“A Great Need among Us: More Reverence 我們需要更多的敬畏“(Hebrews 希伯來書 12:28-29)
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’
因此,我們既然領受了不能震動的國,就應該感恩,照著神所喜悅的,用虔誠敬畏的心事奉他;因為我們的神是烈火。
The whole Christian family stands desperately in need of a restoration of penitence, humility and tears! If all the worshippers in unplanned worships were reverent and Spirit-filled, the Holy Spirit would work freely. Yet, most unplanned worships had neither order nor Spirit, just meaningless repetition with minor variations losing all significance! A carefully prescribed form of service has little or no meaning for the average participant simply because the average participant is what he is. The liturgical service is at least beautiful, carefully worked out through the centuries to preserve a spirit of reverence among the worshippers. In many of our meetings there is scarcely a trace of reverent thought, no recognition of the unity of the body, little sense of the divine Presence, no moment of stillness, no solemnity, no wonder, no holy fear!
整個基督教大家庭急切需要的,是回復懺悔、謙卑和流涙!若所有敬拜者在未經計劃的崇拜裡都是敬畏神的,且被聖靈充滿,聖靈便會自由地運行。然而,大多數未經計劃的崇拜都是沒有秩序,也沒有聖靈,只不過是毫無意義的重複,偶爾才有少許的變化,失去它整個價值!事先細心安排的崇拜,對一般參加的人是缺乏意義,甚至是毫無意義的,單純是由於一般參加者本身的屬靈狀況。講究儀式的崇拜至少是美麗的,經過幾世紀的精心擬定,旨在保存敬拜者對神的敬畏。而在我們許多的聚會中,極難發覺敬虔思想的痕跡,也缺乏肢體合一的認知,只是稍稍感到神的同在,亦沒有安靜的時刻,沒有莊嚴,沒有驚訝,更沒有對神聖潔的敬畏!
Prayer: God of Trinity, we were not fit to be in your presence, but you made us clean. We were dead in our sins, but you made us alive in Christ. Thank you for your overwhelming love and the gift of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. We should be thankful seizing your unmerited approval in Christ that helps us to worship/serve you acceptably with reverence and awe. Amen.
禱告:三一真神啊,我們原是有罪污而不配你的同在,你卻把我們潔淨了。我們本來會死在自己的罪裡,你卻在基督裡使我們活過來。感謝你無法抗拒的愛和賜下聖靈作禮物,內住在我們裡面。我們理應感恩,抓著你在基督裡人不配得的認可,幫助我們照著你所喜悅的,用虔誠敬畏的心敬拜/事奉你。阿們。