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2022 年 3 月 26 日／27 日 Click here for English 疫情下不要停止同心恆切禱告
蕭壽華牧師
在第五波疫情下，香港經歷前所未有的嚴峻衝擊。許多長者出現重症、甚至離世；醫護、照顧員相繼染疫，整個團隊流著淚應付沉重的壓力。加上近日我們每天都看見烏克蘭人民逃避戰火，遍地哀鴻，內心十分難過、低沉。但我們若容許這種情緒佔據自己，即使沒有染疫，也會失去對主的信心，正如箴言二十四10所說：「你在患難之日若膽怯，你的力量就微小。」然而我們又可怎辦呢？詩篇八十六 7 說：「我在患難之日要求告你，因為你必應允我。」原來求告主可以轉變膽怯、消沉的心，使人重拾盼望與積極。 聖經勉勵我們「不可停止聚會」，在患難之中，信徒更要相聚一起「彼此相顧，激發愛心，勉勵行善」，如此才能站穩（來十 24-25）。但是疫情令所有實體聚會都取消了，我們又怎能相聚呢？經文中「停止」一詞的原文有「放棄、離棄」之意，故此，我們難以相聚，到底是因為疫情下的限聚令？還是因為各種不安與消沉令我們放棄了與弟兄姊妹聯繫，放棄了尋找其他方式相聚？又或是因為習慣了獨立生活、不相往來，「好像那些停止慣了的人」？我們不可這樣！「倒要彼此勸勉，既然知道那日子臨近，就更當如此。」最重要的，是不可放棄與弟兄姊妹同心祈禱，因為主說：「你們中間有兩個人在地上同心合意地求甚麼事，我在天上的父必為他們成全。因為無論在哪裡，有兩三個人奉我的名聚會，那裡就有我在他們中間」（太十八 19-20），我們怎可放棄這個有主同在的應許？ 我過去與弟兄姊妹一起祈禱（不論實體或線上），曾深刻體會到別人的熱切禱告如何感染我，叫我也熱切地向主呼求憐憫。內地教會比我們經歷更多的聚會限制，但他們今天卻有更多線上的祈禱聚會，並且多是每天進行的。不久前我到一所教會直播講道，發現他們全年的重點是追求禱告復興，在疫情下他們設立了許多線上的祈禱聚會，堂會牧者告知我，線上福音查經聚會人數眾多，會眾也較以前更多參與線上聚會和奉獻。近期北宣家有團契重啟三人祈禱小組，而出席線上祈禱會的弟兄姊妹也明顯增加，求主感動我們，在這些日子更加尋求禱告的復興。 今天的世局令人消沉散漫，但禱告能把這種情緒化成熱切呼求主的動力！弟兄姊妹，聯繫你的肢體，一起同心恆切地求告主吧。 Pastor's Sharing Pray Steadfastly with One Heart without Ceasing during the Pandemic Rev Gordon Siu Under the fifth wave of the pandemic, Hong Kong experience grave, unprecedented challenges. Many seniors become seriously ill, and some even pass away. Medical staff and caretakers get infected one after another. The entire medical team endure tremendous pressure in tears. Moreover, every day recently, we see the Ukrainian people fleeing the war. Heartbreaking images all around, we are saddened and distressed. But if we allow such sentiment to prevail, we will lose faith in God even if we do not get infected ourselves: "If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength!" (Proverbs 24:10) But what can we do? Psalm 86:7 says, "When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me.” Call to God and the fearful and distressed heart will be changed. Hope and positivity will be yours once again. "Not giving up meeting together" – that is the biblical exhortation for us. In hard times, believers need all the more to stay together and "consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” so that we can stand firm in faith (Hebrews 10:24-25). Now the pandemic has led to the cancelation of all our in-person meetings. How do we meet? In the original language of the Bible, the phrase "give up" also means "abandon" or "forsake." So, does the difficulty in meeting together arise from the social distancing measures? Or have all kinds of anxiety and distress made us give up our connection with brothers and sisters, even alternative ways to gather? Or are we accustomed to living alone and not meeting anyone "as some are in the habit of doing?" No, we must not be like that, "but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching"! Most important of all, we must not give up united prayer with brothers and sisters. It is because the Lord has said, "Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them" (Matthew 18:19-20). How can we abandon a promise of having the Lord's presence? In the past when I prayed with brothers and sisters (whether in person or online), I have experienced how others’ fervent prayers impact me, making me also earnestly call for the Lord’s mercy. Churches on the Mainland face more gathering restrictions than we do, but today they have more prayer meetings online, with most of them conducted daily. The other day, I preached at the livestreamed worship service of a church. I found that their focus of the year is prayer revival. During the pandemic, they have set up many prayer meetings online. A pastor told me they saw a huge attendance at their online gospel Bible study. The congregation also participate more in online meetings and offering than before. Recently in the NPAC family, some fellowships have relaunched three-member prayer partners. Attendance at online prayer meetings has also shown marked increase. May the Lord move us to seek greater prayer revival in such a time as this. What happens in the world today is disheartening and disorienting. But prayer can turn the sentiment into motivation to earnestly call on the Lord! Brothers and sisters, go connect with your fellow believers. Let us pray steadfastly with one heart to the Lord. |