与耶稣同在
保罗从未像其他使徒那样与耶稣在一起。那些使徒大多是耶稣的门徒，而保罗是在去往大马士革的路上在异象中遇见耶稣的（使徒行传 9）。保罗渴望与基督一起经历丰盛的生命，永远与祂同在。
然而他热爱这地上的生活，他热爱腓立比信徒，以及所有需要听到福音、在基督的爱中成长的人们。所以保罗处在两难之间，他预感到自己离世与基督同在的时间还没到。他盼望回腓立比去，享受大家的团契，加深他们的信心。
这里，保罗将他的心肠敞开给众人。我们看到的都是爱、爱、爱。爱神，爱耶稣，爱福音，爱教会中的弟兄姐妹。一首老歌唱道：“透过我们的爱，人们将知道我们是基督徒。”诚然，在保罗慷慨的爱中，我们看到他身上基督的生命。
关于牧师，我所听说过最令人伤心的事，就是有人说：“那个牧师根本不爱他的会众。”毫无疑问的是，没有爱的事工会与福音背道而驰。透过保罗的榜样，我们再次看到爱神和爱邻舍的重要性，它是事工的核心。耶稣说，这两点爱总结了神全备的旨意。保罗明白了这点，我们同样也能。
亲爱的神，无论在今生还是来世，都求祢帮助我们陶醉在祢的同在中。愿我们因着对祢满溢的爱，而去爱人。奉基督的名，阿们。
腓立比书 1:22-26
22 但我在肉身活着，若成就我工夫的果子，我就不知道该挑选什么。
23 我正在两难之间，情愿离世与基督同在，因为这是好得无比的；
24 然而我在肉身活着，为你们更是要紧的。
25 我既然这样深信，就知道仍要住在世间，且与你们众人同住，使你们在所信的道上又长进又喜乐，
26 叫你们在基督耶稣里的欢乐因我再到你们那里去，就越发加增。
To Be Where Jesus Is
"I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body." — Philippians 1:23-24
Paul had never been with Jesus like the other apostles, most of whom had been Jesus’ disciples. He met Jesus in a vision on the road to Damascus (Acts 9). And he was eager to experience having full life with Christ in his presence forever.
Yet he loved the life he had here on earth, and he loved the Philippians and all others who needed to hear about and grow in the love of Christ. So Paul was torn, and he sensed that his going to be with Jesus would wait. He hoped to return to Philippi to enjoy the people’s fellowship and deepen their faith.
Paul lays out his heart here for all to see. And what we see is love, love, love. Love for God, love for Jesus, love for the gospel, love for sisters and brothers in the church. An old song says, “They will know we are Christians by our love.” Certainly we see Paul’s Christlikeness in his lavish love.
One of the saddest things I have ever heard about a pastor was that a person said, “That pastor just does not love his people.” Unsurprisingly, ministry derails where there is no love. By Paul’s example, we see again the importance of love for God and love for neighbor at the center of ministry. Jesus stated that these two loves summarize the whole will of God. Paul understood that, and we can too.
Help us to revel in your presence, dear God, both on this earth and in the life to come. May we love others from the overflow of our ardent love for you. In Christ, Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
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