2016年3月11日
不要放棄！ Don't Quit!
读经: 希伯來書12章1-11節
Reading: Hebrews 12:1-11
存心忍耐，奔那擺在我們前頭的路程，仰望為我們信心創始成終的耶穌。-希伯來書12章1-2節
Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.- Hebrews 12:1-2
全年读经: 申命記14-16章;馬可福音12章28-44節
Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 14–16; Mark 12: 28-44
在1952年，美國職業潛泳好手佛羅倫絲（Florence Chadwick）嘗試從加州海岸游向42公里外的卡塔利那島。她游了15小時後，一陣濃霧阻擋了她的視線，使她失去方向，最後不得不放棄。後來，當她知道只差1.6公里即可到達目的地時，不禁感到懊惱和惋惜。
兩個月之後，她第二次嘗試從加州海岸游至卡塔利那島。濃霧又再次籠罩，但這次她抵達了目的地，成為第一位橫渡卡塔利那海峽的女性。她說，那時雖然她看不見海岸線，但是她繼續鎖定目標，奮力往前游，最後終於抵達目的地。
當生活中的各種陰霾險阻，遮蔽了我們的視線，我們可以學習用信心之眼仰望目標。新約希伯來書的作者鼓勵我們：「存心忍耐，奔那擺在我們前頭的路程，仰望為我們信心創始成終的耶穌」（12章1-2節）。當心中想要放棄的時候，其實是提醒我們，單單仰望耶穌，因祂不僅曾為我們忍受各樣的苦難，現在更願幫助我們在患難中忍耐，一直到我們面對面與主相見的那一日。
親愛的天父，有時人生的困境似乎難以越過，
幫助我定睛仰望祢、信靠祢。
感謝祢在我的生命中，成就祢美好的計畫。
定睛仰望基督，就能堅持到底。
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In 1952 Florence Chadwick attempted to swim 26 miles from the coast of California to Catalina Island. After 15 hours, a heavy fog began to block her view, she became disoriented, and she gave up. To her chagrin, Chadwick learned that she had quit just 1 mile short of her destination.
Two months later Chadwick tried a second time to swim to Catalina Island from the coast. Again a thick fog settled in, but this time she reached her destination, becoming the first woman to swim the Catalina Channel. Chadwick said she kept an image of the shoreline in her mind even when she couldn't see it.
Let us fix our eyes upon Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
When the problems of life cloud our vision, we have an opportunity to learn to see our goal with the eyes of faith. The New Testament letter to the Hebrews urges us to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith" (12:1-2). When we feel like quitting, this is our signal to remember not only what Jesus suffered for us but what He now helps us to endure—until the day we see Him face to face.
Dear Father, sometimes the challenges of life seem insurmountable. Help me to fix my eyes on You and trust You. I'm thankful You are bringing about Your good purposes in me.
We can finish strong when we focus on Christ.