What has God created you to do? Who can you show His love to today?
上帝要你去做哪些美事？今天你能向誰表明上帝的愛？
We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.Ephesians 2:10
我們原是祂的工作，在基督耶穌裡造成的，為要叫我們行善，就是上帝所預備叫我們行的。-以弗所書2章10節
My grandmother was a talented seamstress who won contests in her native Texas. Throughout my life, she celebrated hallmark occasions with a hand-sewn gift. A burgundy mohair sweater for my high school graduation. A turquoise quilt for my marriage. I’d fold over a corner of each custom-crafted item to discover her signature tag reading, “Hand made for you by Munna.” With every embroidered word, I sensed my grandmother’s love for me and received a powerful statement of her faith in my future.
我祖母是個滿有恩賜的女裁縫師，在她家鄉德州贏得多場比賽。在我的一生中所有特別的日子，她都會親手縫製衣物為我慶祝。高中畢業時，她送我紫紅色的毛衣；結婚時，她送給我藍綠色的被子。祖母會在這些衣物的某個角落，繡上“祖母特別為妳縫製”這幾個字。從祖母針腳細密的衣物，我感受到她對我的愛，也體會到她對我往後的人生充滿信心。
Paul wrote to the Ephesians of their purpose in this world, describing them as “God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (2:10). Here “handiwork” denotes a work of art or a masterpiece. Paul goes on to describe that God’s handiwork in creating us would result in our handiwork of creating good works—or expressions of our restored relationship with Jesus—for His glory in our world. We can never be saved by our own good works, but when God hand makes us for His purposes, He can use us to bring others toward His great love.
保羅寫信給以弗所的信徒闡述生命的意義時，稱他們為上帝的“工作”，是在基督耶穌裡造成的，為要叫他們行善（2章10節）。在此，“工作”是指藝術品或傑作。保羅進一步解釋，我們這些蒙恩得救的人是上帝所創造的傑作，當行美事，藉此向人展現我們與耶穌和好的關係以榮耀祂的名。我們絕對不能靠著做善事得救贖，然而當上帝按祂的心意在我們身上工作時，我們就能帶領人認識祂的愛。
With her head bowed over her needle, my Munna hand made items to communicate her love for me and her passion that I discover my purpose on this planet. And with His fingers shaping the details of our days, God stitches His love and purposes in our hearts that we might experience Him for ourselves and demonstrate His handiwork to others.
我祖母以一針一線縫製的藝術品，表達了她對我的愛，也讓我知道，她為我找到生命的意義而感到欣慰。這讓我聯想到上帝親手設計我們人生中的每個細節，並將祂的愛和心意繡進我們的心裡。我們可以親身經歷祂，並向世人展現祂的工作。
Dear Father, thank you for creating me with your own hands.Please let people see you through me.
親愛的天父，謝謝禰親手創造我；求禰藉著我能讓人看見禰。
Ephesians 2:4-10 NIV
2 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
以弗所書 2:4-10
2 然而，神既有豐富的憐憫，因他愛我們的大愛， 5 當我們死在過犯中的時候，便叫我們與基督一同活過來。你們得救是本乎恩。 6 他又叫我們與基督耶穌一同復活，一同坐在天上， 7 要將他極豐富的恩典，就是他在基督耶穌裡向我們所施的恩慈，顯明給後來的世代看。 8 你們得救是本乎恩，也因著信。這並不是出於自己，乃是神所賜的； 9 也不是出於行為，免得有人自誇。 10 我們原是他的工作，在基督耶穌裡造成的，為要叫我們行善，就是神所預備叫我們行的。
INIGHT
靈糧透視
When Paul reminded his readers they were examples of God’s work in process (Ephesians 2:8–10), he was writing out of his own story. Trained in the law as a Pharisee, Paul described the kind of person he was before Jesus surprised him on the road to Damascus (Acts 22:1–5; 1 Timothy 1:12–15). Paul knew it was the work of God that transformed him from a violent advocate of Mosaic morality into someone who never got over the kindness of Jesus. He credited the grace and Spirit of Christ with replacing his moralistic passions (Ephesians 2:3) with a heart that reflected the mercy of the Savior who died for us (vv. 4–5; 5:1).
保羅提醒讀者，他們是上帝手中正在完成的工作（以弗所書2章8-10節），其實保羅是在描述自己的生命歷程。他尚未在前往大馬士革的路上遇見耶穌之前（使徒行傳22章1-5節；提摩太前書1章12-15節），是一個受摩西律法訓練的法利賽人，嚴守舊約律法。保羅深知自己能從用暴力維護摩西律法，變成完全被耶穌的愛所感動的人，完全是上帝的工作。保羅也明白是基督的恩典和聖靈改變了他，使他的心從持守律法的狂熱（以弗所書2章3節），變成充滿救主豐富的憐憫，這位救主為我們而死（4-5節，5章1節）。
編輯：Sarah
校對：Snow
