12月6日 依靠恩典 Relying on Grace

12月6日

依靠恩典

Relying on Grace

这原不是我，乃是神的恩与我同在。—— 哥林多前书 15:10

Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

—1 Corinthians 15:10

    让我们面对这样的事实：我们是两手空空来到这个世界上，也会两手空空地离开。我们从何而知人对成功的观念与上帝的相同？你撰写了一本书；你是一个聪明的经理人和推销员；你是一个天才艺术家；你非常富有；你已经名利双收。若没有神所赐的智慧、想象力、个性和体力，你会身居何处？难道我们不是一无所有的降生吗？难道我们不是一无所有的离世吗？若不是因为上帝无限的怜悯和慈爱，我们岂不确确实实的一无所有吗？

    我们生来一无所有,。如果说我们现在有所收获，那是因为上帝无所不有。假如上帝将祂的大能保留一瞬，假如上帝将我们生命的气息停止片刻，我们的肉体将会枯竭，我们的灵魂也将会瞬间消失进入无尽的永恒。那些灵里贫穷的人承认他们是被造的，是有罪的——但更重要的是，他们愿意承认自己的罪，也愿意弃绝那些罪。

Let us face this fact: We came into the world with nothing, and we will leave it with nothing. Where do we get the notion that man’s idea of success and God’s are the same? You have written a book; you are a clever manager and promoter; you are a talented artist; you are independently rich; you have achieved fame and fortune. Without the gifts of intelligence, imagination, personality, and physical energy-which are all endowed by God-where would you be? Are we not born poor? Do we not die poor? And would we not be poor indeed without God’s infinite mercy and love?

We came out of nothing; and if we are anything, it is because God is everything. If He were to withhold His power for one brief instant from us, if He were to hold in check the breath of life for one moment, our physical existence would shrivel into nothingness, and our souls would be whisked away into an endless eternity. Those who are poor in spirit recognize their creatureliness and their sinfulness-but more, they are ready to confess their sins and renounce them.

今日祷告

     主啊，我和我所有的一切都是祢全能的手所恩赐的。请宽恕我夸耀自己的成就，因为若没有祢的恩典和慈爱，我便一无所成。

Prayer for the day

All I have or am, Lord God, has been given to me by Your almighty hands. Forgive me when I tend to boast about my own accomplishments—for I am nothing without Your grace and love.