[今日經文 Today’s Reading: 哥林多後書 2 Corinthians 1-4]
4:7 我們有這寶貝放在瓦器裏，為要顯明這莫大的能力是出於 神，不是出於我們。 8 我們處處受困，卻不被捆住；內心困擾，卻沒有絕望； 9 遭受迫害，卻不被撇棄；擊倒在地，卻不致滅亡。 10 我們身上常帶着耶穌的死，使耶穌的生也在我們身上顯明。
哥林多後書 2 Corinthians 4:7-10
4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
保羅為了福音而經歷了許多患難，但他並沒有喪膽。相反，他每次反彈時都會變得更加強大，因為在他裡面有一”寶貝”：上帝”莫大的能力”！這是保羅儘管遇到許多的障礙仍能繼續前進的秘訣。就像兒童的不倒翁玩具在被擊倒後總是能反彈因為底部很重，同樣我們基督徒也應該“反彈”, 因有上帝”莫大的能力”為底部。是的，“我們處處受困”（被擊倒），“卻不被捆住”（反彈），“困惑”（被擊倒），“但沒有被絕望”（反彈），“遭受迫害” （被擊倒），“卻不被撇棄（反彈），“擊倒在地”（被擊倒），“卻不致滅亡”（反彈）。
當每次遭受苦難或被擊倒的時候讓我們與耶穌同死，但藉著上帝”莫大的能力”將使我們反彈“使耶穌的生也在我們身上顯明。”
是的，2022年我去了七次急診室，在醫院里呆了十七天，好像被擊倒了很多次，但靠著神莫大的能力，我都能反彈回來。 讓我們做一個總是“反彈”的屬靈不倒翁吧！
禱告：親愛的上帝，願祢莫大的能力幫助我們從當前的苦難和困難中反彈過來，“使耶穌的生也在我們身上顯明。”，奉耶穌的名，阿們。
Paul experienced many hardships for the sake of the Gospel yet did not lose heart. Instead, he bounced back every time even stronger, because in him was a treasure: the surpassing power of God! This was the secret of Paul’s ability to keep on going in spite of mounting obstacles. Just like a children’s tumbler toy always bounces back due to a weighted base, we as Christians should “bounce back”. Yes, “we are afflicted in every way” (pushed down), “but not crushed” (we bounce back), “perplexed” (pushed down), “but not driven to despair” (we bounce back), “persecuted” (pushed down), “but not forsaken” (we bounce back), “struck down” (pushed down), “but not destroyed” (we bounce back).
Let every incident of suffering or being pushed down cause us to die with Jesus, so that the surpassing power of God can help us to bounce back to manifest the life of Jesus in our bodies.
Yes, on the year of 2022 I went to ER seven times stayed in the hospital for 17 days, it seems I was pushed down many times but by the surpassing power of God, I was able to bounce back. Let us be a spiritual tumbler that always “bounce back”!
Prayer: Dear God, may Your surpassing power help us to bounce back from current suffering and difficulties “so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.”, In Jesus’s name, Amen.
