最近有人問我：「你喜歡讀聖經嗎﹖」我回答：「有時喜歡，有時不喜歡。因為聖經是一位老師，而我不喜歡經常被教導。」「為什麼呢﹖」他追問。「因為教導總是意味著要人改變；有時我卻只想維持原狀，不願花力氣去改變。」其實我只需要用今天的鑰節來回答我的朋友就可以了──它已經說明了一切。

        聖經是為「教訓我們」寫的。它是一位老師。它記錄歷史，並要我們認真看待「從前所寫」的事。它直言不諱，真實的呈現過去所發生的事，也期待現在的讀者有相同誠實的回應。更重要的是，聖經期待我們能從過去的歷史中學到教訓。然而，我們並不是每一次都受教。

        聖經因此鼓勵我們要鑑於末後最大之日來臨時，眾人都要與造我們的主面對面，而存心忍耐，過每一天的生活。聖經承認我們每天的生活會有高潮和低潮，但它也鼓勵我們在此世的生活中盼望那即將來臨的耶穌。上帝的國度終必建立。要謹慎！要盼望！我們現在的苦難只不過是暫時的，與將來所要顯現給我們的榮耀絕不能相比！

        難怪聖經一直都是最暢銷的書籍。它是一本非凡的文學作品、可信的歷史書，以及最重要的，記錄了上帝對人類的啟示。它是有關耶穌基督──上帝的羔羊──除去世人罪孽的救恩之道。

        使人有盼望的上帝，作為羅馬書的讀者，我們憑著信心接受保羅在十三節的禱告。因信，我們得著喜樂與平安，並藉著聖靈的能力大有盼望。奉主耶穌聖名，阿們！

English

        “Do you enjoy reading the Bible?” Someone asked me recently. “Sometimes, yes. Other times, no.” I answered. “Why the fluctuation?” he questioned. “Because the Bible is a teacher, and I don’t always like to be taught,” I said. “Why?” he asked. “I guess it’s because teaching always include challenge to change. And sometimes I want to stay just the way I am. Or at least I’d rather not put out the energy that transformation demands.” Maybe I just should have referred my friend to today’s key verse – it says it all.

        The Bible was written “for our learning”. It’s a teacher. It records history, “things written before…” and it expects to be taken seriously. It tells it like it was, and in this honest presentation of the past, it implies that the response of the reader should be just as honest in the present. What’s more, it assumes we’ll learn today from yesterday’s lessons. This, of course, is not always the case.

        The Bible encourages us to be patient. To take life a day at a time in light of the ultimate “Day” when we’ll stand before our Maker. It recognizes the pus and downs of daily living but challenges us in the midst of the immediate to dream of the imminent – Jesus is coming again. The kingdom will be established. Take heart! Have hope! Our present sufferings are only for a moment. Nor can they be compared to the glories that await us!

        Little wonder the Bible is the best seller of all time. It is magnificent literature, trustworthy history, and, most of all, a record of God’s revelation to mankind. It’s a word about the Word – Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who take s away the sin of the world.

        Dear God of hope, as Paul prayed for his readers in v.13, we, as readers of Romans, receive by faith the answers to Paul’s prayers in our lives. We receive a fresh measure of Your joy and peace in believing, trusting that we will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.