信仰并非与幸福脱节。不要把基督徒想像成闷闷不乐的人,那不是神的心意。幸福是关乎心灵的事,它与圣洁和纯洁有关。
正如诗篇第24篇所说,那些有“清洁的手和纯洁的心”的人……必蒙耶和华赐福。”他们必能站在耶和华圣洁的面前。或者,正如耶稣所说:“清心的人有福了,因为他们必得见神。”
然而,没有耶稣的救赎,我们的心就不能得洁净。正如箴言20章9节所说:“谁能说,我洁净了我的心,我脱净了我的罪?”只有耶稣能这样说,也只有祂使我们得以洁净,得以活在神的面前。
如果我们认为幸福在于这个世界所提供的快乐,那我们就错了。世界上的各种吸引人的东西也许能给人一时的快乐,但它们不能永远满足人心。有福之人并不是那些随心所欲的人。因着神在耶稣基督里的大能心得洁净的,这人是有福的。
他们大有福份,因为洁净他们的是神。他们有真实、永恒的福份!
全能的神,你是唯一真正幸福的源泉。我请求你洁净和更新我的心,使之圣洁。奉耶稣的名祷告,阿们。
诗篇 24:1-6
1地和其中所充满的,世界和住在其间的,都属耶和华。
2他把地建立在海上,安定在大水之上。
3谁能登耶和华的山?谁能站在他的圣所?
4就是手洁心清,不向虚妄,起誓不怀诡诈的人。
5他必蒙耶和华赐福,又蒙救他的神使他成义。
6这是寻求耶和华的族类,是寻求你面的雅各。
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." - Matthew 5:8
Faith is not disconnected from happiness. If you imagine the Christian as sullen and gloomy, that is not what God has in mind. Happiness is a matter of the heart, and it has to do with holiness and purity.
As Psalm 24 says, those who have "clean hands and a pure heart . . . will receive blessing from the Lord." They will be able to stand in the holy presence of the Lord. Or, as Jesus put it, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."
Yet we cannot be pure in heart without the saving work of Jesus. As Proverbs 20:9 makes clear, "Who can say, 'I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin'?" Only Jesus can say that, and only he has made it possible for us to be purified so that we can live in the presence of God.
If we think that happiness lies in the pleasures that the world offers, we are mistaken. The attractions of the world may give pleasure for a moment, but they do not satisfy the heart forever. The blessed are not people who give free rein to their passions. The blessed are those whose hearts are made pure through the power of God in Jesus Christ.
Indeed, they are abundantly blessed because God is the one who purifies them. They are truly and eternally happy!
Majestic God, you are the only source of true happiness. I ask you to purify and renew my heart in holiness. In Jesus, Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳