Ready to Go 准备好了

[Dexu Xia]

I desire to depart and be with Christ . . . but it is more necessary . . . that I remain.Philippians 1:23–24

During the coronavirus pandemic, many suffered the loss of loved ones. On November 27, 2020, our family joined their ranks when Bee Crowder, my ninety-five-year-old mom, died—though not from Covid-19. Like so many other families, we weren’t able to gather to grieve Mom, honor her life, or encourage one another. Instead, we used other means to celebrate her loving influence—and we found great comfort from her insistence that, if God called her home, she was ready and even eager to go. That confident hope, evidenced in so much of Mom’s living, was also how she faced death.

Facing possible death, Paul wrote, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. . . . I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body” (Philippians 1:21, 23–24). Even with his legitimate desire to stay and help others, Paul was drawn to his heavenly home with Christ.

Such confidence changes how we view the moment when we step from this life to the next. Our hope can give great comfort to others in their own season of loss. Although we grieve the loss of those we love, believers in Jesus don’t grieve like those “who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). True hope is the possession of those who know Him.

By:  Bill Crowder

How would you describe your response to the threatening realities in our world?  How could intentional hope change your outlook on the struggles of life?

God of all hope, please remind me of Jesus’ death-conquering victory.

准备好了我……情愿离世与基督同在，……然而，我在肉身活着，为你们更是要紧的。—腓立比书1章23-24节

在新冠病毒全球大流行期间，许多人承受丧亲之痛。2020年11月27日，我们家也失去一位亲人，我95岁的母亲碧·克劳德（Bee Crowder）与世长辞。她虽并非死于新冠病毒，但我们家就跟别人家一样，无法聚在一起为母亲致哀、缅怀她的一生，也无法彼此安慰。但我们用别的方式，赞扬她慈爱的影响力。她生前坚称若上帝召她回天家，她已准备好了，甚至渴盼尽快前往，这带给我们莫大的。

当保罗面对死亡的威胁时，他写道：“因我活着就是基督，我死了就有益处”；“我正在两难之间，情愿离世与基督同在，因为这是好得无比的。然而，我在肉身活着，为你们更是要紧的”（腓立比书1章21、23-24节）。即使保罗知道自己理当留在世上帮助别人，但他仍渴望去天家跟基督同住。

这样的信心能改变我们对死亡的看法，以不同的观点看待从今生步入来世的那一刻。我们所怀抱的盼望，可以让那些承受丧亲之痛的人得到极大的安慰。虽然我们会因失去至亲好友而哀伤，但基督徒却不是像“没有指望”的人那样忧伤（帖撒罗尼迦前书4章13节）。所有认识耶稣的人，都拥有这真实的盼望安慰。这种满有把握的盼望，在母亲的生命中明显可见，在她面对死亡时也是如此。

面对世上的各种艰险苦难，你会如何回应？心存盼望，如何改变你对人生困境的观点？

上帝啊，祢是所有盼望的源头，请提醒我，耶稣已胜过了死亡，胜过了世界