当我接到邀请撰写这个月的灵修文章时，我怀着热切的期待去接受。没想到我很快便要面对一连串令我分心的事情，使这个机会变成一个令我感到焦虑的任务。 当交稿的日子愈接近，压力便愈大，然后过了期限。我挣扎地去找继续写下去的动力，而内疚带来的重担，使事情变得更糟。
然而在这整段充满挑战的时间内，那位与我同工的编辑一直都在鼓励我，他谅解我，为我祷告，包容我。而最重要的，就是在这次的经历中，我不断体验到忍耐。
这个经历令我想起，当彼得问有关饶恕别人的底线时，耶稣所给的回答。这番话帮助我看到，一个对别人宽容的人。纵使他有时也会有缺点，但仍然可以有很大程度的忍耐。
彼得问耶稣，面对一些超出合理容忍限度的情况时，我们可以忍耐到什么地步？耶稣的回答提醒了我们，天父对我们的忍耐是要到何种程度。纵使我们的罪和不当的行为，曾经使我们与神为敌，然而，祂却差派祂的儿子为我们舍命，好让我们得到永远与祂在一起的新生命 ( 罗马书 5:8-11 ) ！
祷告
忍耐和宽容的主啊，我们往住达不到祢的要求，但祢却立即提醒我们祢对我们的爱。感谢祢的忍耐和完全的赦免。求祢帮助我们也以忍耐的心去饶恕别人。阿们。
马太福音 18:21-35
21 那时，彼得进前来，对耶稣说：「主啊，我弟兄得罪我，我当饶恕他几次呢？到七次可以吗？」 22 耶稣说：「我对你说，不是到七次，乃是到七十个七次。 23 天国好像一个王要和他仆人算账。 24 才算的时候，有人带了一个欠一千万银子的来。 25 因为他没有什么偿还之物，主人吩咐把他和他妻子儿女并一切所有的都卖了偿还。 26 那仆人就俯伏拜他，说：『主啊，宽容我！将来我都要还清。』 27 那仆人的主人就动了慈心，把他释放了，并且免了他的债。
28 「那仆人出来，遇见他的一个同伴欠他十两银子，便揪着他，掐住他的喉咙，说：『你把所欠的还我！』 29 他的同伴就俯伏央求他，说：『宽容我吧！将来我必还清。』 30 他不肯，竟去把他下在监里，等他还了所欠的债。 31 众同伴看见他所做的事，就甚忧愁，去把这事都告诉了主人。 32 于是主人叫了他来，对他说：『你这恶奴才！你央求我，我就把你所欠的都免了。 33 你不应当怜恤你的同伴，像我怜恤你吗？』 34 主人就大怒，把他交给掌刑的，等他还清了所欠的债。 35 你们各人若不从心里饶恕你的弟兄，我天父也要这样待你们了。」
“Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’” - Matthew 18:22
When I was invited to write this month’s devotions, I accepted with eager anticipation. But I could not have known that I would soon also face a disruptive series of events that would turn this opportunity into an anxious task.
Pressure continued to build as my due date approached—and then passed. I struggled to find the motivation to keep writing, and a weight of guilt made things even worse.
Throughout this challenging time, however, the staff editor who worked with me remained encouraging, compassionate, prayerful, and forgiving. And, perhaps most of all, patience has been the constant thread woven into this experience for me.
This experience has reminded me of Jesus’ response to Peter when he asked about forgiving others. And it has helped me to see how patient a forgiving person can be, despite our own shortcomings at times.
Peter asked Jesus for guidance on how much patience we should give people who push situations past a reasonable limit to endure. And Jesus’ answer reminds us of just how patient our heavenly Father is with us. Though we, in our sin and wrongdoing, have been God’s enemies, he sent his own Son to give up his life for us so that we can have new life forever with him (Romans 5:8-11)!
Patient, forgiving King, how often we fall short, and how quick you are to remind us of your love. Thank you for your patient, full forgiveness. Help us to be patient in forgiving others. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
