2016年1月5日
孤單的人The Lonely Season
读经: 提摩太後書4章9-18節
Reading: 2 Timothy 4:9-18
就為你們不住地感謝上帝，禱告的時候，常提到你們。-以弗所書1章16節
I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.-Ephesians 1:16
全年读经: 創世記13-15章;馬太福音5章1-26節
Bible in a Year: Genesis 13–15; Matthew 5: 1-26
聖誕節過後，我在堆積如山的信件裡發現一件寶物，那是一張利用舊卡片重新彩繪的聖誕卡。簡潔的水彩筆觸描繪出冬日寒山與蒼松翠柏。在底下正中的位置，有個以冬青樹的紅果實畫成的框框，裡面寫了一句：祝你平安！
設計這張聖誕卡的是個囚犯，也是我的朋友。我看到他寄來的卡片時，才想起自己已經有兩年沒寫信給他了！
很久以前，有個階下囚也同樣被人忽略。當保羅在獄中苦苦等候，他寫信告訴提摩太：「獨有路加在我這裡」 （提摩太後書4章11節） ，並且「沒有人前來幫助，竟都離棄我」 （16節） 。但是即使在監獄中，保羅仍然得到安慰，他寫道：「惟有主站在我旁邊，加給我力量」 （17節） 。當然，保羅那時必會感到被遺棄的孤單和痛苦。
在那張美麗的聖誕卡背面，我的朋友寫著：「願藉著耶穌降生所帶來的平安、喜樂與盼望，與你並闔家同在！」最後他簽下的署名是：「你的主內弟兄。」我將這張卡片貼在牆上，提醒自己要常常為他禱告，然後寫了一封信給他。
在這新的一年裡，讓我們積極地關懷那些孤單的弟兄姐妹們吧！
誰是孤單的人呢？是初到異鄉的人？是監禁的囚犯？
是醫院裡的病患？還是住在養老院的人？
我應當如何盡點棉薄之力來幫助他們呢？
伸出友誼的手，溫暖孤單者的心。
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Amid the pile of post-Christmas mail I discovered a treasure—a handmade Christmas card painted on repurposed cardstock. Simple watercolor strokes evoked a scene of wintry hills livened with evergreens. Centered at the bottom, framed by red-berried holly, was this hand-printed message:
Peace be with you!
The artist was a prisoner and a friend of mine. As I admired his handiwork, I realized I hadn't written to him in 2 years!
Long ago, another prisoner was neglected as he waited in prison. "Only Luke is with me," wrote the apostle Paul to Timothy (2 Tim. 4:11). "No one came to my support, but everyone deserted me" (v. 16). Yet Paul found encouragement even in prison, and he wrote, "The Lord stood at my side and gave me strength" (v. 17). But surely Paul felt the lonely ache of abandonment.
On the back of that wonderful Christmas card my friend wrote, "May the peace and joy and hope and love brought about through the birth of Jesus be with you and yours." He signed it, "Your brother in Christ." I put the card on my wall as a reminder to pray for him. Then I wrote to him.
Throughout this coming year let's reach out to the loneliest of our brothers and sisters.
What lonely people can I think of right now? Newcomers to town? Prisoners? People in the hospital or in senior living centers? What can I do, no matter how small, to reach out to them?
Reach out in friendship and encourage the lonely.