快快预备好你的心

“我要差遣我的使者在我面前预备道路。” - 玛 3:1

　　读到今天这经文，我们通常想起施洗约翰，就是那位为耶稣预备道路的先知，马可福音1:2也曾引用了这经文。然而，在应用在施洗约翰身上之前，这经文原本是指着玛拉基说的，而玛拉基的名字就是“我的使者”的意思。神藉着玛拉基传讲衪的信息，来解答以色列民问及神在哪里和衪在何时会来。

　　玛拉基（和施洗约翰）的责任，是要为主的降临预备道路。我们一直在研读神爱衪的子民这个重要信息，在这个过程中，我们也看到衪的子民却不爱衪。在临到他们之前，神要他们知道，他们在神面前的光景，他们仍有时间改善他们与神的关系，只是时间已经不多了。

　　对我们在等候基督再来的人，也是同一道理。我们准备迎接基督再来，最重要的是我们与衪的关系。我们是否热切盼望衪回来？我留意到，我愈靠近基督，地上的事物也离我愈远。今天，有没有东西缠累着你、令你难以放手的呢？不要以为将来必定还有时间让你重整你的优先次序。现在，就快快预备好你的心吧。

祷告

亲爱的耶稣，求祢帮助我们更深认识祢。惟愿我们的自我天天死去——我们的财物、我们和别人的关系，甚至我们的身份。又求祢叫我们更加倚靠祢。奉耶稣名求，阿们。

玛拉基书 3:1

Getting Prepared For God

"I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me." — Malachi 3:1

英语音频 English Audio

This verse is often connected with John the Baptist, the prophet who came to prepare the way for Jesus. It is even quoted in Mark 1:2. But before it was about John the Baptist, it was about Malachi himself, whose name means "my messenger." The message God sent through Malachi was the answer to Israel's questions about where God was and when he was coming.

The purpose of Malachi (and John the Baptist) was to prepare the way ahead of the Lord's coming. We've been looking mostly at the main message that God loves his people. But we've discovered along the way that the people were failing in their love for God. Before God came to them, he wanted them to know where they stood with him. They had time to make improvements in their relationship with God, but that time would someday end.

The same is true for us who await Christ's second coming. What's truly important about being ready for Christ's return is our relationship with him. Are we eager for him to come? I've noticed that the closer I grow to Christ, the more disconnected I become with earthly things. Are there things you are attached to that you have a hard time letting go? Don't assume there will always be time later to straighten your priorities. Now is the time to have our hearts prepared.

Prayer

诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳