为这地求平安
有些敬虔的人，对社会漠不关心，然而主教导我们的却不是这种敬虔。
假若有人认为自己不需要理会他们身处的社会，这些人应该就是从耶路撒冷被掳到巴比伦的犹太人了。然而耶和华吩咐他们，要在他们被掳到的巴比伦寻求平安，甚至为那城祷告。
你可以称这种态度为“公民的精神”：不是单单关心自己、或自己的家人和朋友，也关心整个社会。我想起一些为巴比伦和波斯求平安的杰出犹太人：但以理、沙得拉、米煞、亚伯尼歌、尼希米、以斯帖、末底改。在被掳年间，他们当中有些更出任高官。今天，很多相信真神的信徒，也还在这样做。
怀有公民的精神，就是关顾我们身处的社会。你的服务，不一定是要成为政府的外交大使，可以简简单单地在社区协会参与服务，又或在公园走路时，捡拾那弃置在路上的破瓶和垃圾，好叫你的居住环境更舒适和安全，这就是关顾社会了。如果人人都不关心他们的社区，这个社区的人际关系也变得了无生气了。
主啊，我们为我们的小镇或城市、我们的国家，和我们的世界祷告。听到有那么多令人忧郁的新闻，我们感到忧虑。求祢赐我们使命感，让我们看到怎样能在今日社会中作光作盐。奉耶稣的名求，阿们。
耶利米书 29:1，4-7
1先知耶利米从耶路撒冷寄信与被掳的祭司、先知，和众民，并生存的长老，就是尼布甲尼撒从耶路撒冷掳到巴比伦去的。4信上说：“万军之耶和华－以色列的神对一切被掳去的（就是我使他们从耶路撒冷被掳到巴比伦的人）如此说：
5你们要盖造房屋，住在其中；栽种田园，吃其中所产的；
6娶妻生儿女，为你们的儿子娶妻，使你们的女儿嫁人，生儿养女。在那里生养众多，不致减少。
7我所使你们被掳到的那城，你们要为那城求平安，为那城祷告耶和华；因为那城得平安，你们也随着得平安。
Seeking Peace And Prosperity
"Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." - Jeremiah 29:7
There is a kind of piety that has no concern for society. But that is not an attitude learned from the Lord.
If anyone might have thought it was justified to ignore the society around them, it was the Jews, carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. But the Lord commanded them to seek the peace and prosperity of Babylon, their home in exile, and even to pray for it.
You could call this attitude "civic spirit": not just being concerned for oneself, or one's family and friends, but also for society at large. Some illustrious Jews, those who sought the peace of Babylon and Persia, come to mind: Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Nehemiah, Esther, Mordecai. Some served in high office during the years of exile. Today, many believers in the true God show the same example.
Civic spirit involves taking care of society at large. Your service doesn't have to be as an ambassador for your government; it can be as basic as serving on your neighborhood association, or picking up broken bottles and litter in the park down the street, making it so that where you live is pleasant and safe rather than the opposite. If no one cares about their community, all their relationships will languish.
Lord, we pray for our town or city, our country, our world. It can be depressing to hear of so much trouble in the news. Give us a sense of calling; show us what we can do as salt and light in society today. In Jesus, Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
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