2012年10月15日
在神愛的庇難所...
「愛裡沒有懼怕．愛既完全、就把懼怕除去。」約翰一書4章18上
當面臨受威脅的情況下，我們往往採取很多預防措施，以至在意識到的危險裡，能確保我們的摰愛和自己的安全。
在颱風季節裡，如我們居於海岸邊，我們會儲存食物、
儲水，以及用木板鞏固窗戶。在居於地震區，我們也會採取類似的安全措施。1999 年，我們不斷擔憂，於2000 年 1 月 1 日時鐘敲響零晨12 時 01 分時，全球電腦可能會關閉。在 20 世紀 50 年代和 60 年代，因核戰爭的恐懼，曾激發起一股熱潮，在住所的地下室和後院底下，建設輻射塵庇難所。
然而，在冷戰時期，生活於恐懼之中的馬丁路德鼓勵我們：「我們不需要跟風，購買輻射塵庇難所。上帝是我們永恆的輻射塵庇難所。」
禱告：
主啊！謝謝祢的愛，這是我唯一需要的庇難所。這庇難所在我裡面是存在的──給我加力和驅走我的恐懼。幫助我毫無畏懼地愛別人，就如祢給我的愛一樣。阿們！
反思：神的愛如何平伏你的恐懼？而神的愛在你裡面，又如何幫助你安撫別人的恐懼？
15 October 2012
In the shelter of God's
love...
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear." - 1 John 4:18a
When faced with frightening situations, we often take
amazing precautions to keep our loved ones and ourselves safe from perceived
dangers.
If living along a coast during hurricane season, we
stock up on food, store water, and board up our windows. In earthquake
territory, similar safety measures are followed. In 1999, we worried incessantly
that computers around the world would shut down when the clock struck
12:01 a.m. on January 1, 2000. In the 1950s and '60s, fears of nuclear war
spurred a building boom of fallout shelters in basements and under
backyards.
However, Martin Luther King, Jr., living in that time of
fear during the Cold War, encouraged us that "We need not join the mad rush to
purchase an earthly fallout shelter. God is our eternal fallout
shelter."
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for Your love, which is the
only shelter I'll ever need. It is active in me - strengthening me and driving
away my fears. Help me to love others fearlessly with the same love that You
have for me. Amen.
Reflection: How does God's love help to calm your fears?
How does God's love in you help you to calm the fears of
others?
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