赤誠追尋神

Chosen Treasure──
早年第一次聽這張CD的時候，
我不過是當作另一張從書室借回來的英文詩歌，
放進CD player以後，一面播放，一面做其他事情。

因為沒有看歌詞，當時英語也不是太好，
所以播了幾回，都不大知道裡面在唱甚麼。

直到那天，一句歌詞引起我注意──
We are the apple of your eye

神眼中的蘋果？！
好奇怪的歌詞。

不知怎地，這句話引起我很大興趣，就開始查它的意思。
原來，這句說話是來自聖經的！
意思是，我們是神眼中的瞳仁。

我是神眼中的瞳仁？！

需知道這是違反當時，我對神的感覺。
初信時代，雖然理性知道「神愛我」，
但潛意識裡，我仍覺得神是十分冷漠，嚴厲，難以討好的，
總覺得必須很努力、賣力，才能避免令祂生厭。

但神竟然用一句，如此溫柔的說話來形容我們，
祂說，We are the apple of His eye。

一種陌生的感覺，在我心裡湧現──
是一種被珍惜、被寶貴的幸福感覺。
我像著了迷一樣，開始查看CD裡面每一句歌詞。

We've been chosen among all people
We've been chosen to be Your own

Chosen──這是另一個我從沒想過的事情。
很多時，我們以為自己只是偶然生在地上，
幾十億人，真是「多我一個唔多，少我一個唔少」，
但神說，不是這樣的──你是我所揀選、特特屬於我的！

另一句更深刻的歌詞是──
We are your treasured possession.

Treasure 這個字我學過，解「寶藏」。
單看這句歌詞的時候，感受還不是那麼深，
頂多是一句人所創作的美麗詩詞吧；
但當我在舊約裡發現這段經文，幾乎激動得跳起來──

For you are a people holy to the LORD your God.
The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth
to be his people, his treasured possession.

這裡再清楚不過了，
神說，我們在祂眼中，是聖潔的子民，
神從全地萬民中揀選了我們，成為祂的子民，
成為祂的 treasured possession！！

對我來說，親眼看見聖經裡面白紙黑字地寫著這些說話，
和只是從人所寫的詩歌當中，或第三者道聽途說，
是完全兩回事，兩個程度的震撼！

聖經所寫，是絕對的。
是神的原意，沒有任何人的主觀意思。
聖經既然寫得這麼清楚，It must be real!
神真是這樣說的－－我是祂珍惜的瑰寶！

這個絕對的肯認，就如錨穩固著我的心，
讓我交戰的潛意識，隱藏的不安、恐懼，開始安定下來；
我對自己，開始有另一個看法，另一個價值感。



You know, when we come into God’s presence, he’s not thinking
“who’s that doing here?”
“what is your name again?”
（我正是這樣想 ^^"）

Jesus has gone before us.
He said “Father, this is my brother, my sister
and I bought with my blood."

And now the love God has for His son,
is the love He has for each one of us

You're not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters
Not ashamed to call us your own
Not ashamed to bring us near to the father
For by your blood we come to your throne

We are your treasured possession
And the apple of your eye
And you have set your affection upon us
We are your treasured possession
And the apple of your eye
And we delight we delight in your love

在這以前，我也很努力「愛神」。
我一向是個努力型的基督徒──
努力行真理，努力傳福音，努力去做一個基督徒應做的事。

但當真理開我眼睛，讓我真知道，神如此珍惜、愛我，
那種發自內心愛的回應，是完全兩回事。

在整張CD中，Belonging to You alone 是我最喜歡的一首詩歌，
它是我對神愛的回應，也是我往後十多年至今，信仰的核心。



Lord, from the beginning of time, You arms have been open wide,
Longing to embrace that people that You can call your very own.
So You stretch Your arms open wide once and for all … on the cross
To purchase us and fulfill Your heart's desire.

So Lord we give ourselves to You as Your people
To see Your plans and purposes for us fulfilled.
We are Yours Lord! Do whatever You want to with us!
We belong to You and You alone.

Creator of all, we were made for Your pleasure.
You are jealous for us for You see our lives as a treasure.
You want to walk with us day by day,
To have a people who gladly say:

Lord we belong to you alone!
We bow before no other throne!
For You have redeemed us with Your sacrifice,
Our lives are not our own!

Lord we belong to you alone!
So come dwell in us make Your glory known!
Our greatest joy is found in knowing You
Belonging to You alone!

Almighty God, You've held plans for us through the ages.
You give each life a call and a reason for being created.
We want to be a house You have built a living temple You have filled!

神創造了人類，神救贖了人類，
萬有都是屬於祂，但祂所求的，只是一件很簡單的事：
祂希望得著一群人，
一群真心真意愛祂，以祂為樂，以祂為榮的人！
整個六千年人類歷史，神的永恆計劃，就是為此。

當我明白這點，一種為神嫉妒的心，開始不住燃燒在我裡面。
每次看見人只是為利益祝福才尋找神，我都好像切身處地感受到神的心痛，
或因如此，我對「最後一分鐘」，「珍惜」這類訊息內容，總是如此共鳴。

奉獻此生，我要看見神的永恆計劃成就在地上－－
一群樂意將自己奉獻給神的人，
a people who GLADLY say:
Lord we belong to You alone!!