【双语灵修】没有甚么特别原因（Just because）

「只因耶和华爱你们，又因要守他向你们列祖所起的誓，就用大能的手领你们出来，从为奴之家救赎你们 …。」-申 7:8

以前我曾经收过家人、朋友和同事送给我色彩鲜艳的美丽花束，花束附有一张纸条，上面写着「没有甚么特别原因」和送花人的签名。无论我当时的心情怎样，这些表达爱心的方式总能令我莞尔。

神拣选以色列民，并「没有甚么特别原因」。信实的神持守祂向他们列祖的应许，带领以色列民从埃及为奴之地进入应许之地。神喜悦并向他们施慈爱。

神对我们的爱，并非建基于我们爱祂多少。尽管有时我们认为应该有关，然而却没有人能够赚取神的爱，或说服神去爱他们。尽管我们应该尽心、尽性、尽意和尽力去爱神，然而神的爱不是基于我们是谁、我们的表现、社会地位、或任何其他的因素，我们凭自己的真我便足够了。神是我们一切所需，祂必定会供应我们所有的需要（腓立比书 4:19）。

「没有甚么特别原因」，神就是「爱世人，甚至将他的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信他的，不致灭亡，反得永生」（约翰福音 3:16），而我们「没有甚么特别原因」就能接受祂的爱。

祷告

主，和救主，感谢祢爱我「没有甚么特别原因」。求祢帮助我记着，我无法赚取祢的爱。然而，在基督里我仍然被祢爱着，这就足够有余了。奉耶稣之名祈求，阿们。

申命记 7:7-8

耶和华专爱你们，拣选你们，并非因你们的人数多于别民，原来你们的人数在万民中是最少的。只因耶和华爱你们，又因要守他向你们列祖所起的誓，就用大能的手领你们出来，从为奴之家救赎你们脱离埃及王法老的手。

JUST BECAUSE

It was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery. . . .     —Deuteronomy 7:8

In the past I have received beautiful bouquets of colorful flowers from family members, friends, and colleagues with an attached note: “Just because,” signed with the person’s name. No matter how I might be feeling, those expressions of love always make me smile.

God chose the Israelites “just because.” God faithfully kept his promises to their ancestors, bringing Israel out of slavery in Egypt and into the promised land. God smiled and set his love on them.

God’s love is not dependent on how much we love him. Although sometimes we might think so, no person can earn God's love or try to convince God to love them. Though we should love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, God's love is not based on who we are, our performance, societal status, or anything else. We are enough just the way we are. And God is all that we need. He will provide for all our needs (Philippians 4:19).

It is “just because” God “so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). And we can receive his love “just because.”

Lord and Savior, thank you for your love “just because.” Help me to remember that I cannot earn your love but am nevertheless loved by you in Christ. And that is abundantly more than enough. In Jesus’ name, Amen.