第四章

8 你們已經滿足了，已經豐富了，不需要我們，自己作王了。我恨不得你們真的作了王，讓我們也可以跟你們一同作王！ 9 我想神是把我們作使徒的列在最後，好像定了死刑的人，因為我們成了一臺戲給宇宙觀看，就是給天使和世人觀看！10 我們為基督的緣故，成了愚笨的；你們在基督裡，倒成了聰明的。我們軟弱，你們倒強壯；你們受人尊敬，我們倒被輕視。 11 直到現在，我們還是又飢又渴，衣不蔽體，又挨打，又沒有棲身的地方， 12 並且勞苦，親手作工。被人咒罵，我們就祝福；遭受迫害，我們就忍受； 13 被人毀謗，我們卻好好地勸導；直到現在，人還是把我們當作世上的垃圾，萬物的渣滓。

 

默想

1. 保羅諷刺哥林多信徒自以為靈裡已完全，並將他們的境況對比保羅自己為福音所受的苦。信徒往往因為內心沒有安全感，或是害怕生命中出現失控的情況，就容易產生屬靈上的自信（相信自己而非相信神）。但若相信神絕對的可靠，就能在憂傷時得幫助，一帆風順時得指引。
2. “相信神是可靠的”對我來說，是什麼意思？我曾經驗過神的信實嗎？是什麼事？再次為這個經驗感謝神，並求主增加我對神的信心。

 

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在“靈程筆記”簿上面。

 

CHAPTER  4

⁸Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have become kings—and that without us! How I wish that you really had become kings so that we might be kings with you! ⁹For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. ¹⁰We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! ¹¹To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. ¹²We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; ¹³when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

 

MEDITATION

1. Paul mocks the Corinthian Christians’ claim that they’ve achieved spiritual perfection by contrasting their condition with his suffering for the gospel.  Spiritual pride is an indication that we are insecure or afraid of life’s uncontrollable ambiguities.  Trust in God’s absolute reliability will aid in times of sorrow and serves as a guide when all is well.
2. What does “trust in God’s absolute reliability” mean to me?  Have I experienced God’s faithfulness?  What was it?  Thank God for that experience again.  Pray for the increase of my trust in God.

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.