Wednesday, February 27, 2008

放手與執著

對一些事情應該放手或堅持到底(抑或被人看為執著),實在令人很難拿捏得準。有時候放手,會被看作是豁達,是寬容;然而也可能被看作是沒有耐心,無法堅持到底。執著,有時被看作有骨氣,有立場;不過有時也讓人覺得不識時務,過分固執。到底孰是孰非?應該如何拿捏而不至於失之毫釐,差之千里。

孫中山先生革命多次,屢敗屢戰,越戰越勇;愛迪生發明電燈泡的過程也嘗試了上千次的失敗,在他堅持不懈的意志下,實驗才獲得成功。我在想象,當時一定有不少人規勸他們放棄,認爲他們很傻,在浪費生命追求一些不可能實現的事。可是他們的信念是如此的堅強和頑固,對自己的理想是那麽的認真和信任。是的,這是值得堅持和奮鬥的理想和方向。結果,他們成功了。當然,當時他們是否爲了能名垂千古而努力呢?當然不是,我相信那是他們有理想,有目標,驅使他們前進。

反觀今天,許多人堅持和不能放手的是什麽呢?是名、利、權和所謂的愛情。理智上我們會覺得這些是不值得堅持不懈追求的東西,不必執著。然而卻是人們最難放手,最難捨棄的東西。我們爲了這些過眼雲煙的事物,粉身碎骨,衆叛親離,在所不惜。經常都是當局者迷,一頭栽進去,即隨波逐流,迷失自己,再回頭已成千古恨。可是,我們身邊的人不是都覺得應該趁年輕追逐名利權勢嗎?這樣我們才稱得上是成功嗎?

十架的大能,耶穌的救贖也是如此。在不信的人,基督徒所做所為是如此的愚昧;然而神卻不如此認爲。為福音的緣故放棄世上的一切,為福音的緣故喪失生命,對世人來說是如此的愚笨。聖經說“因为十字架的道理,在那灭亡的人为愚拙。在我们得救的人却为神的大能。 就如经上所记,我要灭绝智慧人的智慧,废弃聪明人的聪明。 智慧人在哪里?文士在哪里?这世上的辩士在哪里?神岂不是叫这世上的智慧变成愚拙吗? 世人凭自己的智慧,既不认识神,神就乐意用人所当作愚拙的道理,拯救那些信的人。这就是神的智慧了”(林前118 – 21)。顯而易見,為福音,為基督擇善固執是當為之事。為福音,為基督放棄那容易纏累人的,是理所當然的。你會如何選擇呢?

Thanks ladies for celebrating my birthday with me

It was really nice that these ladies took me to 'Delicious', a restaurant in Bangsar. It's a simple but nice treat. Thanks ladies.

These are my birthday cakes - a slice of carrot cake, which is my favorite and brownies with ice-cream (yummy). Very fattening!








I like the ambiance here.



Sunday, February 17, 2008

Thanks Folks

Dear MBTS coworkers,

Thank you for remembering my birthday - even thought it was me who said I would like to receive card and blessing for my birthday from my fellow coworkers from Penang, but it is nice that you still remember it.
Working alone down at KL is sort of lonely, but with your warm blessing and constant greetings would make my day. I will be taking a day off as replacement for my Saturday teaching on my birthday.

What would I do? Just spend some time alone with myself and with God. It is a day of thanksgiving. Thank God for granting me all that I need. So, would like to take some time to be with Him and see what He has for me this year...




Any way, thanks to all of you who sent me birthday blessings....

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Valentine's Day

Who is Valentine? What do you do on Valentine's day? Like many other celebrations, these dates have been so commercialize that I wonder I would like to celebrate it anymore. Commercialization made people forget the real meaning of these dates. Many I known, single or attached told me they are not happy today, though it is Valentine's Day - single feels lonely, being forgotten and abandoned; attached feels disappointed because love one didn't do what they expected.

When I checked the history of Valentine's day and find this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine's_Day
you might want to have a look at it.

Anyway, practice love thy neighbor like thyself, everyday could be Valentine's Day. God Bless

Monday, February 11, 2008

日子如何,力量如何

昨天有年輕人問,爲何忠心愛神的基督徒會遭遇不幸?
我們都有這樣的想法,“好人有好報”,做對的事情,做合乎神心意的事情,就似乎可以確保這人平安,不會遭到任何不幸的事件,不會遭害。
我想,教會需要更多探討“困難神學” - Theology of Suffering。
我的回答很簡單 - 不少宣教士是為了神的國度而殉道的
主耶穌是被苦待后,釘死在十架上的 - 基督教信仰本來就是始于耶穌受苦。

但是,神允許說:日子如何,力量如何。
耶穌受死後,第三天榮耀復活 - 我們基督徒的盼望不在今生,而是那將要來的新天新地。
因爲亞當和夏娃犯罪,這世界已經敗壞,不幸的事,苦難是免不了的。奇怪的是,我們縂覺得安然無恙,幸福快樂是理所當然。其實,也可以倒轉來問 - 世界已敗壞,犯罪、犯法和不幸事是理所當然,幸得神保守,我們才安然度日至今。。。但是有誰如此問?有誰如此想?
謝謝神的應許,“
日子如何,力量如何

Friday, February 1, 2008

安心

安心 - 讓心能夠安下來。讓心安靜下來,讓心感到平安和安全,讓心安穩不急躁慌亂。。。
中國人說安心,所表達的意境是如此的豐富 - 讓心不亂跳,好好安置那焦急的心,那心懷不滿、心懷異議、心懷???無論是心懷什麽都好,讓忐忑的它安靜下來。
要如何才能夠安心?
要安心就必須先有信心。

這另一個“心” - 信心是讓人安心的前奏,是讓人安心的基礎。
信心,是相信。相信會沒有事,相信自己會被保護,不會被傷害。信心是確實知道自己無論在何狀況和處境,都將會安然無事。即或不然,也會有能力去面對和應付。

那麽,這信心從何而來?
看見嬰孩嗎?他們從來不擔心是否會有人傷害他們,明天是否有食物充飢,他們只是單純相信照顧他們的大人會代爲安排,處理。即或不然,他們也安心,因爲他們除了相信,放心,難道還能做些什麽?

難怪耶穌說,要學習小孩,要相信,要有信心,那麽自然就可以安心。