Space for Me 有我的位置

[Dexu Xia]

Space for Me

Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. Mark 3:13

 He was an aging military veteran, rough-edged and given to even rougher language. One day a friend cared enough about him to inquire about his spiritual beliefs. The man’s dismissive response came quickly: “God doesn’t have space for someone like me.”

Perhaps that was just part of his “tough-guy” act, but his words couldn’t be further from the truth! God creates space especially for the rough, the guilt-ridden, and the excluded to belong and thrive in His community. This was obvious from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, when He made some surprising choices for His disciples. First, He chose several fishermen from Galilee—the “wrong side of the tracks” from the perspective of those in Jerusalem. He also selected a tax collector, Matthew, whose profession included extorting from his oppressed countrymen. Then, for good measure, Jesus invited the “other” Simon—“the Zealot” (Mark 3:18).

We don’t know much about this Simon (he isn’t Simon Peter), but we do know about the Zealots. They hated traitors like Matthew, who got rich by collaborating with the despised Romans. Yet with divine irony, Jesus chose Simon along with Matthew, brought them together, and blended them into His team.

Don’t write anyone off as too “bad” for Jesus. After all, He said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). He has plenty of space for the tough cases—people like you and me.

Who do you know that you think is unlikely to give their life to Jesus? How might you invite them to consider who Christ is and the space He has for them?

Dear Father, thank You that salvation is available to anyone who puts their faith in Jesus.

有我的位置

 耶稣上了山，随自己的意思叫人来，他们便来到祂那里。—马可福音3章13节

有一位退伍老兵不修边幅，且说话粗俗。一个朋友关心地询问他的信仰状况。那位老兵立刻用轻蔑的口气说：“在上帝那里没有我的位置！”

那位老兵或许是想展现刚硬的作风，但他所说的却完全不符合真理。因上帝已特别为那些粗俗、被罪捆绑和受排挤的人保留位置，欢迎他们进入祂的家。耶稣在传道初期就挑选了一批意想不到的门徒。首先，耶稣挑选了一些加利利的渔夫，是被耶路撒冷人轻视的。耶稣还挑选了税吏马太，当时的税吏经常透过工作职权压榨自己的同胞。耶稣做的还不只如此，祂还邀请了奋锐党的西门成为祂的门徒（马可福音3章18节）。

我们对这位奋锐党的西门（并非西门彼得）所知不多，但我们知道，奋锐党痛恨像马太这样的叛徒，因为税吏常与以色列民所鄙视的罗马人合作，进而累积自己的财富。耶稣拣选西门和马太为门徒，并使他们一起同工，这看似矛盾的做法却有上帝美好的心意。

我们千万不要认为，有些人“罪孽深重”而不配在耶稣的家中享有一席之地。毕竟，耶稣说：“我来本不是召义人悔改，乃是召罪人悔改”（路加福音5章32节）。耶稣早已为有如你我一般不配的人预留了位置。

你认为谁最不可能接受耶稣？你如何邀请他们认识耶稣基督，
并能明白耶稣已为他们预留了位置？

亲爱的天父，感谢祢，
因祢让所有愿意信靠耶稣的人都能得着救恩！