母親,您這樣對我說:“一個不潔淨的心靈不能結出愛及合一的果實。一個不潔淨的心靈不能作出正確及合理的事情;因此,也都見證不了上帝的愛。”
我知道,我身上有著一根刺
The pain experienced by some people is so strong that their longing for love is unsatiable. Ironically, those who desire so much love very often miss the love that is made available to them. They refuse to see it or they may not recognize the grace offered. In a sense this is what makes pain more painful. When love has been deprived from someone at a very early age, it is hard for a person to recognize it, even though the longing for it maybe intense. And because love can be mistaken as something aggresive, it can be treated with suspicion, thus discouraging the giver from pursuing his good intentions. Eventually making its potential beneficiary more isolated.
Perhaps it is the expectation on how love should come to them. Or it is even the idea that love should come as the solution to their immediate problems that blinds people from receiving God's grace. Yet it is not the nature of love to solve problems. Don't you see this? Is it the food that you give to the hungry that really makes them happy? Food definitely satisfies the pangs of hunger. But it is the eventual realization that someone really cares about him that brings the joy to that person. A sum of money given to a financially strapped individual may bring relief, but the experience of someone willing to share with you what he has is what moves a soul to tears.
What then does love do if it does not solve problems? Jesus loves all of us so much and proved it by his willingness to die on the cross. He died a violent death, if that is what is needed to wake us up. In Matthew's 11:30 Jesus said "take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest, for my yoke is good and my burden is light". Jesus did not say if you follow me you will not carry any burden. Yet many find rest in carrying a burden when they follow Christ. Perhaps it is the assurance that "I am with you" in your difficulties and suffering that gives you that joy to persevere. It is not the freedom from a yoke that gives us happy. But it is the consolation that someone recognizes our pain, walks with us in our sufferings, helps us with our burdens and smiles with us as He wipes and sweat and tears that give us true joy.
那一日在海邊,心情有些憂鬱,於是躲過人群,獨自向西遊去,不知遊了多久,穿過暗礁和水下的“草原”,不計較皮膚被礁石劃破,也不計較海草對肢體的糾纏,向著遠方遊去。在數公里很遠的
海岸上,在蔥蘢的綠色樹木中有一道淺藍色的柵欄,後面隱約有著花園和房舍,想像那裏住著仙人一般的人,沒有凡間的憂慮。
於是游啊遊啊,近了,近了,不過幾百米的距離……,突然身體有些擱淺,被石頭磕碰了一陣,清澈的海水突然變得深暗起來,這是一大片數百米海底“草原”,海底下長滿了長長的海草,而且大大小小礁石無數,和我前面遇到的情形不一樣,更複雜了。我的身體已經被礁石劃到一些地方,現在又要從一大片礁石中穿過,不僅如此,這麼大片的水草中說不定有蛇或是海膽,這任何一樣都會給我苦頭吃。但再看看自己的目的地,就在前面了……。唉真的要去看仙人嗎?明知道沒有,都是自己幻想出來的東西,何必要讓它成真的呢?就讓它一直在我的想像中一直那樣的美好而遙不可及,不是很好嗎?想通了心裏當下釋然,於是慢慢往回游。
今天是個好天氣,海水很平靜,沒有什麼浪,只是柔波蕩漾,已是下午四點,太陽也給浮雲讓了路,不在烈焰四射而是躲在雲彩之後了。我很享受這一刻,頭腦裏只有安靜,眼目裏只有海的藍,天的藍,以及雲朵的慵懶。
路過一片安靜的沙灘,沙質很好。白白的好細好軟好晶瑩,於是就在那裏休息起來。閉上眼睛睡在淺水中,任憑海浪把身體一點一點地往上推,不過一不小心,海浪卻沖進了眼鼻,呵呵,鹹鹹的海水很嗆人呢。只好坐直了身體,撐著下巴打量著四周。
身體下的沙真的很美,捧起一吧來細細的看,唉,這每一顆的沙礫怕都有上一年的歷史吧?他們的前身或許都是頑硬的礁石,在海浪一年又一年,一遍又一遍溫柔的打磨下,大礁石變成了小礁石,小礁石又變成了沙。這時水下了一塊卵石頭引起了我的注意,我撈起它來,只見沙化的頂部長起了柔柔的綠色小海草,十分的可愛,摸起來毛絨絨的,觸感好親切,啊。只在沙化的部位小海草才長呢,要不石頭太硬種子無法立足啊。
就這樣,這個下午靜靜地和大海相處,只是這些小小的發現已經讓我開心。也許下一刻我回到人群中還有好多的事情要硬著頭皮面對,但這一刻我還可以在孤獨中放鬆,還可以在天海之間和上帝談心。
我所有的苦和累他都知道,我的是與不是他都理解。我也知道他對我並不求全責備……