Spiritual Waimai 属灵外卖： Take-Out When You Can't Get Out

降临节是预备的时期。在圣诞节前夕的降临节，我们预备好庆祝耶稣的降生。但我们也是在基督再来前的降临节时期。你在警醒守望祂的再来吗？你看到神为预备耶稣再来而正在世上进行的工作吗？不要昏睡而错过这些时刻。像牧羊人一样警醒守望，看到神的荣耀。寻求耶稣，向他人宣讲，在敬拜救主时充满喜乐。

Advent is the period of preparation. During the advent season of Christmas, we prepare for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. But we are also living in a season of advent leading up to the return of Christ. Are you alert, watching for His coming? Do you see what God is doing in the world today to prepare people for His return? Don’t sleep through these times. Be alert and watching as the shepherds were and see God’s glory, seek Jesus, tell others and be filled with joy as you worship the Savior. 

马利亚和约瑟的故事令人难以置信，他们预备好自已自己， 神就使用他们，作为自己救世大计的核心人物。在神的大使命中，你也要扮演一个角色。作为谦卑的仆人和顺服的王的儿女，你如何预备?

Mary and Joseph are incredible examples of people who were prepared and then used by God as central figures in His plan for saving the world. You also have a role to play in God’s mission. How have you prepared as a humble servant and an obedient son or daughter of the king? 

神为你的一生制定了计划，若你降服于祂，祂会为着你被拣选的命运预备你。如果不确定要如何开始为自己生命的呼召做预备，撒加利亚的故事提供了一个好的起点：祷告和服侍。

God has a plan for your life and as you are surrendered to Him, He will prepare you for your chosen destiny. If you are not sure how to begin, Zechariah gives you a great starting point for your own personal preparation for your life calling: prayer and service. 

今年，当我回顾圣经里这些和圣诞相关的故事时，我发现这些深受爱戴的故事里充满了干扰。事情没有按计划进行，梦想被粉碎或改变了。也许是因为我自已自己今年和去年的圣诞节被打断，所以才看到了圣经故事里曲折的一面，并与故事中生活被打断的人物感同身受。撒迦利亚和伊利沙白的家里没有孩子笑声，他们年复一年地祈求神赐给他们一个孩子，这让我心痛。当约瑟得知他所深爱的敬虔的未婚妻怀了孕，我能感受到他的痛苦和震惊。对于马利亚怀着圣子基督，放弃筹备婚礼的决心感到惊讶。我欣喜地看到报佳音的天使打乱了牧羊人按部就班的工作安排。

当神的计划打乱他们每个人的计划时，他们的生活被彻底颠覆了。一开始，这可能让人感到痛苦、惊慌、失望或是沮丧。但最终，神的计划却是最好的，因着他们都顺服了神的计划，最终带来了荣耀的结果。

This year as I have reflected on the Biblical Christmas story, I see that this beloved story is absolutely full of interruptions. Things not going as planned. Dreams crushed or altered. Maybe it is my own interrupted Christmas – this year and last year - that has caused me to see the hard side of the Christmas story and identify with the characters of this treasured story in their interrupted lives. My heart aches with Zechariah and Elizabeth as they year after year ask God for a child only to live in a home empty of the laughter of children. I can feel the pain and shock of Joseph learning that his beloved and godly fiancé is pregnant. I wonder at the resolve of Mary to forgo her wedding plans to carry the Christ child. I chuckle at the shepherds having their work plans totally messed up by an army of angels. 

When God’s plan crossed the plans of each of these people, their lives were turned upside down. At first it might have been painful, frightening, disappointing or just plain frustrating. But in the end, God’s plan was the best plan and as each person surrendered to God the result was simply glorious. 

跟随耶稣--创造并饶恕你的那一位，还有比这更好的生活吗？创造宇宙万物的那一位，祂爱你，为你的一生制定了美好的计划。耶稣呼召我们要爱祂超过这世上的一切。祂要我们将生命献给祂，放下自己的计划、想法、舒适、希望和梦想，而代之以祂宏伟的计划。祂珍视所差派的人。想象一下，神会报答那些迎接并服侍神的使者、先知和义人的人！

你会将生命献给神由祂来使用吗？你若舍去生命，就会拥有耶稣的应许，会在祂里面找到真正的生命。在世上你只能活一次。你将如何度过此生？为了自己和自己的渴望？还是要跟随耶稣到祂所引领之处？

Can you think of any better life than following Jesus, the one who made you and forgave you? The one who created the universe and loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. Jesus calls us to love Him higher than anything else in this world. He asks us to give Him our life, surrendering our plans, ideas, comforts, hopes and dreams and exchange them for His magnificent plan. He highly esteems those He sends. Imagine – the people who welcome and serve God’s messengers, prophets, and righteous ones will be rewarded! 

Are you one who will give your life away to God to use as He sees best? If you give your life away, you have a promise from Jesus that you will find true life in Him. You have just one life to live on this earth. How will you live it? For yourself and your own aspirations? Or following Jesus Christ wherever He leads?