Sheri的家人殷切期待她的到来已经很久了，还有她家人所在的整个社群也期待着她被领养，并且天天为她祷告。Sheri渐渐长大时，人们常常提醒她，她完全归属她的家庭和她的社群，从最初开始，她已经被看为是这个社群的一份子；她的养父母待她如亲生女儿一般来抚养，而她也完全被她的社群接纳。在任何时候，假若她开始怀疑她的身份，这个社群的人便会在身边支持她并向她确认，她是完全地，百份之一百地属于他们这个社群。
使徒保罗使用罗马人领养的观念，来形容我们与神的关系；在罗马的社会里，领养是百份之一百与亲生完全一样的地位。被领养的人是正式的儿女和后嗣，领养手续办妥后，再没有被领养和亲生之分。保罗用这个类似的例子帮助我们明白，我们百份之一百是神的儿女。
社群也是一样。我们不单是完全属于神的儿子和女儿，我们彼此的关系是同属神的儿女和基督里的兄弟姊妹。社群是我们这些被神领养的儿子和女儿所归属的群体！
父啊，求你帮助我们，以基督里的兄弟姊妹和你儿子女儿的身份，来看待自己，看待彼此。奉耶稣名祈求，阿们。
罗马书 8:14-17
14因为凡被神的灵引导的，都是神的儿子。
15你们所受的不是奴仆的心，仍旧害怕；所受的乃是儿子的心，因此我们呼叫：“阿爸！父！”
16圣灵与我们的心同证我们是神的儿女。
17既是儿女，便是后嗣，就是神的后嗣，和基督同做后嗣。如果我们和他一同受苦，也必和他一同得荣耀。
"The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship." - Romans 8:15
Sheri’s family waited for her for a long time with great anticipation. What’s more, the whole community around her family anticipated her adoption and prayed for her every day. As she grew up, Sheri was constantly reminded that she fully belonged to her family and to her community. She was part of her community from the very beginning. She was raised as a full-fledged daughter of her parents and as a full member of her community. If she ever began to question that, the community rallied around her to assure her that she was completely and totally theirs.
The apostle Paul uses the Roman concept of adoption to describe our relationship to God. Adoption in the Roman culture was total and complete. The adoptee was a full child and heir. No distinction was made after the adoption was finalized. Paul uses that analogy for us so that we can understand we are completely and totally God’s sons and daughters.
Community is the same way. Not only are we completely daughters and sons of God belonging to him, but we also belong to each other as children of God and siblings of Christ. Community is where we belong as adopted sons and daughters of God!
Father, help us to see ourselves and each other as brothers and sisters in Christ and as your sons and daughters. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
