Rest and service 休息与工作

[Dexu Xia]

[We encouraged] . . . you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.  1 Thessalonians 2:12

In the poem “Rest,” the poet gently challenges our tendency to separate “leisure” time from “work,” asking, “Is not true leisure / One with true toil?” If you want to experience true leisure, instead of trying to avoid life’s duties, the author urges, “Still do thy best; Use it, not waste it,— / Else ’tis not rest. / Wouldst behold beauty / Near thee? all round? / Only hath duty / Such a sight found.”

The poet concludes that true rest and joy are both found through love and service—an idea that brings to mind Paul’s encouragement to the Thessalonians. After describing his calling to encourage believers “to live lives worthy of God” (1 Thessalonians 2:12), the apostle gives more specifics.

And the picture he paints of such a life is one of quiet integrity, love, and service. Paul prays that God would “make [their] love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else” (3:12). And he urges believers in Jesus to “make it your ambition to lead a quiet life,” to “mind your own business and work with your hands” (4:11). It’s that kind of life, quietly loving and serving in whatever ways God has enabled us, that reveals to others the beauty of a life of faith (v. 12).

Or, as the writer puts it, true joy is “loving and serving / The highest and best; / ’Tis onwards! Unswerving— / And that is true rest.”

How does God’s presence help you experience true joy? How are rest and service united in God’s kingdom?

Loving God, thank You that I don’t need to avoid the duties and rhythms of daily life to experience Your beauty. Help me to know the joy of a quiet life lived with You.

 我们⋯⋯劝勉你们⋯⋯要叫你们行事对得起那召你们进祂国、得祂荣耀的上帝。—帖撒罗尼迦前书2章11-12节

在十九世纪约翰 · 德怀特（John S. Dwight）所写的一首关于“休息”的诗中，他婉转地责问人们怎能将“休闲”与“工作”分开：“没有真正的劳苦，怎么会有真正的休闲呢？”他认为享受真正的休闲不是逃避生活中的责任，在诗中他说：“责任要全力以赴；善用而不浪费它，否则就无法休息。想看近处环绕美景？只有承担责任，才有如此景象。”

诗人的结论是透过爱和服事，人们便能获得真正的休息与喜乐，这令人想起使徒保罗对帖撒罗尼迦信徒的勉励。使徒保罗谈到上帝要他鼓励信徒，行事为人要对得起召我们的上帝（帖撒罗尼迦前书2章12节），接着他做了更详尽的解释。

保罗描绘了一种安静下来，过正直、爱与服事的生活景象，他为众信徒祷告，求上帝让他们“彼此相爱的心，并爱众人的心，都能增长、充足”（3章12节）。他还敦促信徒要“立志作安静人，办自己的事，亲手做工”（4章11节）。正是这种倚靠上帝、安静地活出爱和服事的生活，可以向人们展示信心生活的美好（12节）。

或许，真正的喜乐是如同诗人所说：“爱与服事，这是至高至美的。勇往直前，永不动摇，此乃真正的休息。”

上帝的同在如何使你经历真正的喜乐？在上帝的国度里，如何劳逸结合？

上帝啊，谢谢祢使我在日常事务中，就能经历祢的美好。求祢帮助我明白，与祢同住的安静生活是何等喜乐。