我们在一间餐馆坐下吃早餐时，Jack对我说：“我爱你，弟兄；我非常爱你！”他这样说大概已经是第十次了。我肯定不配得他的爱，因为我已经很多年没有见过Jack了。我坐在那里，是因为有另一个朋友比我更尽心与Jack 保持联络；我们早就应该安排这个早餐约会了。
多年之前，我曾时常与Jack保持联络。那时他因很多个人的困难正在经历一段痛苦的日子，他有一个年轻的女儿需要他的照顾；他有几个尽力关怀他和鼓励他的人，而我是其中一个。他视这些帮助为耶稣赐给他的礼物。
随着时日的过去，Jack搬到另一社区居住，我已很久没有见他了。
我容让我们的友情流逝，在反思我的内疚感的过程中，我开始清楚看到，Jack是我一个多么大的祝福。在这个令我感到难受的故事中，他让我看到什么是坚忍的信心。尽管我已很久没有见他了，他并没有怪责我——他只是非常高兴我出现了。我另外一个朋友和我说着玩，那天我们听到Jack多次说“我爱你”，多过我们的家人近日对我们这样说的次数。我被提醒，单单出现带来的果效是何等有力。
这件事也帮助我记着，主耶稣是常常与我们同在的（马太福音 28:20）。
主啊，感谢你，因为无论我们身在何处，你早就已经在那里了。求你帮助我们把你的爱传给其他人。阿们。
帖撒罗尼迦后书 2:13-17
13主所爱的弟兄们哪，我们本该常为你们感谢神，因为他从起初拣选了你们，叫你们因信真道，又被圣灵感动成为圣洁，能以得救。
14神藉我们所传的福音召你们到这地步，好得着我们主耶稣基督的荣光。
15所以弟兄们，你们要站立得稳，凡所领受的教训，不拘是我们口传的，是信上写的，都要坚守。
16但愿我们主耶稣基督和那爱我们、开恩将永远的安慰并美好的盼望赐给我们的父神，
17安慰你们的心，并且在一切善行善言上坚固你们！
"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself . . . encourage your hearts and strengthen you. . . ." - 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
As we sat down for breakfast at a restaurant, Jack said to me for about the tenth time, "I love you, brother; I love you so much!" I certainly didn't feel worthy of that love because I hadn't seen Jack for years. I was there because a friend had faithfully kept up contact much better than I had done. So this breakfast meeting was long overdue.
Some years ago, I had been in contact with Jack quite a lot. He was going through a painful time with lots of personal struggles. He had a young daughter he was trying to care for, and I was one of several people who did our best to surround him with care and encouragement. He saw it all as a gift from Jesus.
But time passed, Jack moved to another area, and I hadn't seen him in a long time.
As I processed my own feelings of guilt for letting our friendship slide, I also began to see with new clarity what a gift Jack was to me. He showed me what resilient faith looks like in the midst of a hard story. Despite my long absence, he bore me no ill will—he was just overjoyed that I showed up. Another friend and I joked that we heard "I love you" that day more times from Jack than we had heard from our family members in a while. I was reminded of how powerful just being present can be.
This also helped me remember that the Lord Jesus is present with us always (Matthew 28:20).
Lord, thank you that no matter where we go, you are already there. Help us to bring your love to others. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
