Love and Peace vs 爱与平安

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Dexu Xia

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Feb 15, 2019, 3:10:09 AM2/15/19

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Love and Peace

Bible in a Year: Leviticus 4–5; Matthew 24:29–51

You will not abandon me to the realm of the dead. . . . You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. Psalm 16:10–11

It always amazes me the way peace—powerful, unexplainable peace (Philippians 4:7)—can somehow fill our hearts even in our deepest grief. I experienced this most recently at my father’s memorial service. As a long line of sympathetic acquaintances passed by offering their condolences, I was relieved to see a good high school friend. Without a word, he simply wrapped me in a long bear hug. His quiet understanding flooded me with the first feelings of peace within grief that difficult day, a powerful reminder that I wasn’t as alone as I felt.

As David describes in Psalm 16, the kind of peace and joy God brings into our lives isn’t caused by a choice to stoically stomp down the pain during hard times; it’s more like a gift we can’t help but experience when we take refuge in our good God (vv. 1–2).

We could respond to the aching pain that death brings by distracting ourselves, perhaps thinking that turning to these other “gods” will keep the pain at bay. But sooner or later we’ll find that efforts to avoid our pain only bring deeper pain (v. 4).

Or we could turn to God, trusting that even when we don’t understand, the life He’s already given us—even in its pain—is still beautiful and good (vv. 6–8). And we can surrender to His loving arms that tenderly carry us through our pain into a peace and joy that even death can never quench (v. 11).

Today's Reflection Father, thank You for the way Your tender touch embraces and holds us in our times of joy and pain. Help us to turn in trust to You for healing.

爱与平安

祢必不将我的灵魂撇在阴间，……祢必将生命的道路指示我；在祢面前有满足的喜乐。-诗篇16篇10-11节

圣经所描述那满有能力、出人意外的平安（腓立比书4章7节），总是让我感到惊讶，因为在我们最哀痛的时候，它也能充满我们的心。最近在我父亲的追思礼拜上，我就有了深切的体会。在许多来慰问却不甚熟络的人群中，我见到了中学的好朋友，顿感安慰。他不发一语地拥抱我，那无声的关怀让我在那段艰难的日子里，第一次在哀痛中感到平安，让我知道自己并不是所感觉的那么孤单。

如大卫在诗篇16篇所说，上帝所赐的平安和喜乐，并不是要让我们在艰苦的日子强忍一切痛苦；而是当我们投靠美善的上帝时，我们的心自然会充满祂所赐的平安喜乐（1-2节）。

我们在面对死亡带来的极度伤痛时，或许会用其他事物来转移注意力，觉得可以藉“别神”来减轻痛苦。但迟早我们会发现，这一切逃避痛苦的努力只会带来更深的痛楚（4节）。

然而，或者我们可以转向上帝，纵然无法了解祂所赐予我们的生命为何会有痛苦，但我们依旧相信，祂所赐的仍然是美善的（6-8节）。而且我们可以投入祂慈爱的膀臂中，让祂温柔地扶持我们经历痛苦，得着那死亡也不能夺去的平安与喜乐（11节）。

天父，谢谢祢温柔地拥抱并扶持我们经过欢乐与痛苦，
帮助我们回转信靠祢，寻求祢的医治。