【双语灵修】猛兽出没！BIG CAT!
彼得前书 5:8-11 8月28日
务要谨守、警醒，因为你们的仇敌魔鬼如同吼叫的狮子，遍地游行，寻找可吞吃的人。 你们要用坚固的信心抵挡它，因为知道你们在世上的众弟兄也是经历这样的苦难。 那赐诸般恩典的神，曾在基督里召你们得享他永远的荣耀，等你们暂受苦难之后，
必要亲自成全你们，坚固你们，赐力量给你们。 愿权能归给他，直到永永远远！阿们。
猛兽出没！
“务要谨守、警醒，因为你们的仇敌魔鬼如同吼叫的狮子，遍地游行，寻找可吞吃的人。” -彼前 5:8
一般人并非普遍喜爱猫科动物。像狮子这样的“大猫”，引发的反应也褒贬不一。
在《圣经》中，狮子可以象征上帝至高无上的力量，譬如“犹大支派的狮子”（启示录5:5）。又或者想想《纳尼亚传奇》中的阿斯兰，牠正是耶稣的象征。
但彼得在写给《新约》中早期基督徒的第一封书信的末尾提到另一种狮子。他警告早期基督徒，这头猛兽正在猎杀信徒。这究竟是怎么回事？
尽管耶稣受死复活已过去多年，彼得仍然常常回想教会初期岁月。他深知后世信徒将会因信仰遭受抵挡。今日世界各地许多基督徒亦是如此。
当彼得从罗马写信给在小亚细亚（今土耳其）受逼迫的基督徒时，告诫他们说：“务要谨守、警醒。”彼得曾亲身经历过跌倒，如今他更明白其中缘由。因此他警告要提防仇敌魔鬼，它如同吼叫的狮子，企图吞吃信徒。
基于自身经历，彼得也给出应许：神必看顾，帮助我们抵挡仇敌，站立得稳。即便失脚，神也必如当年重建彼得一样重建我们。
祷告
耶稣，感谢祢为我们坚定站立。求祢帮助我们也为祢的缘故站立得稳。阿们。
1 Peter 5:8-11
THURSDAY, AUGUST 28
BIG CAT!
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.—1 Peter 5:8
Appreciation for cats is not universal. Kittycats, like lions, evoke a mixed response.
In the Bible a lion can represent the sovereign strength of God—as in “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5). Or think of Aslan, who represents Jesus in the Chronicles of Narnia.
Peter mentions a different sort of lion, though, at the end of his first letter to early Christians in the New Testament. And he warns that this lion is hunting for believers in Christ. What’s going on?
Though many years had passed since the dramatic events of Jesus’ death and resurrection, Peter continued to reflect on those early days of the church, knowing that Christians in later years would face opposition because of their faith in Christ. The same is true for many Christians throughout the world today.
As he wrote from Rome to Christians who faced persecution in Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), Peter warned his readers, “Be alert and of sober mind.” Peter knew that he had failed in the past, and now he better understood why. So he warned Christians to be wary of their great enemy, the evil one, who, like a roaring lion, wanted to devour them.
Knowing his own experience, Peter also offered a promise. God cares for us and will help us resist and stand firm. But when we fail, God will also restore us, as he did with Peter.
Jesus, thank you for standing firm for us. Please help us to stand firm for you. Amen.