What has God created you to do? Who can you show His love to today?
上帝要你去做哪些美事?今天你能向谁表明上帝的爱?
We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.Ephesians 2:10
我们原是祂的工作,在基督耶稣里造成的,为要叫我们行善,就是上帝所预备叫我们行的。-以弗所书2章10节
My grandmother was a talented seamstress who won contests in her native Texas. Throughout my life, she celebrated hallmark occasions with a hand-sewn gift. A burgundy mohair sweater for my high school graduation. A turquoise quilt for my marriage. I’d fold over a corner of each custom-crafted item to discover her signature tag reading, “Hand made for you by Munna.” With every embroidered word, I sensed my grandmother’s love for me and received a powerful statement of her faith in my future.
我祖母是个满有恩赐的女裁缝师,在她家乡德州赢得多场比赛。在我的一生中所有特别的日子,她都会亲手缝制衣物为我庆祝。高中毕业时,她送我紫红色的毛衣;结婚时,她送给我蓝绿色的被子。祖母会在这些衣物的某个角落,绣上“祖母特别为妳缝制”这几个字。从祖母针脚细密的衣物,我感受到她对我的爱,也体会到她对我往后的人生充满信心。
Paul wrote to the Ephesians of their purpose in this world, describing them as “God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (2:10). Here “handiwork” denotes a work of art or a masterpiece. Paul goes on to describe that God’s handiwork in creating us would result in our handiwork of creating good works—or expressions of our restored relationship with Jesus—for His glory in our world. We can never be saved by our own good works, but when God hand makes us for His purposes, He can use us to bring others toward His great love.
保罗写信给以弗所的信徒阐述生命的意义时,称他们为上帝的“工作”,是在基督耶稣里造成的,为要叫他们行善(2章10节)。在此,“工作”是指艺术品或杰作。保罗进一步解释,我们这些蒙恩得救的人是上帝所创造的杰作,当行美事,藉此向人展现我们与耶稣和好的关系以荣耀祂的名。我们绝对不能靠着做善事得救赎,然而当上帝按祂的心意在我们身上工作时,我们就能带领人认识祂的爱。
With her head bowed over her needle, my Munna hand made items to communicate her love for me and her passion that I discover my purpose on this planet. And with His fingers shaping the details of our days, God stitches His love and purposes in our hearts that we might experience Him for ourselves and demonstrate His handiwork to others.
我祖母以一针一线缝制的艺术品,表达了她对我的爱,也让我知道,她为我找到生命的意义而感到欣慰。这让我联想到上帝亲手设计我们人生中的每个细节,并将祂的爱和心意绣进我们的心里。我们可以亲身经历祂,并向世人展现祂的工作。
Dear Father, thank you for creating me with your own hands.Please let people see you through me.
亲爱的天父,谢谢祢亲手创造我;求祢藉着我能让人看见祢。

Ephesians 2:4-10   NIV

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

以弗所书 2:4-10

然而,神既有丰富的怜悯,因他爱我们的大爱, 当我们死在过犯中的时候,便叫我们与基督一同活过来。你们得救是本乎恩。 6 他又叫我们与基督耶稣一同复活,一同坐在天上, 7 要将他极丰富的恩典,就是他在基督耶稣里向我们所施的恩慈,显明给后来的世代看。 8 你们得救是本乎恩,也因着信。这并不是出于自己,乃是神所赐的; 也不是出于行为,免得有人自夸。 10 我们原是他的工作,在基督耶稣里造成的,为要叫我们行善,就是神所预备叫我们行的。

INIGHT 

灵粮透视

When Paul reminded his readers they were examples of God’s work in process (Ephesians 2:8–10), he was writing out of his own story. Trained in the law as a Pharisee, Paul described the kind of person he was before Jesus surprised him on the road to Damascus (Acts 22:1–5; 1 Timothy 1:12–15). Paul knew it was the work of God that transformed him from a violent advocate of Mosaic morality into someone who never got over the kindness of Jesus. He credited the grace and Spirit of Christ with replacing his moralistic passions (Ephesians 2:3) with a heart that reflected the mercy of the Savior who died for us (vv. 4–5; 5:1).

保罗提醒读者,他们是上帝手中正在完成的工作(以弗所书2章8-10节),其实保罗是在描述自己的生命历程。他尚未在前往大马士革的路上遇见耶稣之前(使徒行传22章1-5节;提摩太前书1章12-15节),是一个受摩西律法训练的法利赛人,严守旧约律法。保罗深知自己能从用暴力维护摩西律法,变成完全被耶稣的爱所感动的人,完全是上帝的工作。保罗也明白是基督的恩典和圣灵改变了他,使他的心从持守律法的狂热(以弗所书2章3节),变成充满救主丰富的怜悯,这位救主为我们而死(4-5节,5章1节)。

编辑:Sarah
校对:Snow
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