Texts, Troubles, and Triumphs 讯息、磨难与得胜
Dexu Xia
We do not belong to those who shrink back . . . but to those who have faith and are saved. Hebrews 10:39
Jimmy hadn’t allowed the reality of social unrest, danger, and discomfort to keep him from traveling to one of the poorest countries in the world to encourage ministry couples. The steady stream of text messages to our team back home revealed the challenges he encountered. “Okay, boys, activate the prayer line. We’ve gone ten miles in the last two hours. . . . Car has overheated a dozen times.” Transportation setbacks meant that he arrived just before midnight to preach to those who’d waited for five hours. Later we received a text with a different tone. “Amazing, sweet time of fellowship. . . . About a dozen people came forward for prayer. It was a powerful night!”
Faithfully serving God can be challenging. The exemplars of faith listed in Hebrews 11 would agree. Compelled by their faith in God, ordinary men and women faced uncomfortable and unfathomable circumstances. “Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment” (v. 36). Their faith compelled them to take risks and rely on God for the outcome. The same is true for us. Living out our faith may not take us to risky places far away, but it may well take us across the street or across the campus or to an empty seat in a lunchroom or boardroom. Risky? Perhaps. But the rewards, now or later, will be well worth the risks as God helps us.
By: Arthur Jackson
How can you take a risk and follow Jesus even though it might be uncomfortable? What keeps you “playing it safe”?
Dear Father, please give me strength and courage to let go of my life and entrust it to You.
我们却不是退后入沉沦的那等人，乃是有信心以致灵魂得救的人。—希伯来书10章39节
虽然会面对社会动荡、危机四伏和身心不适的种种状况，杰米还是毅然前往世上一个最贫穷的国家，期望能带给当地的几对宣教士夫妇一些鼓励。从他不断传给我们小组的一连串文字讯息，我们能够了解他正在面对的挑战。“弟兄们，开始祷告吧！我们过去两小时大约只前进了16公里⋯⋯车子就已经过热好几回了。”路途上的艰难险阻，意味着将近午夜他才能抵达目的地，才能对已经等了五个小时的人们传讲信息。不久之后，我们收到一则语气截然不同的讯息：“太奇妙了，多美好的团契时光啊！⋯⋯有十几个人进前来，要我们为他们祷告，这是个充满大能的夜晚！”
要忠心事奉上帝并非易事。希伯来书11章列出的这些信心伟人想必都同意这一点。这些平凡的男女信徒因坚持信靠上帝，而愿意面对艰辛且难以预料的险境，就像“有人忍受戏弄、鞭打、捆锁、监禁各等的磨炼”（36节）。他们的信心促使他们愿意冒险，并将结果交托在上帝手中。我们何尝不是如此？活出我们的信仰或许不是去远方涉险，而是穿过街道或校园，也可能是到餐厅或会议室里的一个空座位上。冒险吗？或许是。但现在或未来所得的奖赏，是非常值得冒险的，因为上帝必帮助我们。
作者： 简恩德
信仰旅程不是一条易路，你要如何冒险跟随耶稣？
是什么让你一直待在“舒适圈”里？
亲爱的天父，求祢赐我力量和勇气，让我能将自己的生命全然交托给祢。