11月3日
标 题： 有忠心
经 节： 我感谢那给我力量的我们主基督耶稣，因祂以我有忠心，派我服事祂。（提摩太前书一章12节）
以人类属世的角度来看，保罗过去大肆逼迫基督徒，应该没有资格服事神。他过去是“罪人中的罪魁”，亵渎神、逼迫人，并且是暴力的挑衅者（提摩太前书一：13～15）。当神拯救了保罗，每一件事都改变了。保罗以同于过去逼迫基督徒的热心，来拥抱基督徒的生命。保罗在神交给他的每件任务上，无论是大事或小事都忠心。最后，因为他的忠心，神托付给他一个任务，就是成为推动福音的先锋。
保罗了解，为神的国度所完成的每一件事，都是出于神的大能。他并没有自欺，以为是凭著自己的智慧或个人的努力达成神的旨意。他反而为每个试炼的机会感谢神，无论神所交付的任务是大或小，他都能忠心。
你事奉神的能力不是基于你的过去，而是基于你今日的忠心。如果你忠心去做神所交托的任务，神会给你足够的力量完成它。不要计较神所交付的任务大小不同。保罗把每个任务视为自己服事神的殊荣，不是自己应得的。神是否要你为某人祷告、帮助某个有需要的人、带领一个研经的聚会，或是关心病人，你要忠心。当你事奉祂的时候，你会经历祂的大能。如果你在小事上忠心，神会交付给你更大的任务。你也会像保罗一样赞美神，因为神以你有忠心，而派你服事祂。
Counted Faithful
And I thank
Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful,
putting me into the ministry. (1 Timothy 1:12)
From a human perspective, the apostle Paul’s record as a zealous
persecutor of Christians should have precluded him from being used in God’s
service. Paul was known as the “chief of sinners,” a blasphemer, persecutor,
and violent aggressor (1 Tim. 1:13–15). Everything changed when God saved Paul.
He embraced the Christian life with the same fervency in which he had opposed
it. Paul labored to be faithful in every assignment, no matter how small or
large. Ultimately, because of Paul’s faithfulness, God entrusted him to be one
of His foremost promoters of the gospel.
Paul understood that everything he ever accomplished for God’s kingdom
was due to the enabling power of God. He was not deceived into thinking that
his own intelligence or personal drive brought about God’s will. Rather, Paul
was grateful for the opportunity to be tested and found faithful in any
assignment, regardless of its size.
Your ability to serve God is not based on your past, but on your
faithfulness today. If you are faithful with the task God entrusts to you, God
will enable you to accomplish it. Don’t distinguish between big and small
assignments from God. Paul saw every one as a privilege he did not deserve.
Whether God has asked you to pray for someone, to minister to a person in need,
to lead a Bible study, or to care for those who are sick, strive to be
faithful. You will experience His enabling as you serve Him. If you are
faithful in a little, God will entrust you with more. You will be able to join
Paul in praising God for having counted you faithful, putting you into His
service (Luke 16:10).
