Wednesday, 27 October 2021
Title: Do we have peace in our daily lives?
By Ted Hoo

John 14:27a – Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.

This is particularly relevant in the times we live in. We have the Covid-19 pandemic, catastrophies of earthquakes and floods, the South China Sea tension with battleships that are vying for war. We live in dark times where death is everywhere and physical deprivation from economic and financial crises abound. We live in fear rather than in hope.

Have we come to the point of realising that we are not in control of the external circumstances that are thrusted on us and get anxious and stressed? Do we feel that we are not able to do anything except to mull over the issues in our being, which saps all our strength and energy in our daily lives? On the other hand, we could be in denial and live as if life goes on as usual but without any peace and joy. That is not what Jesus promises us when He says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.”

Christians are the people of the Light and that should give us hope in the circumstances that we live in. Yet, are we living in that peace even in the midst of disasters and pestilences that are allowed by our sovereign God? Are we looking to ourselves to solve the problems in our lives and find no peace, joy or comfort? That peace and joy does not come from our own being but it’s in Jesus. Turning to Him and reflecting His peace is proof that we are right with God and have come out of darkness into His light. If we are not right with God, we will only turn to ourselves even though we are not the solution but the problem.

Allowing circumstances to hide the face of Jesus from us either causes us to become troubled or gives us a false sense of security. We should live in His presence daily, reading His word that reveals His will for us in our lives and looking to Him who is the author and finisher of our faith. Prayer is another avenue we can use both in encouraging one another and sharing one and another’s burden. It is in sharing our resources and loving those in physical deprivation and sharing with those who have lost hope that brings us joy. We are doing God’s work as we help in meeting their needs during this time.

Looking unto Jesus and receiving peace from Him is the solution to our problems. Are we living in submission and laying it all at the altar of Christ? Jesus took our sins away yet are we carrying them daily like a millstone? Do we only know in our minds that our sins are forgiven but have not experienced forgiveness of sins? If this is the case, the guilt of sins still hovers and we live daily in torment, not having experienced the peace of God that He promises. In Him is life, in Him is joy and in Him is peace. We become troubled because we have not been taking Him into account in our lives. We can come to Jesus and lay everything before Him when we are faced with difficulties, bereavement and listen to Him say, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.”

Prayer.
Our heavenly Father, help us in our unbelief if we are troubled by the pandemic and the challenges in our lives today and focus our dependence on You as the source of our life, our joy and our peace. Your perfect love casts out all fears. Grant us Your daily presence that we may know Your rest and Your peace. Amen.

班底浸信教会
每日灵粮
星期三, 2021年10月27日
标题：我们在日常生活中有平安吗？
作者：何福华医生
翻译：陈健萍姐妹

【约翰福音14:27上】
我留下平安给你们，我将我的平安赐给你们。

这与我们所处的时代特别相关。我们历经新冠肺炎大流行、地震和洪水的浩劫，和在南中国海布下战舰的紧张局势。我们生活在黑暗的时期，死亡无处不在，经济和金融危机造成的物质匮乏比比皆是。我们生活在恐惧中，而不是在希望中。

我们是否已经意识到，我们无法控制强加于我们身上的外部环境而感到焦虑不安？我们是否觉得除了反复思量我们自身存活的问题之外，我们什么也做不了，而这些问题耗尽了我们日常生活中所有的体力和精力？另一方面，我们可能拒绝接受现实，生活如往常一样，却毫无平安和喜乐。这并非当耶稣说 “我留下平安给你们，我将我的平安赐给你们。” 时所给我们的应许。

基督徒是光明的子民，这应该给我们在生活的环境中带来希望。然而，即使在我们至高的上帝允许的灾难和瘟疫中，我们也能生活在这样的平安中吗？我们是否指望自己来解决生活中的问题，却得不着平安、喜乐或安慰？这平安和喜乐不是来自我们自己，而是在耶稣里面。转向祂，反映祂的平安，就证明我们与上帝和好，已经出黑暗，进入祂的光明中了。如果我们未与上帝和好，我们只会求助于自己，尽管我们不是解决方案，而是问题所在。

任由环境把耶稣的脸容向我们隐藏，要么会使我们陷入不安，要么会给我们一种虚假的安全感。我们应该每天活在祂的同在里，阅读祂的话语，祂的话语会在我们的生活中揭示祂的旨意；并仰望祂，祂是我们信心的创始成终者。祷告是另一途径，我们可以互相鼓励和分担彼此的负担。正是在分享我们的资源、爱那些处于物质匮乏情况的人、与那些失去希望的人分享，给我们带来喜乐。在这段时间里，我们帮助满足他们的需求，也是在做上帝的工作。

仰望耶稣，并从祂得到平安是我们问题的解决之道。我们是否活在顺服中，把一切都放在基督的坛前？耶稣已除去了我们的罪，但我们是否每天背负着它们如同背负一块磨石？难道我们心里只知道我们的罪已被赦免，却没有经历罪的赦免吗？如果是这样的话，罪疚仍然在徘徊，我们每天都生活在折磨中，没有经历上帝所应许的平安。生命在祂里面，喜乐在祂里面，平安在祂里面。我们之所以陷入困扰，是因为我们在生活中没有考虑到祂。当我们面对困难和丧失亲人的时候，我们可以来到耶稣跟前，将一切卸下，听祂说：“我留下平安给你们，我将我的平安赐给你们。”

祈祷
我们的天父，如果我们今日对大流行病和生活中的挑战感到困扰，求祢在我们的疑惑中帮助我们，并将我们的信赖集中于祢，以祢为我们生命、喜乐与平安的源泉。祢完全的爱驱散所有的恐惧。求赐予我们祢每天的同在，好叫我们体验祢的安息和平安。阿们。