【双语灵修】当新闻令人沮丧

马太福音 24:3-14

耶稣在橄榄山上坐着，门徒暗暗地来，说：「请告诉我们，什么时候有这些事？你降临和世界的末了有什么预兆呢？」耶稣回答说：「你们要谨慎，免得有人迷惑你们。因为将来有好些人冒我的名来，说：『我是基督』，并且要迷惑许多人。你们也要听见打仗和打仗的风声，总不要惊慌，因为这些事是必须有的，只是末期还没有到。民要攻打民，国要攻打国，多处必有饥荒、地震，这都是灾难的起头。那时，人要把你们陷在患难里，也要杀害你们；你们又要为我的名被万民恨恶。

「那时，必有许多人跌倒，也要彼此陷害、彼此恨恶，且有好些假先知起来，迷惑多人。只因不法的事增多，许多人的爱心才渐渐冷淡了。唯有忍耐到底的，必然得救。这天国的福音要传遍天下，对万民作见证，然后末期才来到。

2月27日

当新闻令人沮丧

「这天国的福音要传遍天下，对万民作见证，然后末期才来到。」 -太 24:14

有时，当我听到这个世界有如此多的罪恶，有如此多的不公义、不敬神、苦难、不道德、腐败等等，我会感到气馁。当我心里开始冒出疑窦时，我想大声呼喊：「主啊，你在哪里？你似乎并没有做什么，而且情况还在日益恶化。」

但当我想起耶稣的门徒问祂有关于未来的状况，以及祂的回答，我便意识到这正是我们应该预料到的——战争、灾难和神的百姓受逼迫。耶稣指出，在末世之前，最重要的事是福音要传遍天下。后来，耶稣吩咐祂的门徒说：「你们去，使万民作我的门徒……」（太 28:19）。而这个使命是给每一代追随耶稣的信徒的，包括你和我。

应付我们对世界上正在发生的事情之疑虑和担忧的最好办法，就是投入到耶稣给我们的工作中，直到祂再来。这意味着要去宣扬神国度的好消息，就是我们靠着神在基督里的恩典得救，并在我们的日常生活中，用一致的、可信的见证来彰显神的爱。

祷告

主耶稣啊，我愿祢来，将祢丰盛的国度带到世上。赐给我们力量，让我们忠实地及有效地将祢的爱和福音传遍天下。阿们。

WHEN THE DAILY NEWS GETS US DOWN

“This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”                                       —Matthew 24:14

Sometimes I get discouraged when I hear about so much evil in our world—there’s so much injustice, godlessness, suffering, immorality, corruption, and more. When doubts start to rise in my mind, I want to cry out, “Lord, where are you? It doesn’t seem like you’re doing much about it, and it’s getting worse by the day.”

But then I recall what Jesus told his disciples when they asked about the future, and I realize that this is exactly what we should expect—wars, calamities, and opposition toward God’s people. And Jesus points out that the main thing that needs to happen before the end is that the gospel needs to be proclaimed everywhere. Later Jesus commissioned his followers, saying, “Go and make disciples of all nations . . .” (Matthew 28:19). And this task is for every generation of Jesus’ followers, including you and me.

The best way to deal with our doubts and worries about what’s happening in the world is to get busy with the work Jesus has given us to do until he comes again. That means proclaiming the good news of God’s kingdom—that we are saved through God’s grace in Christ—and backing that up with the consistent, credible witness of showing God’s love in our everyday lives.

Come, Lord Jesus, to bring the fullness of your kingdom here on earth. And empower us to be faithful and effective in spreading your love and good news everywhere. Amen.