳥一樣,我可以在看到天亮之前唱歌,因為我有希望,我知道我的聲音和宣言會引起季節的轉變。

"(大衛的詩歌。)神啊,我心堅定;我口(原文是榮耀)要唱詩歌頌!琴瑟啊,你們當醒起!我自己要極早醒起!耶和華啊,我要在萬民中稱謝你,在列邦中歌頌你!因為,你的慈愛大過諸天;你的誠實達到穹蒼。"(詩篇108:1-4)

當我們,新婦,開始覺醒時,願我們繼續笑對黑暗,在黎明前歌唱。祂是我們忠實的幫助者,在祂裡面我們不會被動。隨著黎明的迅速來臨,讓我們做好準備。即使在寒冷和黑暗中,我們也會發光,因為我們保持我們的喜悅。我們會站起來,因為我們知道我們在向誰歌唱,誰在支持我們。

"這樣,你的光就必發現如早晨的光,你所得的醫治要速速發明。你的公義必在你前面行;耶和華的榮光必作你的後盾。" (以賽亞書58:8)

 

A Sign for His Bride! The Early Bird Awakens the Dawn
Mandy Woodhouse, Brisbane, Australia

Recently, I was awakened just before the sun came up by what I would normally deem a wonderful sound; a little kookaburra was sitting on our window, laughing – laughing, yet at the most inconvenient time.

This little bird started laughing at around 4 AM, and as I have been pretty exhausted these past several months, I was not particularly thrilled.

I am currently in a season of intense pressing, heart transition and realignment, as are many in the Body of Christ. The last thing that I wanted was to be awakened at the break of dawn by laughter, even by my favorite bird; but I knew that the Lord wanted to speak through this little Aussie kookaburra.

"God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns." (Psalm 46:5)

Lessons from the Kookaburra

One of the things that I noticed first about this bird was that it was laughing while it was still nighttime. Before the light of the sun even appeared, the kookaburra was already awakening the dawn with joy. This "laughter" that kookaburras have is considered their "song," and I began to process the fact that this bird was singing and laughing – in the DARK. I felt in my spirit that this was a prophetic act that needs to be followed in order to properly navigate the transitions and "movement" of seasons, lives, ministries, families and shaking nations.

Waking up can sometimes be difficult when the sun isn't fully up and the ground still feels cold on your weary feet. But we must hear the call to arise, and we must be prepared before the light of the new day. He IS in our midst and He IS the Great Helper. (Photo via Unsplash)

The Lord began to show me a few things through this kookaburra that I believe will be a great prophetic encouragement to the Bride in this hour of transition and "waking up."

1. Darkness Could Not Dim the Kookaburra's Song and Joy

Even the darkness did not dim this bird's song or joy. This little bird has the most beautiful laughter. The kookaburra sang brightly, and its song lit up the darkness. Even though it woke me up physically, it also woke me up spiritually as well. "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:5). It wasn't overcome by the lack of sunshine; it just kept its joy.

2. The Bird Sang Solo, But It Sang with All Its Heart

One lonely bird sang its heart out. Not only did it light up the darkness with its song, but it sang solo, without its family. Most of the time, kookaburras come in packs, or families, and you can hear them singing all across the property. But this bird sang alone, at the top of its little lungs, and it sang the very song that God gave it to sing – even if it sang it all by itself!

Its "family" was most likely nearby, but for whatever reason this little bird sang solo. "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men" (Colossians 3:23). I felt an encouragement from the Father for those who have felt alone, abandoned or rejected: just keep praising His name in this hour.

3. In the Darkness, the Kookaburra's Laughter Made a Beautiful Place

It was dark, but the kookaburra made it a beautiful place with its glorious laughter. It was dark and gloomy because the sun hadn't yet appeared, and this bird made it beautiful. The kookaburra brought great joy in the wee hours of the morning, and even as I lay in bed listening, the joy of its song made me actually forget the weeping I had endured the night before.

"For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5). Many in the Body of Christ have endured the valley of weeping for far too long. The Kingdom of God is "righteousness, peace and JOY in the Holy Spirit" (see Romans 14:17). Allow joy to be the thing that escorts you out of the valley of weeping (see Psalm 84).

4. It Sang While It Waited!

I can sing while I wait. Even Isaiah 54 commands the barren woman to SING! That little bird obviously could not wait for the dawn, so it began to sing it into being. Why can't I do the same? I may not physically see the sunrise with my eyes, but I can feel it in my soul. Waiting is not easy, but it doesn't have to be the grueling process that our human minds often make it. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

Like David, I can command my soul to wait on the Lord and I can sing while I wait. "I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning" (Psalm 130:5-6). I can sing while I'm waking up! And my song can ease the sting of the cold floor on my weary feet.

5. It Sang Before the Light of Day

Sometimes, it takes a prophetic act to awaken the dawn. I know that God promises a better future than I could ever ask for or imagine (see Jeremiah 29:11), but at times my "vision" for the next season has felt dark and clouded. However, I can confidently sing (or laugh) to awaken the dawn. I can smile at the future because I know that God is good (see Proverbs 31:25). Like this little bird, I can sing before I see the full light of day because I have hope and I know that my voice and declarations will cause the season to shift.

"My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your steadfast love is great above the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds." (Psalm 108:1-4)

As we, the Bride, begin to awaken, may we continue to laugh at the darkness and sing before the dawn. He is our faithful Helper, and in Him we will not be moved. As the dawn quickly approaches, let us be ready. Even in the cold and dark, we WILL shine as we keep our joy. We WILL stand, because we know Who we are singing to and Who has our back.

"Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard." (Isaiah 58:8)