>>> Evergreen in May, 常綠助道會五月活動來囉 ^^

Welcome to Evergreen. :-D

The following information includes the topics and speakers for May.
And our next meeting will be on May 6th.
Hope to see everyone ~

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歡迎來到常綠助道會~ !
下列資訊為五月份各週主題及講員，下一次聚會時間是五月六日。
歡迎大家參加 :-)

★ 常 綠 助 道 會 - 歡迎學生及社青ㄛ ! ★
時間：每週六晚上6:00-8:00
地點：樂民館 Coleman Hall


日期：05/06
形式：Small Group Discussion 小組討論

聚會主題及內容聚會：
Working Through My Hang-ups
在障礙中成長


日期：05/13
形式：Topic Sharing 專題討論
專題分享講員： David Theriault 馬文龍弟兄

聚會主題及內容聚會：
Working Through My Hang-ups ～ Rejection
在障礙中成長 ～ 被否定 (被拒絕)


日期：05/20
形式：Topic Sharing 專題討論
專題分享講員：Sophy Wang 王淑霏 姐妹

聚會主題及內容聚會：
Working Through My Hang-ups ～ Self-worth
在障礙中成長 ～ 自我價值


日期：05/27
聚會主題及內容聚會：
Gospel Camp (No meeting this week)
春季福音營 (本週無聚會)

***靜思禱文

信仰

宇宙的主宰：
求主使我看到自己的軟弱，渺小，
求主使我看到宇宙的偉大，
在這偉大的宇宙中有一位主宰。
求主讓我倚靠您，信賴您，　
您使我有人生的方向，　
您使我知道人生的價值，
您使我活得更有意義；
您是我的一切，我要為您而活。
阿們！

***Why Pray?

Reflections on Praying for Others
by Henry Nouwen

One of the most powerful experiences in a life of compassion is the expansion of our hearts into a world-embracing space of healing from which no one is excluded. Prayer for others, therefore, cannot be seen as an extraordinary exercise that must be practiced from time to time. Rather, it is the very beat of a compassionate heart. To pray for a friend who is ill, for a student who is depressed, for a teacher who is in conflict; for people in prisons, in hospitals, on battlefields; for those who are victims of injustice, who are hungry, poor, without shelter; for those who risk their career, their health, and even their life in struggle for social justice; for leaders of church and state to pray for all these people is not a futile effort to influence God’s will, but a hospitable gesture by which we invite our neighbors into the center of our hearts.

Seen in the place of prayer, even the unprincipled dictator and the vicious torturer can no longer appear as the object of fear, hatred, and revenge, because when we pray we stand at the center of the great mystery of Divine Compassion. Prayer converts the enemy into a friend and is thus the beginning of a new relationship. There is probably no prayer as powerful as the prayer for our enemies. But it is also the most difficult prayer since it is most contrary to our impulses.

When we come before God with the needs of the world, the healing love of the Holy Spirit that touches us, touches with the same power all those whom we bring before him. Compassionate prayer does not encourage the self-serving individualism that leads us to flee from people or to fight them. On the contrary, by deepening our awareness of our common suffering, prayer draws us closer together in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

***教授與學生的精彩辯論

很多人可能已經看過了,但是還是PO上來分享給大家........


一個可能被當掉的學生或尚未被人發覺的天才，如同一幕電影揉合哲學與物理的精彩辯論
「信耶穌不合科學。」一個哲學教授上課時說。
他頓了一頓，叫了一個新生站起來，說：「某某同學，你是基督徒嗎？」
「老師，我是。」
「那麼你一定信上帝了？」
「當然。」
「那上帝是不是善的？」
「當然。上帝是善的。」
「是不是上帝是全能的？祂無所不能，對嗎？」
「對。」
「你呢？你是善是惡？」
「聖經說我有罪。」
教授撇撇嘴笑：「哈，聖經。」
頓了一頓，說：「如果班上有同學病了，你有能力醫治他，你會醫治他嗎？起碼試一試？」
「會。」
「那麼你便是善的了…」
「我不敢這麼說。」
「怎麼不敢？你見別人有難，便去幫助… 我們大部分人都會這樣，只有上帝不幫忙。」
一片沉默。
「上帝不幫忙。對嗎？我的弟弟是基督徒，他患了癌症，懇求耶穌醫治，可是他死了。
上帝是善的嗎？你怎麼解釋？」
沒有回答。
老教授同情他了，說：「你無法解釋。對吧？」
他拿起桌子上的杯，喝一口水，讓學生有機會喘一口氣。這是欲擒先縱之計策。
「我們再重新來討論。上帝是善的嗎？」
「呃…是。」
「魔鬼是善是惡？」
「是惡。」
「那怎麼有魔鬼呢？」學生不知道怎麼回答。
「是…是…上帝造的。」
「對，魔鬼是上帝造的。對嗎？」
老教授用瘦骨嶙峋的手梳梳稀薄的頭髮，對傻笑著的全體同學說：
「各位同學，相信這學期的哲學課很有興趣。」
回過頭來，又對站著的那同學說：
「世界可有惡的存在？」
「有。」
「世界充滿了惡。對吧？是不是世上所有一切，都是上帝造的？」
「是。」
「那麼惡是誰造的？」
沒有回答。
「世界有不道德的事嗎？有仇恨、醜陋等等一切的惡嗎？」
該學生顯得坐立不安，勉強回答：「有。」
「這些惡是怎麼來的？」
沒有答案。
忽然老教授提高聲調說：「你說，是誰造的？你說啊！誰造的？」
他把臉湊到該學生面前，用輕而穩定的聲音說：「上帝造了這一切的惡。對吧？」
沒有回答。
該學生嘗試也直視教授，但終於垂下了眼皮。
老教授忽然轉過身來，在班前踱來踱去，活像一隻老黑豹。
同學們都進入被催眠狀態。
這時老教授又開腔了：「上帝造這一切的惡，而這些惡又不止息的存在，
請問：上帝怎可能是善的？」
教授不斷揮舞著他張開的雙手，說：
「世界上充滿了仇恨、暴力、痛苦、死亡、困難、醜惡，這一切都是這位良善的上帝造的？對吧？」
沒有回答。
「世上豈不是充滿了災難？」
停了一下，他又把臉湊到該新生面前，低聲說：「上帝是不是善的？」
沒有答話。
「你信耶穌基督嗎？」他再問。
該學生用顫抖的聲音說：「老師，我信。」
老教授失望地搖了搖頭，說：「根據科學，我們對周圍事物的觀察和了解，是用五官。
請問這位同學，你見過耶穌沒有？」
「沒有。老師，我沒見過。」
「那麼，你聽過祂的聲音嗎？」
「我沒有聽過祂的聲音。」
「你摸過耶穌沒有？可有嚐過他？嗅過他？你有沒有用五官來感覺過上帝？」
沒有回答。
「請回答我的問題。」
「老師，我想沒有。」
「你想沒有嗎？還是實在沒有？」
「我沒有用五官來接觸過上帝。」
「可是你仍信上帝？」
「呃…是…」
老教授陰陰地笑了：「那真需要信心啊！科學上強調的，是求證，實驗，和示範等方法，根據這些方法，你的上帝是不存在的。對不對？你以為怎樣？你的上帝在哪裡？」
學生答不上來。
「請坐下。」
該同學坐下，心中有說不出的沮喪。

這時，另一個同學舉起手來，問：「老師，我可以發言嗎？」
老教授笑說：「當然可以。」
學生說：「老師，世界上有沒有熱？」
教授答：「當然有。」
「那麼，也有冷嗎？」
「也有冷。」
「老師，您錯了。冷是不存在的。」
老教授的臉僵住了。課室裡的空氣頓時凝結。
這位大膽的同學說：「熱是一種能，可以量度。我們有很熱、加熱、超熱、大熱、白熱、稍熱、不熱，卻沒有冷──
當然，氣溫可以下降至零下四百五十八度，即一點熱也沒有，但這就到了極限，不能再降溫下去。
冷不是一種能量。
如果是，我們就可以不斷降溫，直降到超出零下四百五十八度以下。
可是我們不能。
『冷』只是用來形容無熱狀態的字眼。
我們無法量『冷』度，我們是用溫度計。
冷不是一種與熱對立的存在的能，而是一種無熱狀態。」
課室內靜得連一根針掉在地上也能聽到。
「老師，」該學生竟又問：「世上有沒有黑暗？」
「簡直是胡混。如果沒有黑暗，怎可能有黑夜？你想問甚麼…？」
「老師，您說世上有黑暗嗎？」
「對…」
「老師，那麼你又錯啦！黑暗是不存在的，它只是無光狀態。
光可分微光、亮光、強光、閃光，黑暗本身是不存在的，它只是用來描述無光狀態的字眼。
如果有黑暗，你就可以增加黑暗，或者給我一瓶黑暗。
老師，你能否給我一瓶黑暗？」
教授見這小子大言不慚，滔滔不絕，不覺笑了。這學期倒真有趣。
「這位同學，你到底想說甚麼呀？」
學生說：「老師，我是說，你哲學的大前提，從一開始就錯了，所以結論也錯了。」
「錯了…？好大的膽子！」老教授生氣了。
「老師，請聽我解釋。」全體同學竊竊私語。 「解釋…噫，解釋…」教授好不容易才控制住自己，待情緒漸漸平伏後，即使個手勢，叫同學們安靜。讓該同學發言。
學生說：「老師，您剛才所說的，是二元論哩。就是說，有生，就必有死。
有一個好的神，也有一個惡的神。你討論上帝時，所採用的，是一個受限制的觀點。
你把上帝看作一件物質般來量度，但是科學連一個『思維』，也解釋不了。
科學用電力，又用磁力，可是卻看不見電，看不見磁力，當然，對兩者也不透徹了解。
把死看作和生命對立，是對死的無知。死不是可以獨立存在的。死亡不是生命的反面，而是失去了生命。」
說著，他從鄰坐同學的桌子內，取出一份小報來，說：
「這是我們國內最下流的一份小報，是不是有不道德這回事呢？」
「當然有不道德…」
「老師，你又錯了。不道德其實是缺德。
是否有所謂『不公平』呢？
沒有，『不公平』只是失去了公平。
是否有所謂『惡』呢？」
學生頓了一頓，又繼續說：「惡豈不是失去善的狀態嗎？」
老教授氣得臉色通紅，不能說話。
該學生又說：「老師，就是因為我們可以為善，也可以為不善，所以才有選擇的自由呢。」
教授不屑一顧：「作為一個教授，我看重的是事實。上帝是無法觀察的。」
「老師，你信進化論嗎？」
「當然信。」
「那麼你可曾親眼觀察過進化的過程？」
教授瞪瞪該位同學。
「老師，既然沒有人觀察過進化過程，同時也不能證實所有動物都還在進化之中，
那麼你們教進化論，不等於在宣傳你們的主觀信念嗎？」
「你說完了沒有？」老教授已不耐煩了。
「老師，你信上帝的道德律嗎？」
「我只信科學。」
「呀，科學！」
學生說。「老師，你說的不錯，科學要求觀察，不然就不信。
但你知道這大前提本身就錯誤嗎？」
「科學也會錯嗎？」同學們全體嘩然。
待大家安靜下來後，該同學說：「老師，請恕我舉一個例子。我們班上誰看過老師的腦子？」
同學們個個大笑起來。
該同學又說：
「我們誰聽過老師的腦子，誰摸過、嚐過，或聞過老師的腦子？」沒人有這種經驗。
學生說：「那麼我們能否說老師沒腦子？」
全班哄堂大笑…

***The Gospel of Judas Stirs up Controversy

by Gordon Govier

The "Gospel of Judas" looks like a hot new controversy. In reality it's old church history and offers no new information on the ministry of Jesus. More accurately it helps us understand a little more about early church history and what’s called the Gnostic movement. And it may reveal more about religious viewpoints in modern America than about Christianity itself.
The "Gospel of Judas" is part of an ancient codex that was discovered in Egypt several decades ago. It has been conserved and restored and then harnessed to a huge publicity machine. The National Geographic Society put it on the cover of its May 2006 issue, published two books on it, produced a two hour television special and placed several pages of it on display at its headquarters in Washington D.C. National Geographic has not been known as a faith-friendly publication.

All of this occurred at the beginning of the most holy time of the year for Christians, the Easter season. Thus it was timed for maximum exposure and those who are not familiar with church history may have been fooled into thinking that it could change Christian theology. However, much of the news coverage was one-sided in favor of progressive scholars and failed to include traditional Christian viewpoints. In fact, the "Gospel of Judas" was well known to early Christians and rejected as illegitimate.

The “Gospel of Judas” does seem to be historically authentic. It’s 1700-1800-years old but it was most assuredly not written by Judas. In its age, appearance and content the “Gospel of Judas” resembles the Nag Hammadi texts, which were discovered in Egypt in the 1940's. Like the Nag Hammadi texts, including one called the "Gospel of Thomas," the "Gospel of Judas" comes from a heretical sect called the Gnostics.

Gnosticism (from the Greek word for knowledge, gnosis) promoted a mystical faith that favored those who were privy to the secret knowledge. Thus, in "The Gospel of Judas," Jesus is depicted with a special relationship to Judas. As the New York Times reported, "The most revealing passages in the Judas manuscript begins, 'The secret account of the revelation that Jesus spoke in conversation with Judas Iscariot during a week, three days before he celebrated Passover.'" Judas, in this version, was the only disciple who "got it."

The Gnostics were roundly condemned by early church leaders, including Irenaeus (A.D. 130-202), who specifically dismissed the "Gospel of Judas," among other works. It contains no reliable historical information. By contrast, the four Gospels of the New Testament canon are strongly rooted in verifiable historical facts.

One other perspective on the “Gospel of Judas” was covered in articles by the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times. The process by which it was discovered, marketed and ultimately delivered to the National Geographic Society disturbs those who worry about illegal Antiquities trading. What some people call rescuing an ancient manuscript is called looting by others. It’s obvious that controversy can drive up the price of such objects and in this case it was certainly true.The “Gospel of Judas” appeals to people who are looking for another version, an alternative to the four gospels of the New Testament. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said there would always be people looking for loopholes. “Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it [NIV].”

***《猶大福音》的科學鑑定與基督教信仰

曾慶豹：「若我們總是用科學來鑑定聖經，是沒完沒了的｣

早在國家地理頻道在四月九日正式播放《猶大福音》以前，各大媒體已大幅報導了相關的題材，引起一番熱烈的討論。國家地理學會透過放射性碳定年、墨水分析、多光譜照影術、內文比對與古字比對五種方法，確定這份古抄本是真實的著作。也有專家認為，這份古抄本的發現，對我們了解早期基督教時期的歷史與神學有著十分重大的意義。
中原大學宗教研究所所長曾慶豹則認為，猶大福音絕對沒有挑戰到耶穌基督的教導，他說，我們只要了解其背景及正確性，就知道它絕對不會對基督教造成任何的傷害。基督教是經得起科學的驗證，不過如果我們總是需要用科學來鑑定聖經，是沒完沒了的。所以，我們相信聖經，不是在於科學證明它是對的，我們不需要把聖經放進實驗室做研究後，發現它是對的才相信，這與100%憑信心相信神的話語是一樣的。
他接著說，猶大福音裡強調的神秘色彩，這些思想在初代教會時常出現，他強調，在遇到這些針對信仰根基的問題時，信徒應該平常就意識到，並好好的裝備自己，也要注意別人的思考模式，就像彼得前書三章十五節裡講的，「有人問你們心中盼望的緣由，就要常作準備，以溫柔、敬畏的心回答各人。」此外，也要像保羅所說的，不要成為只能吃奶，不能吃乾糧的人。
如若遇到非基督徒問我們，「是否要藉著猶大出賣耶穌才能成就神的救贖呢？」曾所長解釋說，人不能藉著犯罪來成就神的計劃，事實上，祂也不需藉著人手才能完成自己的旨意。

*** 本週聚會地點!! Meeting place this week!!

大家好,

本週 Evergreen 將回到地下室樂民館聚會,時間依然是 6:00 PM. 歡迎大家告訴大家.......

Dear Evergreeners,

We will be back to Coleman Hall for our large group meeting this Saturday at 6:00 PM. Hope to see you all.......


Evergreen

*** 神的道路非同於你的道路

經　　節：
你們要謹慎，恐怕有人用他的理學和虛空的妄言，不照著基督，乃照人間的遺傳和世上的小學就把你們擄去。（歌羅西書二章8節）

鼓勵基督徒要「現實點」，是個狡猾的試探。也就是，他們以人的方式來做神的工。「要有果效」變成事奉的主要重點。我們看起來好像相信自己可以不擇手段，只要能夠達到目的就好！不要迷失在世俗的道理之中。我們仔細查考神的話，發現方法有時比結果來得重要。世界想要說服你，只要你能夠為神國完成某一事業，其他都無關緊要。舉例來說，亞拿尼亞和撒非喇奉獻一大筆錢。這本是一件美事，然而，他們卻以欺詐的方式奉獻。神立即判決他們，不是為了他們做了甚麼，而是為了他們是怎麼做，而審判他們（使徒行傳五：1～11）。撒但想要以同樣的方式陷害耶穌。撒但沒有質問耶穌工作的價值，牠僅提供了一些「實際」的解決方法，以更有效率、更有經濟效益的方式，來達到耶穌的目標。然而，神的方法非同於人們的方法。「效率」是人類的觀點，卻不是神所重視的。讓以色列百姓繞耶利哥城十三圈，再吹號角，然後城牆才倒塌（約書亞記六章），這可是一點也沒有效率！選擇耶西最小的兒子作下一任的國王，似乎不太有智慧，但神看的是人的內心（撒母耳記上十六：11）。乍看之下，耶穌挑選那十二門徒似乎不合邏輯，然而神藉著他們戲劇化地影響了他們的世界。企圖以人的方法做神的工，是沒有智慧的。這是長久以來的試探，外表看起來似乎很有道理，卻往往與神的目標對立。

*** 我曾死過，現在又活了

經　　節：
又是那存活的，我曾死過，現在又活了，直活到永永遠遠...(啟示錄一章18節)

一個春曉，早起的鳥兒開始歡唱、百合花散發著芬芳、晨曦剛照射出來，幾位愁煩的婦人來到空墓前，根本不知道這是一個甜美榮耀的日子。一位穿白衣的使者，向她們說出有史以來最榮耀的話：「祂不在這裡，已經復活了！」
　　「因為我活著，你們也要活著。」復活節的早上，天使也要照樣對我們說：「祂不在這裡了！是的，我們深信這話。這也是復活節早上最大的盼望！
　　復活節的早上，信心擦去那些婦女的眼淚。是的，復活節的早上，她們懷著信心跑到空墓面前，在那裡看不見任何牌示說：「上帝的兒子躺在這裡。」
　　一位瑞士的旅人問路上的童子：「坎德斯達在何方？」孩子說：「坎德斯達在哪裡，我不知道；不過我知道有一條路直達那裡。」我不知道死後將到哪裡，然而復活節早晨的路將直達那裡。

*** ~~4/8 "常綠"戶外敬拜~~ 感謝大家的幫忙：）

God is with us every moment of our life

†

神時時刻刻與我們同在

*** 撒旦的會議記錄

撒旦向全世界的邪靈招開了一之會議。

一開始牠便說:「我們不能繼續讓基督徒返教會。不能繼續讓他們讀聖經並從中知道真理。我們更不能讓他們可以與他們的救主耶穌有一個親密的關係。因為只要他們與耶穌相知相愛,我們的勢力就必定盪然無存。所以讓他們返教會但偷去他們的時間以致他們雖彷彿活在耶穌中,但卻無法與耶穌基督建立真實的關係。這就是我今次開會的目的了。」
接著繼續說:「分散他們對救主的專注及維持他們所有時間都是在那種與主耶穌似有實無的關係中...」
其中一個邪靈叫道:「我們可以怎樣做到呢?」
撒旦回答:「不斷讓他們忙碌著一些對他們生命不必要的事並且為他們炮製無窮無盡的計謀去充斥他們的思想。」
「引誘他們不斷的消耗、消耗、消耗，不斷的借、借、借」
「說服他們的妻子們去做一份長時間的工作及他們的丈夫一星期做足七日每日工作至少10-12個鐘頭,以致他們大家完全無法享受生活及無時間陪伴他們的兒女。只要他們的家庭快快被破壞,他們自己就連這個可以舒緩他們從工作中得的壓力的地方都無了。」
「極度刺激他們的思想以致他們無法聽到神微少的聲音。誘使他們在任何地方都開著聽著收音機或其他音響器材。讓他們的ＴＶ電視機、ＶＣＲ錄影機、ＣＤＳ鐳射碟及ＰＣ電腦不停在他們的家播放，不單如此，更要在他們身邊所有接觸的環境包括餐廳、店舖都不停播放著不屬神的音樂。這樣就會阻塞他們的腦筋及打挎他們與耶穌的聯合。」
「為他們的咖啡桌工作桌充斥各種各類的雜誌及報紙。要用各種各類的新聞24小時的將他們的腦筋搗碎。用各類型的廣告牌入侵他們的駕駛時候。」
「在他們的信箱及行街時塞滿不同種類無用的宣傳單張、新聞信息、優惠贈卷、產品試用及思想傳播叫他們睇都睇死他們、用都用死他們為止。」
「不斷讓那些骨廋如柴又美麗的模特兒充斥在雜誌及電視上好叫他們的丈夫們相信外邊的女士總是更有吸引力以致他們開始對自己的妻子不滿足。讓他們的妻子又因忙碌過度到不能在晚上時愛他們的丈夫，不單如此，讓她們亦有頭痛。若果她們不能給予她們丈夫需要的愛，他們就會開始另覓新歡，這樣可以很快的破壞他們的家庭。」
「給他們製造一個名叫聖誕老人的人物擾亂他們正確教導他們子女聖誕節的真正意思。在復活節時為他們設計復活蛋及復活兔以致他們不會再講耶穌的救贖及耶穌勝過死亡和罪的能力。」
「就是他們的娛樂也不要放過，讓他們玩樂得過份而倦死。讓他們因太忙碌而無法到大自然欣賞神的創造。取而代之，給他們各種各類新奇的公園、運動項目、電影、音樂會，最重要是叫他們過度沉迷。忙碌、忙碌、忙碌。」
「切記用那些似是而非，無關痛癢甚至他們會認為有意義的事擠擁他們的生命以致他們毫無時間去尋求耶穌的能力。不要多久，他們就會很快的用自己以為有的能量（己力）來生活甚至不惜犧牲他們的健康及家庭，只是為了那些似是而非，無關痛癢甚至他們會認為有意義的事，這是必定可行的，這是必定可行的。」
這個似乎是一個可行的計劃！邪靈們已經熱烈地開始好叫那些全世界信耶穌的人愈來愈忙碌，愈來愈匆忙，走來走去，都不知道正在做什麼。然後我們就會發現愈來愈少時間給神及神為我們預備的家庭。更加無時間去告知其他人關於耶穌的能力可改變生命。我想問題是：「撒旦的計劃是否真的會成功呢？」你的決定將會成為牠計劃的成與敗。

你可知道Busy的意思嗎？

B-eing正在
U-nder處於
S-atan's撒旦的
Y-oke枷鎖

*** The Grace Factor

Author: Irma Pennington

Scripture References: James 4:6 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Verse Text: James 4:6: But He gives us more grace. 2Corinthians 12:9-10: But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

"Have you ever felt sorry for a blind person walking, cane in hand, down the street? I have. I would probably say something like, "Oh would you look at that? It's just so sad. Just imagine not being able to see--not a beautiful flower, not a blue sky. Oh, I would simply die!" And yet, I wonder how this person can have such a great attitude. I mean, he's out there living his life and seems joyful even--more joyful than me at that moment anyway.

I believe I've come to learn the secret to this being-able-to-handle-life-as-it-comes attitude. You see, we don't have to feel sorry for these people--not at all. And we don't have to fear for ourselves either when life becomes unbearable. God promises that He will indeed give us the exact amount of grace at the exact time that we need it to handle any particular situation. There is but one important requirement--that we humble ourselves before God and receive it. This is essential. We must first come to Him.

Thus, in order to keep fear at bay when we're faced with a trial, we must always remember to run to the Souce of that all-sufficient grace, our merciful Father, who cares for us more than we can ever imagine. This, truly, will enable us to live life unafraid and under the power of the "Grace Factor."

*** Why Are We So Busy?

by Kevin Offner

Editor's note: Many of us are struggling with being too busy…… too busy to pray, to read, to serve God or even too busy to come to church…… Hope this article can challenge us all……
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I would love to pray more, read more, write in my journal more, take long walks, be still in God's presence, spend more time getting to know friends, or take up this or that hobby - but I'm just too busy. I don't have time.

All of my life I've taken solace in that phrase: "I'm just too busy." I've convinced myself all of these years that the real reasons for my busyness were external to myself - it's not my fault, you see, rather it's because of my job, those deadlines, the traffic, the city (oh, to be somewhere more rural!) or others' demands on me. Surely, if these external factors could be removed, why, I would immediately feel less restless, move more slowly and make time for those other important things.

Well, recently I was able to take a sabbatical. I was given eight months in England to slow down, rejuvenate and reflect. But much to my amazement, most of those eight months found me as busy as ever. And I had been stripped of all my excuses! I realized then that I'm somehow enslaved to busyness and scared to death of having nothing to do. A little voice from somewhere inside screams, "Kevin, you must produce! What did you accomplish today? How has the world changed today because of your initiatives? Watch out - you're getting lazy! You're wasting time! Get off your rear and do something!!"

I've learned that our fast-paced lifestyles are not primarily due to external factors; external factors are more the symptom than the cause. We are not restless because we are busy; we are busy because we are restless. In fact, many of us are actually addicted to busyness! We are afraid of silence. Keeping busy prevents us from having to face our empty souls. When I'm always filling my time with reading the newspaper, eating a snack, running to catch a bus, making several quick phone calls, listening to music or seeing how many errands I can accomplish in a short period of time, I don't have to acknowledge how little I pray, how little I really know about or care for my friends or how little I know myself.

We bow to the "Idol of the Full Schedule" because it gives a superficial, temporary legitimacy to our lives. When we accomplish a lot we feel important, needed and necessary. We set ourselves dozens of daily goals, and if we meet most of them we feel successful. We long for a daily reassurance that we are loved - and we turn to a kind of "activism" to meet this need. We say we believe in grace, we say we believe that God's love is unconditional and that our justification in him is not based on our works, and yet in practice we live as though we've been abandoned or orphaned. We're convinced we must work in order to be approved.

Of course the point is not to exchange busyness for inactivity. Work is a good thing: God gave Adam and Eve work to do in the Garden even before they sinned. Also, we are told in the "Parable of the Talents" that it's the wise investor of one's abilities who will one day be rewarded. Our Lord Jesus himself was hard at work from sunrise to sunset. No, we don't need to stop working; but we may be pursuing the wrong work. We are to be busy or not busy because of obedience to God's call, not because of a nervous striving for self-worth. Knowing in our heart of hearts that we are fully accepted and loved by God in Christ, we do whatever work God calls us to do out of joy, peace and gratitude. Part of growing in grace, then, is to know what one's work is, when to work and when to rest. And we'll know this more surely as we grow to know God better.

We want to work voluntarily and enthusiastically, in response to God's initiative, not our restlessness. And we want to learn how to rest. Here are a few practical steps to take:

• Guard time alone with God. The Lord Jesus was as busy as anyone and yet it was his habit to arise "a great while before dawn" to pray.
  
• Guard the Sabbath. Let's be ruthless in keeping at least a day a week free, a different day from the other six. No scheduling of meetings, no homework and no agendas. A day to focus on God in a special way. A day to slow down, take inventory and be spontaneous.
  
• Always schedule large gaps between activities when possible. Get to places and appointments early and use that extra time to become quiet inside.
  
• Be as "fully present" as possible at each activity or with each person. Avoid turning to past conversations or future concerns, but rather give undivided attention to the immediate present.
  
• Spend more time in deliberate reflection. After conversations with people, at night before going to sleep and on your Sabbath day (Sundays are great for this!), ask deeper questions: what was the significance of that person's remark? That movie's main theme? or That class assignment's bigger issues? Write in a journal, write letters to others, reflect with close friends and meditate under God's eye. Always be open to what you might learn from God's providence by being a careful observer of life's experiences and people.
  

Let's be honest with ourselves and face the real reasons why we feel so compelled to busyness. And then, by God's grace, let's resolve to make better choices with how we use our time.

*** ~~4/1 "常綠"戶外敬拜~~