1月30日

標　　題： 不要成為不順服

經　　節： 亞基帕王啊，我故此沒有違背那從天上來的異象。（使徒行傳廿六章19節）

神做的每一件事都有祂的理由。神在大數掃羅前往大馬士革的路上向他顯現，是有其目的的（使徒行傳九：1∼9）。掃羅已經謀劃好要迫害基督徒，然而，與基督相遇的經歷永遠改變了他的生命。在那次的相遇，神不只由罪中拯救出掃羅，神開始啟示自己在保羅生命的心意。神非常清楚地指派保羅的任務：「他是我所揀選的器皿，要在外邦人和君王，並以色列人面前宣揚我的名。我也要指示他，為我的名必須受許多的苦難。」（使徒行傳九：15∼16）

神以異象啟示祂對保羅的計畫，這個計畫包括在君王面前作見證及受迫害。保羅享受行神跡、對大批群眾講道，和開拓教會的快樂。但是保羅也被石頭打、遇船難、遭鞭打、被嘲笑、被人策劃陰謀陷害，且被關入牢獄中（哥林多後書十一：23∼28）。我們是否能夠在一開始，就毫不猶疑地接受像保羅這一部分的任務？我們從未聽到保羅抱怨神給他的任務，或要求神給他像彼得、雅各和約翰的角色（加拉太書二：9∼10）。對保羅來說，能在神國的事工有分就心滿意足了。當他臨近自己事奉的終點時，他能大膽地向亞基帕王說：「我故此沒有違背那從天上來的異象。」

若能像保羅不屈不撓地獻身，完成神的旨意，是何等美好之事！在我們走這段基督徒的信心之旅時，若能善始善終是多麼令人歡欣！神盼望我們每個人在人生終點時，都能說：「我沒有違背那從天上來的異象。」

Do Not Prove Disobedient

Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. (Acts 26:19)

God does everything for a reason. God met Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus road for a purpose (Acts 9:1–9). Saul had planned to persecute Christians, but his encounter with Christ changed him forever. God did more in that encounter than save Saul from his sin. God began to reveal His will for Paul’s life. God’s assignment for Paul was clear: “He is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:15–16).

God’s plan for Paul, revealed through a vision, involved both testifying before kings and suffering persecution. Paul was to enjoy the thrill of performing miracles, preaching to large crowds, and starting churches. But Paul was also to be stoned, shipwrecked, whipped, mocked, conspired against, and imprisoned (2 Cor. 11:23–28). Would we accept this part of his assignment as readily as the first? We never hear of Paul complaining about his commission from God. He never asked that he be given a role like Peter’s, or James’s, or John’s (Gal. 2:9–10). It was enough for Paul that he be given any task in the kingdom of God. As he neared the end of his ministry, Paul could boldly state Agrippa, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.”

Oh, to have Paul’s tenacity and devotion to the Father’s will! What joy there is not only to begin well in our Christian faith, but also to end faithfully! It is God’s desire that each of us could say at the end of our lives, “I was not disobedient.”