2016年1月15日
銀行裡有什麼？ What's in the Bank?
读经: 以弗所書2章4-7節
Reading: Ephesians 2:4-7
所以我們只管坦然無懼地來到施恩的寶座前，為要得憐恤，蒙恩惠，作隨時的幫助。-希伯來書4章16節
Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.- Hebrews 4:16
全年读经: 創世記36-38章;馬太福音10章21-42節
Bible in a Year: Genesis 36–38; Matthew 10: 21-42
在2009年的冬天，一架巨型客機緊急降落在紐約市哈德遜河。機長沙林博格（Chesley Sullenberger）憑著豐富的經驗使飛機安全降落，也沒有人傷亡。有人問他在空中面對生死關頭的那一剎那，怎樣能做出正確的抉擇。他說：「嗯，也許可以這樣說，過去42年來，我定期累積經驗、知識及訓練在這個儲存經驗的銀行裡。那一天，所儲存的經驗足夠，使我能及時提取一大筆來使用。」
我們都可能會有面對危機的時候，可能是失業、面對健康問題，或失去至親或好友。在這樣的特別時刻，我們就必須從屬靈銀行的存款儲備中，提取一筆鉅款。
在我們的屬靈銀行裡，我們會發現什麼呢？若我們一直與上帝有著深厚的關係，我們就是經常做「信心的儲蓄」。我們經歷了祂的恩典（哥林多後書8章9節 ； 以弗所書2章4-7節 ），就能相信經上所說的應許：上帝是公義和信實的（申命記32章4節；帖撒羅尼迦後書3章3節） 。
如此一來，當上帝的孩子需要在屬靈銀行提款的時候，也能確信祂的愛與恩典永遠充足有餘（詩篇9篇10節；希伯來書4章16節） 。
主啊，祢的信實何其偉大！
每一天我都看見祢豐富的供應，
並賜下慈愛憐憫。感謝讚美祢。
謹記上帝過去的信實，使我們勇敢面對未來。
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In the winter of 2009, a large passenger plane made an emergency landing in New York's Hudson River. The pilot, Captain Chesley Sullenberger, who landed the plane safely with no casualties, was later asked about those moments in the air when he was faced with a life-or-death decision. "One way of looking at this," he said, "might be that for 42 years I've been making small, regular deposits in this bank of experience, education, and training. And on [that day] the balance was sufficient so that I could make a very large withdrawal."
Most of us will at some time face a crisis. Perhaps it will be a job termination or the results of a medical test, or the loss of a precious family member or friend. It is in those times that we must dig down deep into the reserves of our spiritual bank account.
And what might we find there? If we have enjoyed a deepening relationship with God, we've been making regular "deposits" of faith. We have experienced His grace (2 Cor. 8:9; Eph. 2:4-7). We trust the promise of Scripture that God is just and faithful (Deut. 32:4; 2 Thess. 3:3).
God's love and grace are available when His children need to make a "withdrawal" (Ps. 9:10; Heb. 4:16).
Great is Your faithfulness, O Lord God! Each day I see You provide for me and show me mercy. Thank You.
Remembering God's faithfulness in the past strengthens us for the future.