“那美好的仗我已经打过了，当跑的路我已经跑尽了，所信的道我已经守住了。” – 提后 4:7
想到自己有限的生命时，你会感到心安理得吗？我们与基督同在的生命虽然永不止息，然而我们知道，我们在世上的人生旅途并不是永无止境的。终有一天，我们将会离世并站在我们的创造主面前。
在提摩太后书4章中，使徒保罗思考与神相会是多么重要的事。想到自己在世上的生命快要结束时，他心潮澎湃，脑海里浮现出不寻常的比喻。他坦诚地向我们表白了自己的悲伤，而他也坚定地相信基督徒拥有的永恒盼望。
保罗回想他自己作为基督的使徒所渡过的年日，他借用了体育竞技的术语来形容这段日子。保罗说，他已经成功地完成了径赛的赛程并遵守了所有的比赛规则 － 基督的教导。他已经守住了自己所信的道，现在他已经准备好了接受他的奖赏 － 就是公义的冠冕。
保罗一生事奉中，始终都信靠他的救主；现在，当他在世的日子快要完结、期待在神面前开启新的征程时，他仍然是这样矢志不渝地信靠衪。
当我们在世的日子完结时，我们是否能说，那美好的仗我们已经打过、所信的道我们已经守住了呢？我们能得到那公义的冠冕吗？惟有藉着神的恩典，我们才能忠心到底、在耶稣的公义上有份、得永远冠冕并与衪同在。
祷告
父啊，求你帮助我们时常作好准备来见你，又时常引领我们跟从你，叫我们在基督里配得你为我们所存留的公义冠冕。阿们。
提摩太后书 4:6-8
6我现在被浇奠，我离世的时候到了。
7那美好的仗我已经打过了，当跑的路我已经跑尽了，所信的道我已经守住了。
8从此以后，有公义的冠冕为我存留，就是按着公义审判的主到了那日要赐给我的；不但赐给我，也赐给凡爱慕他显现的人。
Making Peace With Mortality
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” – 2 Timothy 4:7
Are you at peace when you reflect on your own mortality? Though our life with Christ will never end, we know that our journey on this earth is not going to last forever. One day we will stand in our Creator’s presence.
In 2 Timothy 4 the apostle Paul reflects on this important meeting. His thoughts about the end of his life on earth are filled with stirring emotion and striking imagery. He is honest with us in his sadness, just as he is strong in his Christian hope.
As Paul reflects on his years as an apostle of Christ, he uses language from the sports world. Paul says he has successfully finished the race and has observed all the rules—the teachings of Christ. He has kept the faith, and now he is ready to accept his award—the crown of righteousness.
Throughout his ministry Paul has trusted in his Savior. He is doing the same now as he nears the end of his life on earth and looks forward to a new adventure in God’s presence.
When our life on this earth runs its course, will we be able to say we have fought the good fight and kept the faith? Will we receive the crown of righteousness? Only by God’s grace can we be faithful, credited with Jesus’ righteousness and crowned to live in his presence forever.
Prayer
Father, help us always to be prepared to meet you. Lead us in your way always, and make us worthy in Christ to receive the crown of righteousness you have in store for us. Amen.
