【双语灵修】寻找我的身份FINDING MY IDENTITY

罗马书 1:1-7

耶稣基督的仆人保罗，奉召为使徒，特派传神的福音。这福音是神从前藉众先知在圣经上所应许的，论到他儿子我主耶稣基督。按肉体说，是从大卫后裔生的；按圣善的灵说，因从死里复活，以大能显明是神的儿子。我们从他受了恩惠并使徒的职分，在万国之中叫人为他的名信服真道，其中也有你们这蒙召属耶稣基督的人。我写信给你们在罗马、为神所爱、奉召做圣徒的众人。愿恩惠、平安从我们的父神并主耶稣基督归于你们！

5月4日

寻找我的身份

“耶稣基督的仆人保罗，奉召为使徒，特派传神的福音。” - 罗 1:1

“你长大后希望做甚么？”当你是小孩或青年人时，你或许曾听过有人这样问你。我们的回应往往集中在某些行业或工作方面。年纪稍长时，我们知道我们需要从事某种工作或行业，来帮助我们维持生计。

不过，仔细试想一下这个问题微妙之处。它不是问“你希望做甚么事情？”它乃是问：“你希望成为怎样的人？”做人（Being）关乎我们的本质、性情、身份。而在神的架构里，做人是在做事之先。我们是怎样的人决定我们能够做甚么事情。

使徒保罗以一个表明他身份的声明来开始《罗马书》：“耶稣基督的仆人保罗，奉召为使徒，特派传神的福音。”表面看来，这个声明回答“我是谁？”这个问题。然而，细看之下，我们便看到它与“我属于谁？”有更大的关系。保罗的身份和他与耶稣的关系是分不开的。

保罗说自己是基督耶稣的仆人，而更准确的说法，就是他是基督耶稣的奴仆。实质上，保罗属于呼召和差派他的救赎主耶稣的。他活着不再取悦和服侍自己，他乃是要取悦和服侍那位救赎他的主，这种彻底以基督为重的生活，乃是每一个信徒的特质。像保罗那样，耶稣基督改造了我们，我们的身份和我们与耶稣基督的关系是分不开的。

祷告

主耶稣，求你引领我们安定稳固在你的爱，中又在你里面找到我们真正的身份。奉你的名求，阿们。

Romans 1:1-7

SUNDAY, MAY 4

FINDING MY IDENTITY

“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God. . . .” — Romans 1:1

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” Maybe you heard this question as a child or a teenager. Our responses usually focus on some kind of career path or occupation. And as we grow older, we realize that we need some kind of work or career to help us with the costs of living.

Yet consider the nuance of the question. It doesn’t ask, “What do you want to do?” It asks, “What do you want to be?” Being has to do with our essence, our character, our identity. And in God’s economy, being goes ahead of doing. We are so that we can do.

The apostle Paul opens his letter to the Romans with a defining statement: “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God. . . .” On the face of it, this statement addresses the question “Who am I?” Yet, looking deeper, we can see that it’s more about “Whose am I?” Paul’s identity is inseparable from his relationship with Jesus.

Paul identifies himself as a servant—or, more precisely, a bondservant—of Christ Jesus. In essence, Paul belongs to Jesus, his Redeemer, who called and commissioned him. He no longer lives to please and serve himself but to please and serve the One who has rescued him. This radical Christ-centeredness is the character that every believer takes on. Like Paul’s, our identity becomes inseparable from our transformative relationship with Jesus Christ.

Lord Jesus, guide us to be anchored in your love and to discover our true identity in you. Amen.