感谢神一直在作工

“我靠着耶稣基督，为你们众人感谢我的神，因你们的信德传遍了天下。” - 罗 1:8

　　保罗大部份的书信的开首，都是为到受信的教会感谢神，而感谢通常会引进一个祷告，这个模式实在很有意思。

　　当我探望一位手术后正在复原的会友时，她谈到她复原的进展及她从物理治疗师那里得到的良好护理。她告诉我，她得到的护理远超过她身体的需要；由于她丈夫住在附近的一所老人失智症中心，细心的治疗师特意安排她步行到她丈夫的房间，作为她康复计划的一部分。她很高兴，也很感谢，我便和她一起为这个很有心的礼物感谢神。

　　在你的生命中，有没有人曾经特别很用心地对待你呢？你有没有环顾四周，从家人、朋友、相识的人，甚至陌生人对你的看顾之中，而看到神的手呢？我们很容易便会忽略了神藉着其他人在我们身上所作的工，及祂编织在我们每天生活中的恩惠。

　　或许我们可以像保罗那样，今天就去留心聆听别人分享他们信心的见证，我们也可以在自己的生命中寻找神的恩惠的明证。也让我们为此祷告并献上感谢。

慈爱的神，祢一直在这个世界作工！为着我们听到别人的见证，及看到祢恩惠的明证，我们满心感激。求祢垂听我们感谢的祷告，奉耶稣的名祈求，阿们。

1耶稣基督的仆人保罗，奉召为使徒，特派传神的福音。
2这福音是神从前藉众先知在圣经上所应许的，
3论到他儿子－我主耶稣基督。按肉体说，是从大卫后裔生的；
4按圣善的灵说，因从死里复活，以大能显明是神的儿子。
5我们从他受了恩惠并使徒的职分，在万国之中叫人为他的名信服真道；
6其中也有你们这蒙召属耶稣基督的人。
7我写信给你们在罗马、为神所爱、奉召作圣徒的众人。愿恩惠、平安从我们的父神并主耶稣基督归与你们！
8第一，我靠着耶稣基督，为你们众人感谢我的神，因你们的信德传遍了天下。

Thanks For God’s Work

"I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world." — Romans 1:8

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Paul begins most of his letters with expressions of thanks to God for the church and the believers to whom he writes. The thanksgiving often leads into a prayer, and that pattern makes sense.

While I visited with a member of my congregation who was recovering from surgery, she talked about the progress she was making and the excellent care she was receiving from the physical therapists. She shared that the care went well beyond her physical needs. Because her husband lived in a dementia care unit nearby, the therapists thoughtfully included walks to her husband’s room as part of the rehabilitation plan for her. She was delighted and thankful. Together we gave thanks to God in prayer for that thoughtful gift.

Have people shown thoughtfulness in your life? Have you looked around you and seen evidences of God’s care through family members, friends, acquaintances—and even strangers? It’s easy to miss seeing God’s hand at work through others and God’s goodness woven into the tapestry of our days.

But maybe today, as Paul did, we could listen carefully for reports of people living out their faith, and we could look for signs of God’s goodness in our own lives. Then let’s also pray and give thanks.

Prayer

Loving God, you are at work in our world. We hear faith-filled reports and see signs of your goodness, and we are thankful. Hear our prayer of gratitude, in Jesus’ name. Amen.