渴求 The Longing

他....知道自己未死以前,必看见主所立的基督

He would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.---Luke 2:26

 请你环顾一下在你四周的人们;购物者在各场巡视,为了要抢购限期沽清的廉价商品,各雇员就在自己做工的地方忙个不停.你认为他们有否找到幸福快乐呢?

Look at the people around you:the shoppers walking the malls hunting for last --minute Christmas gifts,the enthusiastic fans at football and basketball games, fellow employees in the workplace.Do you think they've found happiness?

 当人常为生活奔波--忙于支薪及付款,上班和下班,周而复始做着同样的工作或事情--他们其中有许多都觉得内心无限虚空.他们渴望有些东西能令他们生存得更充实,更有意义.

 As people rush through life--hurrying from paycheck to payment and from job to home and then doing it all over again-- many of them feel empty inside. They long for some think to make their existence more meaningful and fulfilling.

许多人并不像我们在路加福音第2章独到的西面,他们是不知道什么会带来幸福快乐的.圣灵曾告诉西面,他在看见神所应许的弥赛亚之前必不会死.当那个特殊的日子来到,西面在圣殿看到耶稣,他便得着了平安和满足的保证.

Unlike Simeon ,whom we read about in Luck, chapter 2, many people don't know what will bring happiness. the Holy Spirit had told Simeon that he would not die until he had been the promised Messiah. When that extraordinary day came and Simeon came to the temple to meet Jesus, peace and contentment were guaranteed.

环绕我们周遭的人,只要他们与耶稣相遇,必会得着同样的平安和满足.所以当我们每天看见芸芸众生,我们应获提醒去祷告,祈求圣灵感动他们的心,令他们渴望得见耶稣.他们可能终日奔走营谋,而内心仍有空位在等待着弥赛亚,就是主耶稣来填满.

All around us are people who could have that same peace and contentment if they could just meet Jesus As we see the crowds each day, we should be reminded to pray that the Holy Spirit will touch their hearts and make them want to see Jesus. They may be rushing around, but in their hearts they have a void waiting to be filled by the Messiah, the Lord Jesus

务要成长 Let's Get Growing

 你们却要在我们救主耶稣基督的恩典和知识上有长进

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

                                                                               -----2 Peter 3:18

好几年前,我对花卉很有兴趣,所以我的家居像个苗圃.我欣赏生长中的植物,当我每天视察花儿生长进度,我从这些细小的绿色朋友身上,欣赏到生长的奇妙进程中的欣喜和必需步骤.

Several years ago my interest in flowers had my home resembling a nursery. There's something about the presence of growing plants that I find very enjoyable. As I daily inspected their progress, i gained from my little green friends a new appreciation of the joy and necessity of the wonderful process of growth.

我们基督徒,也好像植物一样,我们应当向下扎根,突破地土,伸展枝条,绽放花朵.不过,这种茁壮成长的情形在我们的生命中并非时常清晰可见.当每日的活动都平淡无奇照常规进行,我们容易变得无聊和懒散.我们往往只是得过且过的生活,没有稳步迈向成熟和结果子的境界.

As Christian, we too are like plants.We should put down our roots, break up through the earth ,spread out our branches, and burst into blossom. Such a thriving condition,however,isn't always evident in our lives.It's so easy to become bored and listless in the bland routine of our daily activities. Often we just hand on and merely exist without moving steadily toward maturity and fruitfulness.

此时,我们的属灵生命停滞不前,须要让'公义的日头'耶稣,用他的爱重新温暖我们的心.我们必须借着昼夜思想深深扎根神的话语中.然而,我们必会像一颗栽在活水河流旁边的果树,我们的树枝向外伸展,令影响力和见证不断增加.我们的心将会满载反映公义生活的美丽花朵.

As such time we are at a spiritual standstill and must allow Jesus the 'Sun of Righteousness' to warm our hearts anew with his love. We must send our roots deep into the Word of God by medititing on it day and night. Then we will be like a fruitful tree planted by rivers of living water, and our branches will extend outward in an ever-increasing influence and witness. They will be filled with blossoms that reflect the beauty of righteous living.

假如我们已进入冬眠状态,让我们都成长起来吧!
If we've become dormant, let's get growing