馨香之氣

馨香之氣
聖經閱讀：哥林多後書2:14-17 現代中譯本|合和本
2014年3月21日(五)

一年中的每個季節都各自有一些特別的氣味。現在是春天，在春天裡，我喜歡紫丁香的味道，而在夏天，我喜歡聞剛割完草的香味。秋天熊熊營火的氣味是我喜歡的，另外，我也喜歡冬天時常青樹和松樹散發出的味道。 　也許你曾經跟一個身上抹了上好香水的人共處一室，那香水的味道充滿了整個房間。今天經文的第14b節，保羅說，耶穌的福音是一種藉著基督徒到處散播的「香氣」。當別人跟我們在一起時，他們應該會看出我們是基督徒，而且也想要跟隨耶穌。 　所以，你應該做什麼呢？要看自己像是「基督獻給上帝的馨香之氣，散播在那些得救和失喪的人身上。」（第15節）。今天，就去告訴別人耶穌的救贖計畫，並且幫助他們領受在祂裡面的新生命。 —NW 「……對於得救的人，這卻是生命的香氣使人活。」 哥林多後書2:16b 禱告：天父，我願今天能為祢成為馨香之氣。奉耶穌的名，阿們！ (王亭惠譯)

Sweet-Smelling Perfume
Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 2:14-17
Friday, March 21, 2014

Every season of the year has some special smells. It is spring now. In the spring, I love the smell of lilac bushes. In summer, I enjoy smelling freshly-cut grass. The bonfires of fall are a welcome smell for me, and I like the scent of evergreen and pine trees in the winter. 　Maybe you have been in a room with someone who was wearing a very nice perfume. The smell of the perfume filled the whole room. In verse 14b of our Bible Reading today, Paul says that the Good News about Jesus is a “sweet-smelling perfume” that Christians spread everywhere. When other people are with us, they should see that we are Christians and want to follow Jesus, too. 　So what should you do? Your “offering to God is to be the perfume of Christ that goes out to those who are being saved and to those who are being lost” (verse 15a). Tell someone about Jesus’ plan of salvation today and help them receive new life in Him. —NW “...to those who are being saved, it has the sweet smell of life, and it brings them life.” 2 Corinthians 2:16b PRAYER: Father, I want to be a sweet-smelling perfume for You today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.