默想:「祂為我們捨了自己,要贖我們脫離一切罪惡,又潔淨我們,特作自己的子民,熱心為善。」(提多書2:14)
默想一:主耶穌為我們作了什麼?我們本來是深陷在罪惡的淤泥裏,主耶穌為了拯救我們,就在十字架上流出寶血,使我們從一切罪惡中得著釋放。是祂把我們 『從黑暗中歸向光明,從撒但權下歸向神』(徒26:18),我們因著信就得著稱義。不是我們揀選神,是神揀選了我們(約15:16)。
默想二:神向祂的兒女所要的是什麼?是要我們『行公義,好憐憫,存謙卑的心,與神同行。』(彌6:8) 我們原是祂的工作,在基督耶穌裏造成的,為要叫我們行善,就是神所預備叫我們行的(弗2:10)。基督徒的行善不是得救的因;而是得救的果。神是一切善的源頭,屬神的人,要結出善果來。
禱告:天父上帝,唯有袮是至善至潔的神,是袮把我從黑暗中分別出來。求袮教導我,在這彎曲悖謬的世代裡做袮無瑕疵的兒女,好像明光照耀,將袮的生命之道表明出來。求袮的聖靈光照我,好使我的每一天活在袮的光中—行公義,好憐憫,存謙卑的心,與祢同行(彌6:8)。奉主耶穌的名禱告,阿們!
Insight: Titus 2.
“Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Tit 2:14)
Insight one: What has the Lord Jesus done for us? We used to entrap in the sludge of sin. In order to save us, the Lord Jesus shed His blood on the cross and released us from all sins. It was He who makes us “turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God” (Act 26:18), so we are justified by faith. We did not choose God, but God chooses us (Joh 15:16).
Insight two: What does God require of His children? It is for us to “do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with Your God “(Mic 6:8). For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10). Christians’ good deeds are not the cause of salvation; it is the outcome of salvation. God is the source of all goodness, and those who belong to God will bear good fruit.
Prayer: God heavenly Father, only You are the most kind and holy God, and You are the one who sanctifies me from the darkness. Please teach me to be Your unblemished children as lights in the world in this crooked and perverted generation to reveal You way of life. Please have Your Holy Spirit to enlighten me so that I can live in Your light every day – to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with You (Mic 6:8). I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus, Amen!