双语灵修（葛培理牧师）：12月20日 灵性食粮

12月20日

灵性食粮

亲爱的兄弟阿，我愿你凡事兴盛，身体健壮，正如你的灵魂兴盛一样。

约翰三书2

圣经教导我们，人不仅仅是一个身体——我们每个人实际上都是一个活的灵魂。我们的灵魂是按神的形象造的。就像我们的身体具有某些特征和欲望一样，我们的灵魂也是如此。灵魂的特征是知识、情感和意志。人的魂或灵渴望和平、满足和幸福。最重要的是，灵魂渴望上帝——渴望与造物主和好，永远与祂相交。

在我们的世界里，我们最关注的是满足身体的欲望，而几乎没有关注灵魂的需求。因此，我们是有偏向的。我们在身体和物质上变得肥胖，而在灵性上我们却瘦弱贫血。或者我们把大量的时间和金钱花在时尚饮食、昂贵的健身器材和健身俱乐部上。对于许多人来说，这些事物只表明他们对生活和物质方面的关注。可以肯定，我们的身体是上帝赐予的，我们应该尽一切可能照顾好它们。但更重要的是照顾我们的灵魂。使徒保罗告诉提摩太说：“要在敬虔上操练自己。操练身体，益处还少；惟独敬虔，凡事都有益处；因有今生和来生的应许”（提摩太前书4:7-8）。

实际上，灵魂需要和身体一样多的关注。它需要与上帝契合相交，它需要敬拜、安静和默想。除了上帝，没有什么能使人完全满足，因为灵魂是上帝所造的，没有上帝，灵魂就会焦躁不安，暗受煎熬。

今日祷告：

天父，求祢喂养我的灵魂，也以祢的美善喂养那些在我团契中的人；奉耶稣的名，阿们。

December 20

SOUL FOOD

Beloved,I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in health;I know that it is well with your soul.3 John 2,RSV

The Bible teaches that a person is more than just a body-each of us is actually a living soul!Our souls are created in the image of God.Just as our bodies have certain characteristics and appetites,so do our souls.The characteristics of the soul are intelligence,emotions,and will.The human soul or spirit longs for peace,contentment,and happiness.Most of all,the soul has an appetite for God-a yearning to be reconciled to its Creator and to have fellowship with Him forever.

In our world,we give most attention to satisfying the appetites of the body and practically none to the soul.Consequently we are one-sided.We become fat physically and materially,while spiritually we are lean,weak,and anemic.Or we spend enormous amounts of time and money on fad diets,expensive exercise machines,and health clubs.For many people,these things only demonstrate their preoccupation with the physical side of life.To be sure,our bodies have been given to us by God,and we are to take care of them in every way possible.But even more important is taking care of our souls.The apostle Paul told Timothy,“Train yourself in godliness;for while bodily training is of some value,godliness is of value in every way,as it holds promise for the present life and also the life to come”(1 Timothy 4:7-8,RSV).

The soul actually demands as much attention as the body.It demands fellowship and communion with God.It demands worship,quietness,and meditation.Nothing but God ever completely satisfies,because the soul was made for God,and without God it is restless and in secret torment.

Pray for the Day:

Father,feed my soul.Feed those in my fellowship with Your goodness;in Jesus’Name,Amen.