From December to January, most people enjoyed their holiday time. How have you been? Were you able to rest well and find refreshment for both body and soul? As February arrives, Bible study groups and various ministries are gradually resuming, and another busy year is about to begin. Are you missing the relaxed pace of the holidays, or are you looking forward to returning to fellowship groups and ministry?
I don’t know whether you are returning to ministry with enthusiasm and expectation, or simply treating it as a routine and rather ordinary task. When we do something for a long time, it can gradually become just a responsibility or even a burden. How do we rediscover our original passion? Especially when we feel tired and weary, how should we respond? Of course, proper rest is essential—it is a way for us to regain strength. That is why January is a rest period for the church, when ministries pause for a time. When we return to ministry, in addition to the energy that comes from sufficient rest, there is another way for us to be rekindled—perhaps by once again seeing the need for the gospel.
During the few weeks of my home-country visit for holidays, I had opportunities to gather and chat with relatives and friends. Most of them are non-believers. In our open and honest conversations, people shared the many difficulties of life, challenges in relationships, and their confusion about birth, aging, illness, and death. The Holy Spirit reminded me that these reflect people’s deep need to be loved, their need to know the truth, and their need to understand the root of sin—needs that only Jesus Christ can truly satisfy. I tried to share the gospel. Although in those moments I felt clumsy and inarticulate, stumbling over my words, the Holy Spirit reminded me again that even such small and awkward sharing is by God’s grace. This stirred in me a greater desire to share the gospel more. I thank God that back on this land of Australia, I have freedom and more opportunities to serve the Lord—whether in the church or through campus outreach. Through Bible studies, conversations, and building relationships, we can pass on the gospel, not relying on ourselves, but on the mighty power of Jesus.
Seeing the needs around us becomes a renewed source of strength that inspires us to serve the Lord and serve others. At the same time, viewing service as an opportunity to experience God can move us to participate with joy. For even the smallest act of service can, like the five loaves and two fish, become a great blessing in God’s hands.
May we all enter the new year of worship and ministry at CPC with renewed passion and abundant strength.
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從12月到1月，大多數人享受了假期時光。不知你過的如何？是否有好好的休息，身體心靈都得到放鬆？隨著2月來臨，各個查經小組和事工都開始陸續恢復，忙碌的一年又將開始。你是懷念假期的輕鬆？還是期待重歸各團契小組和事工？
我不知道你是否帶著熱情和期待重歸事工，還是只當作一份常規而平乏的工作。有些事情做久了，似乎漸淪為僅是一種責任與負擔。我們要怎麼找回最初的熱忱？特別在感到疲憊乏力的時候，我們該如何應對呢？當然，適當的休息是必須的，是我們重獲力量的途徑。因此，每年一月是教會的休息期，各項事工暫時停下腳步。當我們重新回到事工的時候，除了充足的休息帶來的精力，還有一個方法讓我們重新被點燃的，也許是我們再次看到對於福音的需要。
在我回國休假的數週中，有機會和親朋好友聚會聊天。他們大部分是非信徒，在我們自然坦率的交流中，人們分享了生活的各種艱難，人際關係的各種挑戰，也有生老病死的困惑。聖靈提醒我，這正反映出人們對被愛的需要，認識真理的需要，認識罪的根源的需要。。。而這些需要唯有耶穌基督可以真正滿足。我試著分享福音，雖然在當時的情境中，我說得很笨拙，感覺結結巴巴，詞不達意，然而聖靈再次提醒我，即便是這樣微小笨拙的分享，也是出於神的恩典。這也激起我內心想更多分享福音的渴望。我感謝神，回到澳洲的這片土地，我有自由和更多機會，可以為主做事，不管是教會中，還是校園外展事工中，我們可以透過查經、交談，建立關係，將福音傳遞出去，不靠自己，靠大能的耶穌。
看見我們周遭的這些需要，是激發我們服事主，服事人的一個更新的力量。同時，看服事是經歷神的機會，可以推動我們滿心喜樂的參與其中。因為即使是最微小的服事，也可以像五餅二魚一樣，成為神手中大大的祝福。
願大家都可以帶著全新的熱情和充足的動力，投入教會新一年的敬拜和事工中。
