The Key 那把钥匙

[Dexu Xia]

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29

In his classic book The Human Condition, Thomas Keating shares this memorable tale. A teacher, having lost the key to his home, is on his hands and knees searching through the grass. When his disciples see him searching, they join the hunt, but with no success. Finally, “one of the more intelligent disciples” asks, “Master, have you any idea where you might have lost the key?” Their teacher replies, “Of course. I lost it in the house.” When they exclaim, “Then why are we looking for it out here?” he answers, “Isn’t it obvious? There is more light here.”

We have lost the key to “intimacy with God, the experience of God’s loving presence,” Keating concludes. “Without that experience, nothing else quite works; with it, almost anything works.”  

How easy it is to forget that even in life’s ups and downs, God remains the key to our deepest longings. But when we’re ready to stop looking in all the wrong places, God is there, ready to show us true rest. In Matthew 11, Jesus praises the Father for revealing His ways, not to the “wise and learned,” but “to little children” (v. 25). Then He invites “all you who are weary and burdened” (v. 28) to come to Him for rest.

Like little children, we can find true rest as we learn the ways of our Teacher, who’s “gentle and humble in heart” (v. 29). God is there, eager to welcome us home.

When are you tempted to look for satisfaction and joy in the wrong places? What helps you remember to find peace, rest, and satisfaction in God instead?

Loving God, how easily I’m drawn to seek satisfaction in whatever looks brightest. Help me turn to You to find true rest.

我心里柔和谦卑，你们当负我的轭，学我的样式，这样，你们心里就必得享安息。—马太福音11章29节

基廷神父（Thomas Keating）在他的一本经典著作中分享了一个令人难忘的故事。一名教师弄丢了家里的钥匙，便蹲在草地上寻找。学生们看见老师在找钥匙都过来帮忙，但还是找不到。最后，有个比较机灵的学生问道：“老师，你知道自己是在哪里弄丢了钥匙吗？”教师回答：“当然知道。我是在屋子里弄丢的。”学生们惊呼：“那你为什么要在屋外找呢？”老师说：“很简单啊！因为这里光线比较好。”

基廷在书中总结：“我们都弄丢了那把’与上帝亲近，经历上帝慈爱’的钥匙。缺乏这种经历，没有什么能让人得到真正的快乐；有了这种经历，几乎什么都能让人快乐和满足。”

我们常常忘记无论在人生的高峰或低谷，上帝一直是能满足我们最深渴望的那把钥匙。只要我们在正确的地方寻找，便会发现上帝就在那里，祂会让我们得着真正的安息。在马太福音11章，耶稣感谢天父，不向聪明人而是向孩童显明祂的旨意（25节）。随后，祂邀请“凡劳苦担重担的人”（28节）到祂那里得安息。

我们也可以像孩童一样，效法耶稣这位“心里柔和谦卑”（29节）的导师，到祂那里得享真正的安息。上帝就在那里，热切地欢迎我们进入祂的家。

你曾在哪些错误的地方寻找满足及快乐？
什么能帮助你在上帝那里得着平安？

慈爱的上帝，我常在看似耀眼的地方寻找满足，帮助我到祢面前得享真正的安息。