“奉我们救主 神和我们的盼望基督耶稣之命,作基督耶稣使徒的保罗……” – 提前 1:1
<p>盼望是照亮我们生命之路的光,引领我们走向永恒,与神同在整全生命的应许。对于所有认识基督的人来说,盼望是旅程中必不可少的一部份。正如使徒保罗所说,基督就是我们的盼望。</p><p>在基督里的盼望不同于人们平常所说的愿望,比如“我希望我们有美好的一天去野餐”,或者“我希望我们的球队赢得冠军”。如果我们的盼望只局限于今生,我们将无法获得真正的喜乐。</p><p>而且,在基督里,我们的未来并非不确定。我们不会走向未知。我们的结局不是坟墓。即使我们一天天变老,身体衰残,我们仍然是在走向荣耀。我们与主一同走向丰盛的生命,有一天祂会再来。</p><p>我们会走向永恒的幸福。正如主对保罗所做的那样,祂也把恩典倾倒在我们身上,仁慈地赦免我们所有的罪。没有一个罪大到神不能赦免;基督以死为罪付上了完全的代价。</p><p>相信耶稣给了我们永生的盼望。这种盼望使我们在当下充满活力,帮助我们紧紧抓住耶稣和祂的应许。</p>
祷告
永恒的神啊,我们只有定睛在耶稣身上,才能和你一起享受永生的盼望。为此,我们奉耶稣的名感谢你。阿们。
提摩太前书 1:1, 12-17
1奉我们救主神和我们的盼望基督耶稣之命,做基督耶稣使徒的保罗,
12我感谢那给我力量的我们主基督耶稣,因他以我有忠心,派我服侍他。
13我从前是亵渎神的、逼迫人的、侮慢人的,然而我还蒙了怜悯,因我是不信、不明白的时候而做的。
14并且我主的恩是格外丰盛,使我在基督耶稣里有信心和爱心。
15“基督耶稣降世,为要拯救罪人。”这话是可信的,是十分可佩服的。在罪人中我是个罪魁!
16然而我蒙了怜悯,是因耶稣基督要在我这罪魁身上显明他一切的忍耐,给后来信他得永生的人做榜样。
17但愿尊贵、荣耀归于那不能朽坏、不能看见、永世的君王——独一的神,直到永永远远!阿们。
The Happiness Of Hope
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope. . . .” – 1 Timothy 1:1
Hope is the light that illuminates our pathway in life, leading us onward with the promise of eternal, full life with God. For all who know Christ, hope is an essential part of the journey. Indeed, as the apostle Paul says, Christ himself is our hope.
Hope in Christ is not a mere wishful kind of hope that people sometimes talk about when they say, “I hope we have a beautiful day for our picnic,” or “I hope our sports team wins the championship.” If our hope is limited to this life alone, we will not find true happiness.
What’s more, in Christ, our future is not uncertain. We are not heading into the unknown. Our end is not a grave or a tomb. Each day, even as we grow older and our bodies may grow weak and frail, we walk toward glory. We walk toward full life with the Lord, who will one day come again.
We walk toward eternal happiness. As he did with Paul, the Lord pours his grace on us, mercifully forgiving all of our sins. Not one of our sins is too great for God to forgive; Christ’s death paid for them all.
Believing in Jesus gives us hope for eternity. And that hope fills us with energy in the present, helping us to hold fast to Jesus and his promises.
Prayer
Eternal God, only with our eyes fixed on Jesus can we enjoy the hope of full, eternal life with you. For this we thank you, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳