Only what’s done for Christ will last.

唯有为基督所做的事才会长存。

The  is good and his love . . . continues through all generations. Psalm 100:5

因为耶和华本为善，祂的慈爱……直到万代！-诗篇100篇5节

Several years ago, my wife and I stayed in a rustic bed-and-breakfast in the remote Yorkshire Dales of England. We were there with four other couples, all British, whom we had never met before. Sitting in the living room with our after-dinner coffees, the conversation turned to occupations with the question “What do you do?” At the time I was serving as the president of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, and I assumed that no one there knew of MBI or its founder, D. L. Moody. When I mentioned the name of the school, their response was immediate and surprising. “Of Moody and Sankey . . . that Moody?” Another guest added, “We have a Sankey hymnal and our family often gathers around the piano to sing from it.” I was amazed! The evangelist Dwight Moody and his musician Ira Sankey had held meetings in the British Isles more than 120 years ago, and their influence was still being felt.

几年前，我跟妻子在英国偏远的约克郡谷地的民宿过夜。当天入住的还有四对素不相识的英国夫妇。晚饭后，大家坐在客厅里享用咖啡，有人问：“您从事哪一行？”于是，大家开始聊起自己的工作。当时我是慕迪圣经学院的校长，我以为他们没人知道这所学院，及其创办人慕迪（D. L. Moody）。可是我一提到校名，他们立刻惊讶地问：“是慕迪跟桑基（Ira Sankey）的慕迪圣经学院吗？”还有人说：“我们有一本桑基写的赞美诗，我们全家经常弹唱他所写的诗歌呢！”120多年前，布道家慕迪与他的搭档福音歌手艾拉·桑基，曾多次在英伦三岛举办布道会，我真没想到，至今他们的影响力依然存在。

I left the room that night thinking of the ways our lives can cast long shadows of influence for God—a praying mother’s influence on her children, an encouraging coworker’s words, the support and challenge of a teacher or a mentor, the loving but corrective words of a friend. It’s a high privilege to play a role in the wonderful promise that “His love . . . continues through all generations” (Ps. 100:5).

当晚我离开客厅时，思索着我们的生命当如何为上帝发挥深远的影响力，就好像注重祷告的母亲对孩子们的影响、同事间的鼓励、老师或教练的支持与挑战，或是朋友出于爱心的指正。圣经说：“祂的慈爱……直到万代”（诗篇100篇5节），我们能在这奇妙的应许中扮演一角，实在是万分荣幸。

Lord, help us to remember that while our lives are short, what we do for You now can have an impact long after we are home with You. Lead me today to invest in the lives of others.

主啊，求祢帮助我们谨记，生命虽然短暂，但现在我们为祢所做的一切，在我们回到天家之后，仍有深远的影响。今天就求祢带领我，好让我能对别人的生命有所付出。

Psalm 100New International Version (NIV)

1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2     Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

整理：于姊妹