How sweet is the sound of God’s amazing grace!

上帝奇异的恩典是何等甘甜！

I trusted in the L when I said, “I am greatly afflicted.”Psalm 116:10 

我因信，所以如此说话：“我受了极大的困苦。”-诗篇116篇10节

Two men convicted of drug trafficking had been on death row for a decade. While in prison, they learned of God’s love for them in Jesus, and their lives were transformed. When it came time for them to face the firing squad, they faced their executioners reciting the Lord’s Prayer and singing “Amazing Grace.” Because of their faith in God, through the power of the Spirit they were able to face death with incredible courage.

有两个人因为贩毒而被判了死刑，并在牢中坐监十年。在服刑期间，他们听闻福音而认识了耶稣，生命也因此改变。在执行枪决之前，他们在执行官面前，背诵主祷文并吟唱《奇异恩典》。他们因着对上帝的信心，藉着圣灵的大能，才拥有惊人的勇气面对死亡。

They followed the example of faith set by their Savior, Jesus. When Jesus knew that His death was imminent, He spent part of the evening singing with friends. It’s remarkable that He could sing under such circumstances, but what’s even more remarkable is what He sang. On that night, Jesus and His friends had a Passover meal, which always ends with a series of Psalms known as the Hallel, Psalms 113–118. Facing death, that night Jesus sang about the “cords of death” entangling Him (Psalm 116:3). Yet He praised God’s faithful love (117:2) and thanked Him for salvation (118:14). Surely these Psalms comforted Jesus on the night before His crucifixion.

他们是遵循救主耶稣的信心榜样。当耶稣知道死亡渐渐逼近时，祂仍在傍晚时和门徒一同歌唱。在当时的状况下还能歌唱，实在令人惊叹！但更难得的是祂所吟唱的内容。那晚，耶稣和门徒一起享用逾越节晚餐，按照惯例，他们会唱“哈利路亚”赞美诗，即诗篇113-118篇。虽然耶稣当晚面临死亡的威胁，唱着“死亡的绳索缠绕我”（116篇3节），但祂依然赞美上帝信实的爱（117篇2节），并感谢祂的救恩（118篇14节）。我们深信在耶稣即将受难的那天晚上，这些诗篇必定让祂得着极大的安慰。

Jesus’s trust in God was so great that even as He approached His own death—a death He had done nothing to deserve!—He chose to sing of God’s love. Because of Jesus, we too can have confidence that whatever we face, God is with us.

耶稣对上帝的信任如此之深，所以即便在面对自己不该得的死亡面前，祂仍选择高唱上帝的慈爱。因着耶稣，我们也可以有信心去面对一切。因为，上帝与我们同在！

God, strengthen our faith in You so that when we face trials, or even approach death, we can sing with confidence about Your love.

上帝啊，当我们遇见试炼，甚或死亡逼近时，求祢加添我们的信心，好让我们能歌颂祢的慈爱！

Mark 14:16-26    NIV

14 The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. 17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18 While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.” 19 They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely you don’t mean me?” 20 “It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me. 21 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” 22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. 25 “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” 26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

马可福音 14:16-26

14 门徒出去，进了城，所遇见的正如耶稣所说的，他们就预备了逾越节的筵席。17 到了晚上，耶稣和十二个门徒都来了。 18 他们坐席正吃的时候，耶稣说：“我实在告诉你们：你们中间有一个与我同吃的人要卖我了。” 19 他们就忧愁起来，一个一个地问他说：“是我吗？” 20 耶稣对他们说：“是十二个门徒中同我蘸手在盘子里的那个人。 21 人子必要去世，正如经上指着他所写的，但卖人子的人有祸了！那人不生在世上倒好。” 22 他们吃的时候，耶稣拿起饼来，祝了福，就掰开，递给他们，说：“你们拿着吃，这是我的身体。” 23 又拿起杯来，祝谢了，递给他们，他们都喝了。 24 耶稣说：“这是我立约的血，为多人流出来的。 25 我实在告诉你们：我不再喝这葡萄汁，直到我在神的国里喝新的那日子。” 26 他们唱了诗，就出来往橄榄山去。

INSIGHT

灵粮透视

It has been said that our songs are essentially our sung prayers. After having been severely beaten and unjustly arrested, Paul and Silas “were praying and singing hymns to God” in prison! (Acts 16:25). In Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church he exhorts them to “[sing] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and [make] music to the Lord in your hearts” (Ephesians 5:19 ).

人们常说，唱诗歌其实就是唱出我们的祈祷。保罗和西拉在遭到严重的殴打和不公的拘捕后，他们在监狱里“祷告唱诗赞美上帝”（使徒行传16章25节）。在写给以弗所教会的信中，保罗也劝勉他们“用诗章、颂词、灵歌彼此对说，口唱心和地赞美主”（以弗所书5章19节）。

Are you going through a difficult time? Ask God to encourage you as you sing your favorite hymn or song.

你正处于艰难时期吗？吟唱你最爱的圣歌和赞美诗，让上帝藉着这些诗歌来鼓励你。

整理：于姊妹