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2022 年 4 月 23 日／24 日 Click here for English 散聚寄居的朝聖者
譚廣海牧師
教會在第五波疫情期間需要關閉，弟兄姊妹散聚各處，各自經歷人生的憂患——確診與死亡個案以幾何級數急增；市民趕急儲糧備用；群眾慌忙搶購中西成藥與新冠病毒快速檢測包······這一切都教人莫不感到失措與無助。我曾聽到一位肢體說，他在教會週刊看到團友離世的消息，但當時已趕不及參加安息禮拜、作最後道別了，以致心中甚感遺憾與失落。 聖經也這樣說：我們這些客旅寄居者的日子好像影兒、沒有指望（代上二十九 15）。我們得承認無人可以預測病毒會在何處出現，更無法預防不受感染、確保生命得存活。我想起〈以馬內利，懇求降臨〉這首古老詩歌，其中的歌詞表達了以色列民淪落異邦、寂寞傷心、極其渴望基督降臨的心情。是的，惟有主能夠在患難中安慰人心，引領我們衝破長夜的幽暗陰沉，為生命帶來光明、盼望與力量。 昔日以色列人朝上主聖殿去敬拜的經歷，鼓勵我們今天也要成為歸屬神的朝聖者。我很喜愛詩篇一二二 1 的描述：「我們往耶和華的殿去，我就歡喜」。大衛的內心知道，往上主聖殿去敬拜的人，是蒙福的朝聖者。雖然神的子民各有不同的生命遭遇，但卻能被神建造成為「連絡整齊的一座城」（詩一二二 3）。對基督耶穌有一致認信的人，也能照著各自所得的恩賜聯繫起來，各按各職事奉神（弗四 16），活出基督裡的價值與豐盛。 我們的急難雖沒法停止，但在神家裡的人卻能運用禱告的權柄，為神的城求平安，使愛這城的人得興旺（詩一二二 6）。因此，我們不要忘記禱告生活的操練與保證：「倘有禍患臨到我們，或刀兵災殃，或瘟疫饑荒，我們在急難的時候，站在這殿前向你呼求，你必垂聽而拯救，因為你的名在這殿裡。」（代下二十 9） 親愛的弟兄姊妹，讓我們在客旅寄居的日子中，作個蒙神賜福的朝聖者。今天教會的關閉期已告結束，未來數週我們即將陸續恢復實體的聚會。教會被列為指定處所，要執行公共衛生防疫及疫苗通行證的措施，過程中大家或會覺得不便，然而，我跟每一位被神揀選的人竭誠互勉：要緊握親近神的機會，從而使各人如散聚寄居的朝聖者一樣，為著神居所的美福而心滿意足（詩六十五 4）。願我們都能以歡喜快樂的心，投入北宣家新一階段的「進深結連」生活。 Pastor's Sharing Scattered Sojourning Pilgrims Rev Samuel Tam During the fifth wave of the pandemic, the church has to close and brothers and sisters are scattered about. We each experience life’s troubles invariably – new COVID cases and deaths grow at a geometric rate; citizens stock up food hastily; crowds flood to get Chinese and Western medicine and Rapid Antigen Test kits… All these make people feel lost and helpless. I heard a brother saying that he read news about the passing of a fellowship member in the worship bulletin of the church, only finding it too late to attend the funeral service to bid the last farewell. He felt a deep regret and loss. Such experience resonates with that depicted in the Bible: The days of us, foreigners and sojourners, are like a shadow, without hope (1 Chronicles 29:15). We have to admit that nobody can predict where the virus will appear, and there is no way to prevent infection or guarantee life. An age-old hymn, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" comes to mind. It depicts the loneliness and sadness of the Israelites in a foreign land and how they longed for the coming of Christ. Indeed, only the Lord can comfort us in tribulation, lead us through long, gloomy nights, and bring light, hope and strength to our lives. How the Israelites went to the temple to worship the LORD back then inspires us to become pilgrims who belong to God today. I like the description in Psalm 122:1 very much, "I rejoiced with those who said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the LORD.'" David knew in his heart that those who go to the temple to worship the LORD are blessed pilgrims. And although the people of God have different life experiences, they can be built "like a city that is closely compacted together" by God (Psalm 122:3). Moreover, those who share faith in Christ Jesus can be joined and held together by their gifts and each does its work to serve God (Ephesians 4:16). They can live out the values and richness in Christ. Although we cannot stop calamities, the people of God can enlist the power of prayer to pray for peace in the city and security for those who love the city (Psalm 122:6). So let us not forget the training and guarantee of prayer life: "If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us" (2 Chronicles 20:9). Dear brothers and sisters, in our days as foreigners and sojourners, let us be God’s blessed pilgrims. Today, the closure of the church has come to an end. We will gradually resume onsite meetings over the next few weeks. Churches are among designated premises where anti-pandemic measures for public health and vaccine pass have to be implemented. There may be some inconvenience in the process. Nevertheless, may I sincerely share this exhortation with every person chosen by God: Let us grasp the opportunity to stay close to God so that, just like scattered sojourning pilgrims, we shall be satisfied with the goodness of God's house (Psalm 65:4). May we, with a joyful heart, get involved in a new phase of "reconnected" life in the NPAC family. |