11月3日

標　　題： 有忠心

經　　節： 我感謝那給我力量的我們主基督耶穌，因祂以我有忠心，派我服事祂。（提摩太前書一章12節）

以人類屬世的角度來看，保羅過去大肆逼迫基督徒，應該沒有資格服事神。他過去是「罪人中的罪魁」，褻瀆神、逼迫人，並且是暴力的挑釁者（提摩太前書一：13∼15）。當神拯救了保羅，每一件事都改變了。保羅以同於過去逼迫基督徒的熱心，來擁抱基督徒的生命。保羅在神交給他的每件任務上，無論是大事或小事都忠心。最後，因為他的忠心，神託付給他一個任務，就是成為推動福音的先鋒。

保羅瞭解，為神的國度所完成的每一件事，都是出於神的大能。他並沒有自欺，以為是憑著自己的智慧或個人的努力達成神的旨意。他反而為每個試煉的機會感謝神，無論神所交付的任務是大或小，他都能忠心。

你事奉神的能力不是基於你的過去，而是基於你今日的忠心。如果你忠心去做神所交托的任務，神會給你足夠的力量完成它。不要計較神所交付的任務大小不同。保羅把每個任務視為自己服事神的殊榮，不是自己應得的。神是否要你為某人禱告、幫助某個有需要的人、帶領一個研經的聚會，或是關心病人，你要忠心。當你事奉祂的時候，你會經歷祂的大能。如果你在小事上忠心，神會交付給你更大的任務。你也會像保羅一樣讚美神，因為神以你有忠心，而派你服事祂。

Counted Faithful

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. (1 Timothy 1:12)

From a human perspective, the apostle Paul’s record as a zealous persecutor of Christians should have precluded him from being used in God’s service. Paul was known as the “chief of sinners,” a blasphemer, persecutor, and violent aggressor (1 Tim. 1:13–15). Everything changed when God saved Paul. He embraced the Christian life with the same fervency in which he had opposed it. Paul labored to be faithful in every assignment, no matter how small or large. Ultimately, because of Paul’s faithfulness, God entrusted him to be one of His foremost promoters of the gospel.

Paul understood that everything he ever accomplished for God’s kingdom was due to the enabling power of God. He was not deceived into thinking that his own intelligence or personal drive brought about God’s will. Rather, Paul was grateful for the opportunity to be tested and found faithful in any assignment, regardless of its size.

Your ability to serve God is not based on your past, but on your faithfulness today. If you are faithful with the task God entrusts to you, God will enable you to accomplish it. Don’t distinguish between big and small assignments from God. Paul saw every one as a privilege he did not deserve. Whether God has asked you to pray for someone, to minister to a person in need, to lead a Bible study, or to care for those who are sick, strive to be faithful. You will experience His enabling as you serve Him. If you are faithful in a little, God will entrust you with more. You will be able to join Paul in praising God for having counted you faithful, putting you into His service (Luke 16:10).