Heart of my own heart

今天偶爾得知呂麗萍是基督徒，順便流覽了她的網頁，真的很為她感恩，為著國內的基督徒感恩，為著他們在那樣的環境中，做山上的城，世上的光，為主做美好的見證而感恩。他們的信心是那樣單純，堅定。經上說清心的人有福了，我相信他們在那個喧囂的世界里，心卻是寧靜，歡喜，從容的。

 

作為基督徒，我承認我是一個軟弱的，容易忘記神的人。然而神深知我的心，亦體諒我的軟弱。他總是借著一些「意外」發生的事，就象今天這樣意外地看到國內基督徒們的日誌，看到他們的悲傷與歡喜。他們讓我想到空谷的幽蘭，平凡與無聲中綻放著奇異的芬芳，那是基督的香氣。讓我再次看到神的作為，讓我確知他的存在。當我們面對社會的敗壞與不堪，暗自傷心，問神你何時伸出你的手的時候，神卻是按步就班地正在實現著他的計劃。洪水泛濫，耶和華神坐著為王，這是怎樣的從容與勝券在握！就象神當初一次次向亞伯拉罕顯現，借著重申他與他立的約來堅固亞伯拉罕的信心一樣，神亦一次次借著聖經和其它的方式來堅固我們的信心。我們會忘記神，但神不會忘記我們。他總能讓我們清楚知道：他與我們同在，從未離開過，亦永不會離開。

 

行走在穿梭的歲月當中，世界在變化，人在變化，唯一不變的就是神。他愛我們，保守我們，就愛我們，保守我們到底，還有什麼比堅定不移的愛更讓人得安慰的呢？可憐的我們，累了，困了，傷心了。。。神說：你們要休息，要知道我是神。（詩46：10）是的，主啊，你是我的神，我願你來。

 

最近一直喜歡聽的一首歌，就是成為我異象(be thou my vision)。有人建議把歌詞作為每天的禱告詞，這當然是很好的建議~背後的故事，也是一個感人的見證。

 

St. Patrick (385-461 AD) was a man zealous for the things of God. As a missionary, he defied an Irish King's edict that restricted the lighting of candles on Easter Eve. King Logaire of Tara had decreed that no one was allowed light any fires until a pagan spring festival was launched by the lighting of a fire on Slane Hill. Patrick chose to honor God in spite the threat of death. King Logaire was so impressed with Patrick's brave devotion, he let him continue his missionary work unhindered.

An 8th Century Monk, Dallan Forgaill penned the words to Be Thou My Vision, as a tribute to St. Patrick's wholehearted loyalty to God. The hymn was translated from Irish to English in 1905 by Mary E. Byrne. In 1912, Eleanor H. Hull arranged the song into the verse most commonly found in English hymnals today. The music to accompany the lyrics is an ancient Irish folk tune called Slane.

Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul's Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven's joys, O bright Heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.