Continued Reflections on Rest:  

           As I wrote last week, we are only tourists going through this journey on earth.   Only when we accept this fact, we can enter rest.  

           "There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from His.  Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.” (Hebrews 4:9-11)

           This rest we must learn hard to enter, because we are unfamiliar with it.  Jesus invites us to enter "His Rest."  This "rest" is not the kind we often associate with death, but the rest we can enjoy while alive.  "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

           Since this is a learning process, there are steps we can take: 1. Go to the Lord   2. Change your Identity   3. Learn to be a servant

          1) Go to the Lord: Going to the Lord is by admission we need help from the expert, one who knows "rest" and can give "rest".

          2) Change your Identity: Jesus wants us to "take His yoke."  By taking his yoke, Jesus will become our new master and we will be his servants.  We used to live for ourselves, carrying burdens stemming from our own greed and sin. The burdens have exhausted us, and we are desperate for rest. If we sold ourselves to Jesus, we are no longer masters of our lives. A servant can only take up burden of his own master. Our Master now promises, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  It is now this new unfamiliar rest that we are to explore and enjoy.  

          I once had a conversation with another pastor, each sharing his “turning point” in life. This was what he shared. “One night, God asked him a question, ‘When are you going to give your life to me?’" That night, his response to the Lord changed his life and ministry. (…to be continued next week.) 

        我們人生的真相是「客旅」。當我們接受這個事實後，纔有盼望進入安息。

       「這樣看來，必另有一安息日的安息為神的子民存留。因為那進入安息的，乃是歇了自己的工，正如神歇了他的工一樣。所以，我們務必竭力進入那安息，免得有人學那不信從的樣子跌倒了。」(希伯來書 4:9-11)   這安息需要我們「竭力學習」才能進去的，因為我們並不熟悉這種安息。耶穌邀請我們進入「他的安息」。這「安息」不是我們一般所想死後的安息，乃是活着而享有的安息。「凡勞苦擔重擔的人可以到我這裡來，我就使你們得安息。我心裡柔和謙卑，你們當負我的軛，學我的樣式；這樣，你們心裡就必得享安息。因為我的軛是容易的，我的擔子是輕省的。」馬太福音 11:28-30  

         既然是學習，就是有門路和步驟。 1.  到主哪裏    2.  調換身份     3.  學習做個僕人

        1）到主哪裏。這是承認自己無能爲力，要來請教專家的表現。我們是來向那位懂得「安息」，又能賜人「安息」的主求助。

        2）調換身份。耶穌要我們「負他的軛」。換言之，耶穌要求我們換上僕人的角色。我們從前是爲自己活，背負的是自己的貪慾和必須承受的惡果。那重擔已經使我們筋疲力盡，亟需休息；我們也渴慕安息。如今唯一的途徑是將自己「賣」給另一位主人，否則無法卸下肩頭上的重擔。我說「賣」，是徹底、根斷的意思。我既然賣了自己，就不再屬自己，乃屬新主人了；我從前的重擔也屬新主人了。如今我該負的，是新主人的擔子。而新主人告訴我們，那擔子是容易的、是輕鬆的！而且在他的擔子下，我們能享安息。

         我曾與一位牧師分享交流彼此跟隨主的人生轉捩點。他說，有個晚上，主問他一個問題：「你什麼時候纔願意將你的人生交給我？」那晚，他對主的回應改變了他的事奉。 

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