【双语灵修】等候真光WAITING FOR THE LIGHT
约翰福音 1:1-13
太初有道，道与神同在，道就是神。 这道太初与神同在。 万物是藉着他造的；凡被造的，没有一样不是藉着他造的。 生命在他里头，这生命就是人的光。 光照在黑暗里，黑暗却不接受光。 有一个人，是从神那里差来的，名叫约翰。 这人来，为要作见证，就是为光作见证，叫众人因他可以信。 他不是那光，乃是要为光作见证。 那光是真光，照亮一切生在世上的人。 他在世界，世界也是藉着他造的，世界却不认识他。 他到自己的地方来，自己的人倒不接待他。 凡接待他的，就是信他名的人，他就赐他们权柄做神的儿女。 这等人不是从血气生的，不是从情欲生的，也不是从人意生的，乃是从神生的。
12月24日
等候真光
「光照在黑暗里，黑暗却不接受光。」 - 约翰福音 1:5
我常觉得，平安夜这晚，整个世界都会屏住呼吸。数周来，各种广告不断催促我们为节日做预备。或许我们常常为自家的筹备和派对，忙碌张罗。但此刻节日已至，万事俱备。今夜许多教堂的烛光礼拜，更添宁静和敬畏。
约翰福音的开篇带着静谧与敬畏：永恒之神，创造天地的主，即将临近。世界预备好了吗？经文向一切愿意接受并相信的人发出邀请：神的光与生命已临至。在那笼罩日常生活的黑暗与混沌中，有一道真光闪耀，照亮了生命应有的方向。
但当中也有警示：人也可能因忙碌奔波，而错过基督降生的奇迹。因此，我们必须驻足惊叹，才能听见神要传达的信息：我们这些有罪的人，可以重新回到神的家里了。
当今夜的繁忙渐归宁静时，让我们牢记，神已预备万事。基督已降生。神的光已临到。你看见了吗？
祷告
神啊，在这静谧时刻，让我们安静自己的心，深知你是主我们的神，圣洁而真实。求你重建我们心中的敬畏，因你已来拯救我们，使我们成为你家中一员。阿们。
John 1:1-13
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24
WAITING FOR THE LIGHT
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. —John 1:5
I often feel like the world holds its breath on Christmas Eve. For weeks, we’ve listened to advertisements telling us to get ready for the holiday. Perhaps we’ve done our share of bustling about with our own preparations and parties. But now the holiday is upon us, and most of the preparing is done. Candlelight services held in many churches on this evening add to that sense of stillness and wonder.
The gospel account of John opens with a sense of quiet stillness and wonder. The eternal God, Creator of heaven and earth, is about to draw near. Is the world ready? The text offers an invitation to all who would receive him and believe: God’s light and life are here. Amid the darkness and confusion that often cloud our everyday living, a true light shines, enabling us to see clearly where life should lead.
But there is also a warning. It’s possible to be so busy bustling about that we miss the wonder of Christ’s birth. So it’s absolutely necessary to stop in wonder and amazement in order to hear the message God wants to communicate to us: sinful humanity can again become part of God’s family.
As our busy lives quiet down somewhat tonight, let’s remember that God has made everything ready. Christ has come. God’s light is here. Do you see it?
Word of God, in this quiet moment, let us be still and know that you are the Lord our God, holy and true. Renew in us a sense of wonder that you have come to save us and make us a part of your family. Amen.