【双语灵修】神是关心我们的牧者God, the Concerned Shepherd

「就请朋友邻舍来，对他们说：『我失去的羊已经找着了，你们和我一同欢喜吧。』」 ― 路 15:6

「基督徒」这个名字大致可以被翻译为「小基督」，意思是说，一个跟随基督的人是耶稣的延续，是祂在天上的父的代表。这是一个重大的责任，其因有二。这是每一个基督徒的本性，它包括自律和在信仰上不断长进直至成熟。它也有基督徒群体生活的特质，在我们介入别人生活时，例如朋友、邻舍、甚至完全不认识的人，我们需要有精力和资源去做。所以，像基督一样，基督徒蒙召与活在顺境的人同在，也要去寻找那些在流离，需要认识基督，或返回神家的人同在。

事实上，从某些角度来看，我们都是羊儿。在某些时候，我们都离开了主，我们的牧人。我们走远了，那些被我们认为是更青绿的草、更清凉的水、或更好的草场，分散了我们的注意力。我们迷路了，渡过了很多天，甚至整个季节，牧人的声音是如此微弱，以致我们几乎听不到。然而，耶稣是一个好牧人，完全委身于拯救每一只迷了路的羊，没有一只会走迷到祂寻找不到。

祷告

伟大的牧者，纵使我们走迷了，感谢祢仍然继续来寻找我们。当我们开始游荡时，求祢帮助我们听见祢的呼唤，当我们迷了路时，求祢保护我们。阿们。

路加福音 15:4-7

4「你们中间谁有一百只羊失去一只，不把这九十九只撇在旷野，去找那失去的羊，直到找着呢？5 找着了，就欢欢喜喜地扛在肩上，回到家里， 6 就请朋友邻舍来，对他们说：『我失去的羊已经找着了，你们和我一同欢喜吧！』 7 我告诉你们：一个罪人悔改，在天上也要这样为他欢喜，较比为九十九个不用悔改的义人欢喜更大。」

God, the Concerned Shepherd

“Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’” - Luke 15:6

The term “Christian” roughly translates into “little Christ,” meaning that a person who follows Christ is an extension of Jesus and a representative of his Father in heaven. This is a heavy responsibility for two significant reasons. There is the personal nature of being a Christian, which includes self-discipline and continuing growth into maturity of faith. There is also the communal nature of Christian living, and this requires our energy and resources as we involve ourselves in the lives of others, such as friends, neighbors, and even complete strangers. So, like Christ, Christians are called to be there when life is good and to search out others who have been wandering and need to know Christ or to come back into his family.

The truth is that we are all like sheep in some ways, and at some point or other we have walked away from the Lord, our shepherd. We have wandered off, distracted by what we think is greener grass, cooler water, or a better pasture. We’ve gotten lost, and we’ve gone through days—even whole seasons—when the sound of his voice is so faint that we barely notice it. Yet, like a good shepherd, Jesus is fully committed to rescuing each and every sheep that has lost its way. And not one can wander so far that he can’t find them.

Prayer

Great Shepherd, thank you for continuing to look after us, even when we have strayed. Help us to listen for your call when we begin to wander, and protect us when we have gotten lost. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳