有没有一部汽车或货车是你很想拥有、但却出于某些原因尚未拥有的呢?几年之前,我认为拥有一部悍马H3便是最好不过的了。当然悍马H3并不实际也不节省汽油,但我却被它迷住了。很多次我都会提起它,并且表示如果我足够富有和经济独立、也不顾虑环保的话,我可能会拥有一部这款车。每逢在路上见到一部悍马H3,我便梦想自己能拥有它。
有一天,一位慷慨的汽车经销店店主赠送一个驾驶悍马H3的机会给我。他知道我刚渡过了颇为难受的一周,那天当我回家时,见到一部H3停在我家大门前面,车里面有一套车匙。他说:“不要长途越野,只要试驾体验一下!”哗!这个体验实在超乎我能想像得到的。泊位虽然有点困难,然而单是驾驶那部车真的是极妙的经历。此后,我对H3的看法不再只是停留在纯理论的层面了。
保罗希望我们领悟到,认识神与经历神和进入衪一切的丰盛是不同的。圣经中的这段经文,是我为我的儿女和孙儿女祷告时使用的经文。和保罗一样,我希望他们能享受和完全经历到神所赐给他们的一切。神已赐给我们每一个人与祂一同历险的机会,祂保证我们会得到祂为我们预备的丰盛生命。你是否准备好去试车呢?
亲爱的神,你如此爱我们,甚至白白赐给我们丰盛的生命,我们感谢你。求你帮助我们对你有足够的信靠,好叫我们能活出远远超越单纯局限在头脑上认识你的生命。阿们。
歌罗西书 1:3-14
3我们感谢神我们主耶稣基督的父,常常为你们祷告,
4因听见你们在基督耶稣里的信心并向众圣徒的爱心——
5是为那给你们存在天上的盼望。这盼望就是你们从前在福音真理的道上所听见的。
6这福音传到你们那里,也传到普天之下,并且结果、增长,如同在你们中间,自从你们听见福音真知道神恩惠的日子一样。
7正如你们从我们所亲爱、一同做仆人的以巴弗所学的。他为我们做了基督忠心的执事,
8也把你们因圣灵所存的爱心告诉了我们。
9因此,我们自从听见的日子,也就为你们不住地祷告祈求,愿你们在一切属灵的智慧悟性上,满心知道神的旨意,
10好叫你们行事为人对得起主,凡事蒙他喜悦,在一切善事上结果子,渐渐地多知道神;
11照他荣耀的权能,得以在各样的力上加力,好叫你们凡事欢欢喜喜地忍耐宽容。
12又感谢父,叫我们能与众圣徒在光明中同得基业。
13他救了我们脱离黑暗的权势,把我们迁到他爱子的国里;
14我们在爱子里得蒙救赎,罪过得以赦免。
"We . . . ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all . . . wisdom and understanding. . . ." - Colossians 1:9
Is there a car or truck you would love to own but probably can't, for one reason or another? Some years ago, I thought it would be wonderful to have a Hummer H3. It wasn't practical or fuel efficient, of course, but I was intrigued by it. I talked about it a lot, saying that if I was independently wealthy and not creation conscious, I would probably own one. Whenever I saw an H3 on the road, I would dream.
Then one day a generous friend who owned a dealership treated me with a chance to drive an H3. He knew it had been a rough week for me, and when I came home that day an H3 sat in front of my house with a set of keys in it. He said, "No off-roading, but enjoy!" Wow! The experience was more than I had imagined. Parking was a little tricky, but just driving that vehicle was an amazing experience. It was no longer just an academic look at an H3.
Paul wants us to realize that knowing about God is not the same as experiencing God and all of his fullness. This passage is a part of Scripture that I have prayed over my children and grandchildren. Like Paul, I want them to enjoy the full experience of all that God has given. God has offered each of us the chance to adventure with him, assuring us of the full life he has in store for us. Are you ready for a test drive?
Dear God, thank you for loving us so much that you offer us life full and free. Help us to trust you enough to live into far more than just knowing about you. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳