Children of God 上帝的儿女

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Dexu Xia

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Jul 9, 2021, 1:37:28 AM7/9/21

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Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love. Ephesians 5:1–2

I once spoke at a secular conference for childless couples. Heartbroken over their infertility, many attendees despaired at their future. Having walked the childless path too, I tried to encourage them. “You can have a meaningful identity without becoming parents,” I said. “I believe you are fearfully and wonderfully made, and there’s new purpose for you to find.”

A woman later approached me in tears. “Thank you,” she said. “I’ve felt worthless being childless and needed to hear that I’m fearfully and wonderfully made.” I asked the woman if she was a believer in Jesus. “I walked away from God years ago,” she said. “But I need a relationship with Him again.”

Times like this remind me how profound the gospel is. Some identities, like “mother” and “father,” are hard for some to attain. Others, like those based on a career, can be lost through unemployment. But through Jesus we become God’s “dearly loved children”—an identity that can never be stolen (Ephesians 5:1). And then we can “walk in the way of love”—a life purpose that transcends any role or employment status (v. 2).

All human beings are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14), and those who follow Jesus become children of God (John 1:12–13). Once in despair, that woman left in hope—about to find an identity and purpose bigger than this world can give.

Is there someone in despair whom you can affirm as “wonderfully made” today? With whom can you share the offer of becoming a child of God?

Father, life in all its fullness is Yours alone to give. I open my hands to accept it.

所以你们该效法上帝，好像蒙慈爱的儿女一样。也要凭爱心行事。—以弗所书5章1-2节

在一个非宗教性的研讨会上，我与一群无法生育的夫妇分享个人经历。许多出席者皆为自己的不孕感到伤心，也对未来感到绝望。我也同样膝下无子，因此我鼓励他们说：“即使无法为人父母，你也能拥有充满意义的身分。我相信你的受造奇妙可畏，还有新的目标正等着你去追寻。”

过后，一位妇女含着泪跟我说：“谢谢你的分享。没有孩子使我觉得自己毫无价值，我亟需知道自己的受造奇妙可畏。”我问她是不是基督徒，她说：“我离开上帝好多年了，但我需要再次与祂建立关系。”

这样的时刻让我想起福音是如此奇妙。有些人很难得着某些身分，如“母亲”或“父亲”。还有些人，以职业定义自己的身分，却可能因失业而失去。但藉着耶稣，我们成了蒙上帝所爱的儿女，而且永远不会失去这个身分（以弗所书5章1节）。我们能“凭爱心行事”，那是超越任何角色或地位的生活目标（2节）。

所有人的受造都奇妙可畏（诗篇139篇14节），而跟随耶稣的人都能成为上帝的儿女（约翰福音1章12-13节）。那位妇女虽曾感到绝望，却带着盼望离开，因她知道自己能拥有更重要的身分与目标，乃是这世界所无法给予的。

今天你能以“受造奇妙”的真理鼓励哪些感到绝望的人？
你要让谁知道他也能成为上帝的儿女？