禁食

禁食
聖經閱讀：馬太福音6:16-18
2012年8月12日(日)

禁食的意思是摒棄你認為是重要的事物。為什麼人們要禁食？人們禁食可能是要謙卑自己，或是求上帝的饒恕，或是為了讓心思意念專注於上帝。 沒有人規定禁食應該要持續多久，可能是一小時，也可能是好幾天，或者好幾個星期。在聖經中，禁食通常是指不吃東西，但是限制自己不做一些事情也算是禁食。例如，你可以不看電視、不看電影，或者放棄任何的嗜好，都算是禁食。放棄你喜歡的活動表示你願意把上帝放在你生命的第一位。 今天的經文中，耶穌談到禁食。祂說，我們禁食是為了榮耀上帝，而不是為了引起別人的注意，這一點很重要。經文的第17至18節告訴我們：「你禁食的時候，要梳頭洗臉，不要讓別人看出你是在禁食，只讓那位在隱密中的天父知道」。 你應該禁食嗎？決定權在你！跟上帝談談要不要禁食，讓祂來引導你。—GT 「上主說：即使現在，你們仍然可以禁食、哭泣、哀號，誠心悔改，歸向我。」約珥書2:12 禱告：主，請告訴我如何才能更親近祢。奉耶穌的名，阿們！ (尤榮輝譯/台南聖教會英語團契 )

Fasting
Bible Reading: Matthew 6:16-18
Sunday, August 12, 2012

Fasting means going without something that is important to you. Why do people fast? People may fast to humble themselves, to ask for forgiveness or to focus on God. There is no required amount of time for fasting. A fast can last an hour, a few days or several weeks. Fasting in the Bible usually meant giving up food, but you can fast from other things, too. For example, you can give up TV, movies, video games or anything you like to do. Fasting from your favorite activity shows that you are willing to keep God first in your life. Jesus talked about fasting in our Bible Reading today. He said that it is important when we fast to honor God, not to get attention from other people. Verses 17-18a tell us, “So when you fast, make yourself look nice. Wash your face. Then people will not know that you are fasting. But your Father that you cannot see will see you.” Should you fast? The decision is up to you. Talk to God about it, and let Him lead you. —GT “This is the Lord’s message: ‘Now come back to me with all your heart. You did bad things, cry, cry and don’t eat any food!’” Joel 2:12 PRAYER: Lord, show me how I can be closer to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.