【双语灵修】恰逢其时JUST THE RIGHT TIME
加拉太书4:4-7
及至时候满足，神就差遣他的儿子，为女子所生，且生在律法以下， 要把律法以下的人赎出来，叫我们得着儿子的名分。 你们既为儿子，神就差他儿子的灵进入你们[a]的心，呼叫：“阿爸！父！” 可见，从此以后你不是奴仆，乃是儿子了；既是儿子，就靠着神为后嗣。
12月1日
恰逢其时
「及至时候满足，神就差他的儿子……」 - 加拉太书 4:4
对孩子而言，圣诞节宛如魔法时刻。在我们家里，孩子们每年的此时都会期盼几个家庭传统。尤其当他们年幼时，从十二月初布置完装饰品到圣诞节，那段等待的时光显得无比漫长—尤其是当圣诞树下的礼物不断吸引他们注意的时候！
许多年来，神的子民始终怀着盼望等待救主的降临。神赐下律法，其中有很多是关于祂子民的生活准则与规范。但律法并不足以让人亲近主，他们渴望更深的联结。神也应许要从百姓中兴起一位「行公义」的领袖（参见《杰里迈亚书》23:5-6）。他们知道，神要将他的律法放在他们里面，写在他们心上，使他们能更亲密地与神同行（参见《杰里迈亚书》31:33）。
等待神实现这些应许的过程想必无比漫长。但《圣经》告诉我们，一切都将在时候满足时成就。神差祂的独生子耶稣来到世上，成全了律法，使凡信靠祂的人，都能从罪中得救，被圣灵释放，而与主同住，并且得以向别人分享祂的慈爱与恩典。
这个圣诞节，请留心观察圣灵如何借着耶稣的降生改变你的生命。
祷告
圣洁的神啊，等候有时很艰难，但你的时间总是恰到好处，你的应许永远丰盛！请帮助我们忠心等候你，在基督里成为属你的子民。阿们。
Galatians 4:4-7
MONDAY, DECEMBER 1
JUST THE RIGHT TIME
When the set time had fully come, God sent his Son. . . . —Galatians 4:4
Christmas can seem like a magical time for children. In our family we have several traditions that our children look forward to at this time of year. Especially when they were younger, it seemed to them like an awfully long time to wait for Christmas after putting up decorations in early December—particularly when presents under the tree caught their attention!
For many long years, God’s people waited in hope for a Savior to come. God had given the people his law, filled with rules and guidelines about how to live as his people. But the law was not enough to bring the people closer to the Lord, and they longed for a deeper relationship. God also promised that he would raise up a leader from his people who would “do what is just and right” (see Jeremiah 23:5-6). And they learned that God would fill their hearts and minds with his will so that they could live more closely with him (see Jeremiah 31:33).
It must have seemed like forever to wait for God to keep those promises. But the Bible tells us that this happened at just the right time. God sent his own Son, Jesus, into the world to fulfill the law so that all who would believe could be saved from sin and freed by his Spirit to live with him, sharing his love and grace with others.
This Christmas, look for ways in which God’s Spirit is changing you because of Jesus’ birth.
Holy God, sometimes it seems hard to wait for you. But your timing is always right, and your promises are always rich! Help us wait faithfully for you, and make us your people in Christ. Amen.