这个月我们在思想平安这个主题时，曾经深入考察圣经和人类历史、回溯我们的传统记忆、重访生命中某些最具挑战性的经历。我们曾就此深入祷告和思考。在这个充满战争、暴力、和痛苦的世界，我们渴望去寻找神的平安（shalom）。
在今天，让我们来看看腓立比书4章中的几节经文吧。保罗是在罗马监狱中写下这封信的，当时他正在等待法庭的判决。保罗为耶稣的缘故被囚，尽管是令人悲伤的遭遇，然而这封信却被称为他的以感恩和喜乐为标志的书信。
在今天的经文中，保罗首先劝勉他的读者“要靠主常常喜乐。”他反复强调这个命令：“你们要喜乐！”我们能够拥有这种不改变的喜乐，原因很简单：就是主与我们同在。在耶稣基督里，藉着衪的圣灵，慈爱的神永远不会离弃衪的儿女。保罗也提醒我们，要以温柔和怜恤的心待人，藉此我们能够向他们表达出基督的爱来。他又勉励我们应当一无挂虑，只要凡事信靠主，将我们的需要和感谢告诉衪。
当我们怀着喜乐、温柔、感恩的心过生活、并且倚靠主时，我们便会被出人意外的平安充满了；它“必在基督耶稣里保守〔我们〕的心怀意念。”你有没有得到衪这份令人出人意外的平安呢？
慈悲怜悯的神，感谢你常在我们身旁。求你教导我们倚靠你，引领我们怀着喜乐、温柔、和信靠你的心生活，又用你出人意外的平安充满我们。阿们。
腓立比书 4:4-7
4你们要靠主常常喜乐，我再说，你们要喜乐！
5当叫众人知道你们谦让的心。主已经近了。
6应当一无挂虑，只要凡事藉着祷告、祈求和感谢，将你们所要的告诉神。
7神所赐出人意外的平安，必在基督耶稣里保守你们的心怀意念。
"The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:7
During this month in our reflections on peace, we have dug into the Scriptures and human history, dived into our memories, and revisited some of life’s most challenging experiences. We have prayed and contemplated. In this world filled with wars, violence, and pain, we have sought to find God’s shalom.
Today let’s look again at some verses from Philippians 4. Paul wrote this letter from a jail in Rome, where he was awaiting a verdict from the imperial court. Despite the sad circumstances of Paul’s imprisonment for Jesus’ sake, this letter is often called his epistle of thanks and joy.
In our verses today Paul calls his readers first of all to “rejoice in the Lord.” It’s a command that he repeats: “Rejoice!” The reason for this unyielding joy is simple: the Lord is with us. In the person of Jesus Christ and through his Holy Spirit, the loving God is never far away from his children. Paul also reminds us to be gentle and caring toward others. That’s how we reflect Christ to them. And he encourages us not to be anxious about anything but to trust in the Lord completely, presenting our requests with thanks.
When we live with joy, gentleness, thanks, and trust in the Lord, the incredible peace of God fills us. It “guards [our] hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Have you found his incredible peace?
Merciful God, thank you for being near. Teach us to rely on you. Lead us to live with joy, gentleness, and trust in you, and fill us with your incredible peace. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
