Heavenly Abundance 属天的丰盛恩典

[Dexu Xia]

The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:14

I expected eight bananas. Instead, when I opened the grocery bags delivered to my home, I discovered twenty bananas! I quickly realized that my move to England meant I also moved from ordering groceries in pounds to requesting them in kilograms. Instead of three pounds, I had ordered three kilograms (nearly seven pounds!) of bananas.

With such an abundance, I made several batches of a favorite banana bread recipe to share the blessing with others. As I mashed up the fruit, I began thinking about the other areas of my life where I have experienced unexpected abundance—and each path led back to God.

Paul appears to have had a similar experience of reflecting on God’s abundance in his life. In his first letter to Timothy, Paul paused to describe his life before Jesus, describing himself as a “persecutor and a violent man” (1 Timothy 1:13); “the worst of sinners” (v. 16). Into Paul’s brokenness, God lavishly poured out grace, faith, and love (v. 14). After recounting all the abundance in his life, the apostle couldn’t help but express praise to God, declaring Him worthy of all “honor and glory for ever and ever” (v. 17).

Like Paul, we all received an overwhelming abundance of grace when we accepted Jesus’ offer of rescue from sin (v. 15). As we pause to reflect on all the resulting blessings, we’ll find ourselves joining Paul in grateful praise to our generous God.

By:  Lisa M. Samra

 

How have you experienced God’s abundance in your life? How will you offer praise to Him today?

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your overwhelming gift of grace.

我主的恩是格外丰盛，使我在基督耶稣里有信心和爱心。—提摩太前书1章14节

我上网订购了一些蔬果，打开超市送到家里来的包装袋时，我以为只有8根香蕉，没想到却有20根！这时我才想到，自己搬到英格兰居住后，意味着物品的重量不再是以磅而是以公斤计算。我只需要3磅的香蕉，却订购了3公斤（大约7磅）！

既然手边有这么多香蕉，于是我就做了好几批我最爱的香蕉面包，跟其他人分享这份意外的祝福。我一边制作香蕉泥一边思考，发现我生命中有许多方面也经历到这种意外的丰盛祝福，而且全都源于上帝。

保罗似乎也曾反思上帝在他生命中所赐下的丰盛恩典。在他写给提摩太的第一封书信中，他特别提到自己在遇见耶稣以前，是“逼迫人的，侮慢人的”（13节），甚至是个“罪魁”（16节）。然而，在保罗如此不堪的境况中，上帝赐给了他丰盛的恩典，加添他的信心与爱心（14节）。保罗讲述自己所领受的一切丰盛恩典之后，不禁开口赞美，宣告上帝配得一切“尊贵、荣耀……直到永永远远”（17节）。

像保罗一样，我们在相信耶稣而从罪恶中得拯救时（15节），就领受了丰盛无比的恩典。我们若安静下来想想得救后所得到的祝福，就会和保罗一样，禁不住要感谢赞美这位厚赐恩福的上帝！作者：  夏莉珊

在你的生命中曾如何经历上帝丰盛的恩典？
今天你要如何赞美上帝？

天父，感谢祢赏赐丰盛的恩典。