Month of Thanksgiving - Day 26

提摩太前書 1:12-17

12 我感謝那給我力量的我們主基督耶穌，因他以我有忠心，派我服侍他。 13 我從前是褻瀆神的、逼迫人的、侮慢人的，然而我還蒙了憐憫，因我是不信、不明白的時候而做的。 14 並且我主的恩是格外豐盛，使我在基督耶穌裡有信心和愛心。 15 「基督耶穌降世，為要拯救罪人。」這話是可信的，是十分可佩服的。在罪人中我是個罪魁！ 16 然而我蒙了憐憫，是因耶穌基督要在我這罪魁身上顯明他一切的忍耐，給後來信他得永生的人做榜樣。 17 但願尊貴、榮耀歸於那不能朽壞、不能看見、永世的君王——獨一的神，直到永永遠遠！阿們。

这段感恩以服侍开头，和我们常常想的有些不一样，我们通常首先要感谢的是神创造了我们，救赎我们，每天的保守看顾……。至于服侍，我们常会觉得这是对神的给予和付出。

保罗对自己的本相有著清楚的认识，越看到自己本相的败坏和不配，才越能由衷地对神发出赞美和感恩。保罗身为神如此重用的使徒，都能对他的晚辈提摩太说“我是罪人中的罪魁”，何况我们呢？神的恩典白白给了我们這樣的罪人，这个恩典也不只是要我们得救就完了，而是“格外丰盛”，繼續改变我們的生命，让原本罪人中的罪魁可以成為耶穌基督的见证。更加让我们感激的是，如此尊贵荣美的神，居然愿意使用我们这些原本败坏的罪人去侍奉，做祂的工，同享祂的荣耀，这是多么值得感谢的事。

好不好讓我們效法保羅，今天就開始為著我們目前的服侍禱告和发出真挚的感恩呢？

1 Timothy 1:12-17

12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise,[a] be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

In this paragraph, Paul started expressing his gratitude for the ministry God entrusted him with. Paul's gratitude is unique in that we usually give thanks to God for His creation, salvation, protection and preservation, but not so much to the ministry as we see the service as our efforts and sacrifice offered to God.

Paul has a deep understanding of who he is, and the more he recognizes his corrupted nature, the more thanks he gives to the Lord whole-heartedly. Paul, as honorable as he is, tells his junior Timothy that he is "chief of sinners", let alone us. God gives His grace to sinners like us for free, and the grace is far more than just saving us from death - the "exceedingly abundant" grace transforms our life day by day, and make it possible for us to be the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ. How wonderful it is that we, corrupted sinners to begin with, could serve the perfect and beautiful God and share His glory!

Let's all learn from Paul as our example to give heart-felt thanks to God for our current ministry!