Live or Dead

投射幕從高處掉下,在完全沒有準備下雙手接住。想,若是擊中頭部會是如何?死,其實從沒有想像的遠。

*****************

教會的小朋友,癌病,大概是血癌吧,再復發,前面的治療一點都不容易。很多成年人也不知道死是什麼一回事,小小年紀就有這樣的經歷……能夠比成年人知道得多,不知是好、是壞。但無論如何,這不能不教人心痛。

往遭喪的家去,強如往宴樂的家去;因為死是眾人的結局,活人也必將這事放在心上。(傳道書 7 章 2 節)

It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting,
for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. (Eccl 7:2)

New Year Reading, Book of Jeremiah

我責打你們的兒女是徒然的,他們不受懲治。你們自己的刀吞滅你們的先知,好像殘害的獅子。這世代的人哪,你們要看明耶和華的話。我豈向以色列作曠野呢?或作幽暗之地呢?我的百姓為何說:我們脫離約束,再不歸向你了?處女豈能忘記他的妝飾呢?新婦豈能忘記他的美衣呢?我的百姓卻忘記了我無數的日子! (耶利米書2章30-32)

​​​​​​​​In vain have I struck your children;
they took no correction;
your own sword devoured your prophets
like a ravening lion.
​​​​​​​​And you, O generation, behold the word of the LORD.
Have I been a wilderness to Israel,
or a land of thick darkness?
Why then do my people say, ‘We are free,
we will come no more to you
’?
​​​​​​​​Can a virgin forget her ornaments,
or a bride her attire?
Yet my people have forgotten me
days without number
.
(Jeremiah 2:30-32)

Correction. Freedom. Forget.

Strike are meant to bring correction. Freedom are set to bring people back. Days are given to be remembered.

再一次被從前的自己抓着。在自己裏面找,只找到軟弱、無能。父母都說我是固執的人,但這不是說我有什麼力量是堅持什麼,若要說我有什麼能力,就只有像以色列家一樣固執行惡的能力。

回想這一年,有長進麼?有為主做過什麼事麼?若有,就只有一些 Nominal 上的事,按名或許可以稱得上是長進、是事奉,但實際卻不算得什麼。

有話說:人若休妻,妻離他而去,作了別人的妻,前夫豈能再收回他來?若收回他來,那地豈不是大大玷污了麼?但你和許多親愛的行邪淫,還可以歸向我。這是耶和華說的。 (耶利米書3章1節)

If a man divorces his wife ​​​​​​​and she goes from him ​​​​​​​and becomes another man’s wife, ​​​​​​​will he return to her? ​​​​​​​Would not that land be greatly polluted? ​​​​​​​You have played the whore with many lovers; ​​​​​​​and would you return to me? ​​​​​​​declares the LORD. ​​​(Jeremiah 3:1)

讀到耶利米書,仍是神那不捨的愛是我唯一的依靠。

Commandment

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me s will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. (John 14:21)

… so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:10)

Love him, keep his commandments and pleasing him are the keys to know him.

Hymn: Jesus, Thou Alone Art Worthy

早上起來,不由得唱起這歌:

讚我恩人
Jesus, Thou alone art worthy

Lyrics: Mrs. J. A. Trench (1843-1925)

一 我主耶穌,惟你是配,來得永遠的讚美,
  因你愛心、恩典、慈良,遠超我們所能想。
  JESUS, Thou alone art worthy
  Ceaseless praises to receive;
  For Thy love, and grace, and goodness
  Rise o’er all our thoughts conceive.

副 讚祂!讚祂!讚我恩人!聖徒們哪,當高聲!
  讚祂!讚祂!直到天上,讚得完全讚得長。
  Praise Him! praise Him! praise the Saviour,
  Saints, aloud your voices raise!
  Praise Him! praise Him! till in heaven
  Perfected we’ll sing His praise.

二 我們滿心感激不盡,前來稱頌你尊名;
  一生一世滿被恩澤,到處述說你資格。
  With adoring hearts, we render
  Honour to Thy precious name,
  Overflowing with Thy mercies,
  Far and wide Thy worth proclaim.

三 我們所拜的主耶穌,你是何等的寬恕;
  你的愛心像你能力,永無限量永無已。

四 耶穌,你是首先末後,你要領我到盡頭;
  因著已往我讚美你,為著將來我靠你。

跟詩歌無關……
主日學提到合一這個題目。心裡不知如何是好。有弟兄問弟兄問到靈恩派的問題。自問實在沒有資格講太多話,自己也有很多事情不知就裡、不好講,但心裡實在不想簡單的帶過。弟兄的坦誠分享是好的,但當走的路甚遠。能力,總不可能由自己來。在真道上同歸於一不就是認識神的兒子麼?

Cost of Ownership

Story 1: There were some problem with my sister’s car, which its repairing may cost a few thousands. My sister is quite worrying about it. As a matter of fact, she got the car from a relative when he know the car is almost dying. It was a free gift to begin with, but have become a source of worry at the end.

Story 2: With the depreciation of US dollar, provident funds settling in US dollars are, too, depreciating. How shall one put hope in uncertainty of riches (1 Tim 6:17)?

That’s All Fine with Kitten

I have got a new job — a developer position in a solution company. With the (standard) all-your-copyright-are-belong-to-us policy, I guess I would try to blog even less. Or, at least, self-censor a bit.

It’s all God’s mercy to me, and to my family, for me to have this job. But, I think, this is just a small milestone of a great plan of Him. I am hesitate to share more details on web for the time being. Shall the time come, I will try to share more details here, so you all may have joy with me and praise Him together.

學期終了

這幾天早上想起的,是一句歌詞

學期終了 懇求祝福 感謝過去諸恩佑;
已認過失 懇求饒恕 已失時光求補救;
願主兒女 願主兒女 永不再使聖靈愁。

嗯,好一首《休業歌》。

Thrice Jesus have Asked: Lovest Thou Me?

So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. (John 21:15-18, KJV)

Of the three times our Lord have asked Peter to confess his love, the first he have asked is “lovest thou me more than these?” Of course, our Lord is incomparable to anything, and our love to him should be incomparable to anything. But, if we don’t comparable, how else could we know how great he is, and how little we have loved?

I have just had my interview yesterday night. It’s time to ask: am I loving him more than these?

On Justice

對大部份香港人來說,程序正義是一文不值的。不論是政府,或是市民都毫無分別。對人來說,只要能達到目的,不擇手段又有可相干?
所謂程序、所謂法律、所謂原則,都只是虛談。

有人認為「合某人意的,就是原則」。
但事實上人是善變的,今日合某人意,明日也不一定合某人意。
這樣,我們不可以說原則是難測的、暗昧不明的,因為這樣的原則就不存在。

若真的要求,就應該是求那不變的。

Knowing God


這幾週都在讀 J.I. Packer 的 Knowing God 。原因,本來只是因為放得太久沒有讀完而已,想在令會裡完成而已。

在令會內的讀書進度不太理想。後來在令會後發生了些事,面對著自我的陰暗面、面對著前路,我對神的認識是如何的不足。這不是指書本上教條式的知識(如果是這個,我想我並不缺──至少,暫時並不缺),而是指在靈裡真實的認知和洞見。實如書中引述 J.B. Phillips 所言:Your God Is Too Small。