我們教會有三個出入口，其中有兩扇為木門另加一個鐵閘，我們需要經過其中之一才能進入教會。同樣，我們需要經過自己的家的門才能進入溫馨舒適的住處。當我們讀到主耶穌在馬太福音第七章關於門的比喻，主說: 引到永生的那門是窄的，引到滅亡的那門是寬的。讓我們繼續思想一個沒有形狀的門，一個不是由物質結構的通道，象徵著一個時空的過渡，我們現在踏入了2023年的第二個星期，新的一年引領我們進入了一個新的機會之年。
上帝賜予我們生命氣息，讓我們人生中有不同的機遇和使命，儘管這意味著上帝引領我們踏入一個未知的領域。當我們遇到這樣的一扇門時，我們不必害怕，因為既然上帝為我們敞開這樣的機會，我們理當信靠順服地經歷神的引領與祂同在。耶和華在耶利米書 29:11節說：「我知道我向你們所懷的意念是賜平安的意念，不是降災禍的意念，要叫你們末後有指望。」
在新的一年裏，讓我們專注於上帝擺在我們面前的機會之門。同樣我們要切記，當上帝引領並讓我們踏入未知的領域時，擺在面前即將經歷的事很可能不是我們所期望的。耶利米書告訴我們，神向祂的兒女「所懷的意念是賜平安的意念，不是降災禍的意念」，最終神是以永恆的「平安」代替短暫的「災禍」。其目的是要叫祂的兒女「末後有指望」。正如當時神的子民，因為他們叛逆神，神藉著亞述國和巴比倫將他們趕出應許之地，但神卻應許了他們七十年後回歸故土的「指望」。
神的確應允了「末後有指望」，但這並不表示我們就可以不必禱告、不再憑信心呼求神。反之，正因為有了這「指望」，我們更要在禱告中尋求神的引領、認清自己的無知與愚昧，要與神更加親近、順服。弟兄姊妹們，神既然容許我們進入2023年時空的大門，我們知道，只要我們行公義，好憐憫，存謙卑的心，與我們的神同行（參考彌迦書 6:8），讓神走在我們前面，行走祂所預備的道路，引導我們走義路，讓我們不要錯過專心尋求神的機會，經歷一個不一樣的意念，那就是平安的意念。阿們！
Translation:
Gate of Space-Time in 2023 ~Pastor Bernie Chung
There are three entrances at our church, comprised of: two wooden doors and one iron gate. We need to pass through one of them to enter the church. Likewise, we need to pass through the door of our own home to enter our cozy and comfortable abode. Also at this time we are likely thinking of the parable of the gates that the Lord Jesus tells in Chapter 7 of Matthew, saying that the gate that leads to eternal life is narrow, but the gate that leads to destruction is wide. Let's continue to imagine a shapeless door, a passageway that is not a physical structure, but it represents a space-time transition. As we pass through the first week of 2023, we are transitioning into a new realm of opportunities.
God breathes life into us and gives each of us different calling and mission in life. Abiding in God’s will require us to trust God when we step into unknown territories. When we encounter such a door, we need not be afraid to enter because God provides opportunity for us to experience his presence. All we need is to trust and obey God. The Lord says in Jeremiah 29:10-11 (NIV): “This is what the Lord says: ‘When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
In the new year, let us be mindful of the doors of opportunity that God has set before us. It is also important to keep in mind that when God leads us into uncharted territory, what we experience may not be what we’ve expected and deserved. After all, God’s plans for his children are thoughtfully full of peace and prosperity, not of harm and disaster. Even though we may encounter temporary disasters and setbacks, ultimately God will replace them with eternal peace. God’s purpose is to give his children hope and a future. At the time of Jeremiah, God’s people were rebellious and abandoned God. Through the kingdoms of Assyria and Babylon, God drove the Israelites out of the Promised Land. Yet our merciful God promised them the “hope” of returning to the land from which they were taken captive for seventy years.
It is true that God has promised his people “hope” and a future, but this does not mean that we do not need to pray or call on him with faith. On the contrary, it is because of this "hope" that we must seek God's will in prayer. We can get closer to God by obeying him and professing our ignorance. Brothers and sisters, since God gives us life to enter the gate of time and space in 2023, we must “act justly and love mercy and walk humbly with God” ( Micah 6:8b). May the Lord lead us in the path of righteousness, and let’s not miss the opportunity to seek him wholeheartedly. May we all receive the experience of having the one and only important mindset of placing our hope and future in him. Amen!
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