双语灵修（葛培理牧师）：8 月 22 日 盼望之光

8 月 22 日

盼望之光

叫我们因圣经所生的忍耐和安慰，可以得着盼望。……但愿使人有盼望的神，因信，将诸般的喜乐平安，充满你们的心，使你们藉着圣灵的能力，大有盼望。

罗马书 15:4, 13

当我提到神一直在为我们预备将来时，夏威夷大学的一名学生问我：“难道这不是一种逃避现实的方式吗？”我说：“从某种意义上可以这么说，因为在魔鬼完成牠的工作之前，我们都要寻找出口的路标。”

刘易斯在他那本著名的小书《基督徒的行为》中说：“盼望是神学美德之一。因我们对永恒​世界的期待， 并不像现代人所认为的那样，是逃避现实或凭空想象，而是基督徒应该持守的（盼望）。这不是说我们对当今的世界要无所作为。只要读过历史你就会发现，对这世界贡献最大的，正是那些对未来的世界关注最多的基督徒。正因为基督徒大多不去思考另一个世界，所以在这个世界上他们才不能发挥作用。你若定睛天国，就会胜过世界；你若定睛世界，将一无所得。”

在当今这个悲观、忧郁、沮丧的世代，有一道明亮的盼望之光，那就是耶稣基督的应许：“我若去为你们预备了地方，就必再来……”（约翰福音 14:3）。

二战期间，将军道格拉斯·麦克阿瑟的宣讲，在当时正处敌占区的菲律宾群岛人民的耳中回响。 他承诺过：“我必定会回来”，他信守了诺言。我们的耶稣基督也曾应许：“我必再来”，祂也会信守这个诺言。

今日祷告：

天父，我知道耶稣要再来，我的盼望在乎祢。我的盼望在于耶稣再来，并见到主耶稣的荣耀；祷告奉耶稣的名，阿们。

August 22

A BEACON OF HOPE

That we though patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope… the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Roman 15:4, 13

When I referred to the future that God is planning, a student at the University of Hawaii asked me, “Isn’t this a form of escapism?” I said, “In a sense, yes; and before the devil gets through with this world, we are all going to be looking for the exit signs.”

1. S. Lewis, in his remarkable little book Christian Behavior, said, “Hope is one of the theological virtues. This means that a continual looking forward to the eternal world is not, as some modern people think, a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you will get neither.”

In the midst of the pessimism, gloom, and frustration of this present hour, there is one bright beacon light of hope, and that is the promise of Jesus Christ: “If I go and prepare an place for you, I will come again” (John 14:3).

During the years of the Second World War, the words of General Douglas Mac Arthur echoed in the ears of the people of the Philippine Islands while they were under enemy occupation. He had promised, “I shall return,” and he kept the promise. Jesus Christ has also promised, “I shall return,” and He will keep that promise.

Pray for the Day:

Father, I know that Jesus will return, and my hope is in You. My hope is in Jesus’ return and in seeing the glory of my Lord Jesus when He comes; in Jesus’ Name, Amen.