有一个母亲带着她两个年幼的小孩去探望教会的一位年长女士。她热情地招待他们，邀请他们一起坐在桌前享用茶点。小孩们很快便留意到桌子中央有一大瓶软心豆粒糖。面对眼前美味的糖果，他们情不自禁眼睁睁地望着它。这位年长女士微笑着说：“你们想吃吗？”
两个小孩便立即点点头，小女孩把手伸入瓶子里、非常礼貌地拿了一粒 - 是红色的，这是她最喜爱的颜色。她看起来很高兴，直到她看见她的弟弟把手伸进瓶子里、抓了一大把软心糖，她当时多么希望自己也像他那样多拿一些呢。
在以弗所书中，使徒保罗要求我们想像与耶稣有更深入的关系，一种超过我们与祂惯常保持的客气关系。基督愿意赐予我们丰盛的生命；祂希望我们与祂的关系能像在家中休息的时候那样自在；祂要我们知道，祂多么爱护和关心我们 - 这样的认识能影响我们每天以什么方式来活出我们的信心。祂希望我们以蒙祂所爱的事实为根基，叫我们无所畏惧地去支取祂为我们预备的一切大能和大力。
不论我们的境况如何，基督必然把自己全然赐给我们。今天就是一个好时机，去拓展我们的信心和想像力，去探索基督为我们预备的一切“美物”。
亲爱的神，求你赐我力量和勇气，叫我不是单单与你保持客气的关系。求你以你的生命和能力充满我的心，好叫我能荣耀你。阿们。
以弗所书 3:16-21
16求他按着他丰盛的荣耀，藉着他的灵，叫你们心里的力量刚强起来，
17使基督因你们的信住在你们心里，叫你们的爱心有根有基，
18能以和众圣徒一同明白基督的爱是何等长阔高深，
19并知道这爱是过于人所能测度的，便叫神一切所充满的充满了你们。
20神能照着运行在我们心里的大力，充充足足地成就一切，超过我们所求所想的。
21但愿他在教会中，并在基督耶稣里得着荣耀，直到世世代代，永永远远！阿们。
"I pray that . . . he may strengthen you . . . so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." - Ephesians 3:16-17
A mother and her two young children went to visit an older woman from their church. She greeted them warmly and invited them to sit at her table for refreshments. The children soon noticed a large jar of jelly beans at the center of the table. It was hard not to stare at the delightful treat when it was so close. The older woman smiled and said, "Would you like one?"
Immediately both children nodded, and the little girl reached in ever so politely and took one jelly bean—red, her favorite color. She seemed pleased until she saw her brother reach into the jar and grab a handful of jelly beans. Then she wished she had done the same.
In Ephesians the apostle Paul is asking us to imagine going deeper than the polite relationship we may tend to have with Jesus. Christ wants us to live fully. He wants us to be able to settle in and feel at home in our relationship with him. He wants us to know how much he loves and cares for us—and that will change how we live out our faith each day. He wants us to be grounded in the truth of his love so that we are not afraid to access all the power and strength he has for us.
No matter what our circumstances are, Christ is always offering all of himself for us. Today is a good day to stretch our faith and our imagination to find all of the "flavors" Christ is offering.
Dear God, give me the strength and courage to do more than sit politely with you. Fill my heart with your life and power to glorify you. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
