一切都是為了我們的益處

羅馬書 8:28 我們曉得萬事都互相效力,叫愛上帝的人得益處,就是按他旨意被召的人。 

上帝知道如何將一切可能阻擋和傷害我們的事物轉化成動力,幫助我們。上帝是這方面的專家。任何奪取我們性命的事物必須用來保存性命。任何使我們犯罪,定我們罪的事物,必然幫助堅固我們的信心和盼望。這些都讓我們更熱烈地禱告,讓上帝更好地垂聽,賜下更多的福氣。

這位專家常按照這世界所想象的反面做事。祂使用最糟糕的事物做有益的工。祂是那位使無變為有的上帝(羅4:17)。祂反轉萬事,更新萬事。

當基督徒被踩踏、被斬首時,表面上這事並沒有什麼榮耀、尊貴,也不像是祝福或喜樂。但是,上帝說:「我可以叫不存在的事物產生,變悲哀和心痛為完全的喜樂。我可以說, ‘死亡和墳墓啊,成為生命!地獄變成天堂和祝福!毒藥成為寶貴的藥物和飲料!魔鬼和世界比天使和虔誠的聖徒更好地服事我所愛的基督徒們!’ 因為我能!並且我將按此方法耕種我的葡萄園。所有的苦難和災難只會讓事情變得更好。」 ——馬丁路德 (AE 24:197-98,WA 45:640)


All Things Are for Us

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

God is a Master who knows how to convert whatever would hinder and harm us into that which furthers and helps us. Whatever is intended to take our life must serve to preserve it. Whatever would cause us to sin and damn us must help to strengthen our faith and hope, must make our prayer more fervent and cause it to be heard more richly.」

……

Here is the Master who always works the opposite of what the world has in mind and who puts its worst schemes to good use. He is the God 「who calls into existence the things that do not exist」 (Rom. 4:17), who reverses and renews all things. To be sure, when Christians are trampled on and beheaded, this does not look like honor and glory, joy and bliss; it seems to be the very opposite. He says, however: 「I can call into existence the things that do not exist (Rom. 4:17) and change sadness and all heartache into sheer happiness. I can say: ‘Death and grave, be life! Hell, become heaven and bliss! Poison, be precious medicine and refreshment! Devil and world, be of even greater service to My beloved Christians than the blessed angels and the pious saints!’ For I can and will cultivate My vineyard in this way. All kinds of suffering and adversity will only improve it.」 (AE 24:197-98)