悔罪的膏油
今天是圣灰日，很多基督徒视这天为大斋节期的第一天，大斋节是一个反省和悔罪的时节，它引进将要来临的复活主日（复活节）。有些教会的传统做法，是把灰涂在人们的前额上，藉此提醒我们犯的罪和基督为了救赎我们的牺牲。
在旧约圣经中，百姓穿上麻衣和涂上灰，来象征心里的伤痛-通常都是为了他们的罪，他们知道，他们的罪伤了他们的主和神的心。
同样，百姓也会以被油膏抹作为象征-但这并不是悲伤的象征。被油膏抹乃是恩宠和圣洁的象征，是神计划中对你的呼召，这是一个代表内在实况的外在记号。假若你或你的子女已受了洗，洗礼的仪式也象征着同样的意思。洗礼认定我们是神的约中的儿女，我们蒙召成为神家庭的成员；水代表洗净罪污和在基督里复活得新生命。
在我们反思基督走在往十架之路时，今天就是我们认罪和努力追求圣洁的日子，今天就是我们为反覆无常的顺服而悲痛的时刻；然而，今天也是跳舞的日子。基督的牺牲已经为我们偿还了罪债，我们因此深感安慰和喜乐；我们确信耶稣的恩膏已成为我们的恩膏，凭着这个确据，再加上永远与神同享新生命的应许，我们便可以从容和快乐地往前走了！
父啊，我在你面前承认我的罪。惟愿基督的牺牲，今天能在我的生命中发光。求你带领我，叫我在你国度中的顺服和事奉，能进到一个新的境界。阿们。
传道书 3:1-14
1 凡事都有定期，天下万务都有定时。
2 生有时，死有时。栽种有时，拔出所栽种的也有时。
3 杀戮有时，医治有时。拆毁有时，建造有时。
4 哭有时，笑有时。哀恸有时，跳舞有时。
5 抛掷石头有时，堆聚石头有时。怀抱有时，不怀抱有时。
6 寻找有时，失落有时。保守有时，舍弃有时。
7 撕裂有时，缝补有时。静默有时，言语有时。
8 喜爱有时，恨恶有时。争战有时，和好有时。
9 这样看来，做事的人在他的劳碌上有什么益处呢？
10 我见神叫世人劳苦，使他们在其中受经练。
11 神造万物，各按其时成为美好，又将永生安置在世人心里，然而神从始至终的作为，人不能参透。
12 我知道，世人莫强如终身喜乐、行善。
13 并且人人吃喝，在他一切劳碌中享福，这也是神的恩赐。
14 我知道，神一切所做的都必永存，无所增添，无所减少，神这样行，是要人在他面前存敬畏的心。
Oil Of Repentance
"There is a time for everything . . . a time to mourn and a time to dance. . . ." — Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4
Today is Ash Wednesday. Many Christians mark this as the first day of Lent, a season of reflection and repentance leading up to Resurrection Sunday (Easter). In some church traditions a mark of ashes is placed on a person’s forehead, as a reminder of sin and of Christ’s sacrifice to save us.
In the Old Testament, people put on sackcloth and ashes as a sign of mourning—often because of their sins. They recognized that their sins grieved their Lord and God.
Similarly, people would be anointed with oil as a sign—but not of mourning. Being anointed with oil was a sign of favor and holiness, a calling that God had in mind for you. This was an outward sign of an inner reality. If you or your children have been baptized, the symbolism is similar. Baptism marks us as God’s covenant children, called to be part of his family. The water symbolizes the washing away of sin and the rising to new life we receive in Christ.
Today is a day to confess our sins and to strive toward holiness as we reflect on the journey of Christ to the cross. It is a time to mourn our shaky obedience. But it is also a time to dance. We take comfort and joy in the fact that Christ’s sacrifice for us paid the penalty for our sin. We can go forward in calm, delightful assurance that Jesus’ anointing becomes ours, with the promise of new life with God forever!
Father, I confess my sins before you. May the gift of Jesus’ sacrifice shine in my life today. Bring me to a new place of obedience and service in your kingdom. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
编辑进度:
发布时间:
繁體版:
Line:
栏目:
机构:
作者: