追求幸福
When I was younger, a common activity to pass the time away was making a house of cards. Maybe its just the trick for us in lockdown, right? Perhaps a competition of who can build the tallest house? We’re in this series looking at a book in the OT of the Bible called Ecclesiastes. We’ve seen how the Quester – as we’ve come to all him – is trying to make sense out of life. It’s what many of us are trying to do right now.
在我小的时候，一种常见的消遣活动是用纸牌搭房子。也许这只是我们封锁时的小游戏，对吧?也许是谁能建造最高的房子的竞赛? 在这个讲道系列中我们着眼于圣经旧约的一本书叫传道书。我们已经看到了传道者——就像我们看到的所有他一样——是如何试图使生活变得有意义的。这是我们很多人现在正在做的事情。
If the quester was writing this book today, he might well use a house of cards to describe much of what he sees in life. So far, his assessment of life is hevel –it’s a Hebrew word he uses to describe how fragile, vulnerable and temporary is. The image he uses is smoke or mist. You try to grasp it and it dissipates through your fingers. As we come to chapter 2 of this book, he’s going to show us the types of activities we invest our lives in this search to find substance. Having looked at the limitations of wisdom – like we saw last week - he now turns his attention to this pursuit of happiness.
I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” (Ecclesiastes 2:1)
如果传道者是在今天写这本书，他很可能会用一个纸牌屋来描述他在生活中看到的许多东西。到目前为止，他对生命的评价是“hevel”——hevel是希伯来语，用来形容易碎、脆弱和短暂。他使用的形象是烟或雾。你试着去抓它，它却从你的手指间消散了。当我们读到这本书的第二章时，他将向我们展示我们投入生命寻找物质的各种活动。在研究了智慧的局限性之后——就像我们上周看到的那样——他现在将注意力转向了对幸福的追求。
我心里想：“来吧，不如尽情享乐，好好享受！”唉！结果这也是虚空。(传道书2:1)
One of my favourite books is The Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life by A. Nicholi. The author – Armand Nicholi is a psychiatrist who teaches at Harvard Medical School. His course was so popular, it was put into this book – the question of God. He likes to begin this by asking his Harvard students if people around them are happy. Invariably, they answer no. He says, even though they possess everything: youth, health, intelligence, abundant food, clothes, a comfortable place to live, education, a promising future–they’re not happy. They are all on the search for fame and fortune. Some of them will get it, but the thing is-as he says-they still won’t be happy.
我最喜欢的书其中一本——就是这本——阿曼德·尼科利所著《上帝之问:C.S.路易斯“对辩”弗洛伊德：上帝、爱、性和生命的意义》。（中文版本《终极之问》）作者阿曼德·尼科利(Armand Nicholi)是一名在哈佛医学院任教的精神病学家。他的课程非常受欢迎，甚至被写进了《上帝之问》这本书里。他喜欢先问他哈佛的学生他们周围的人是否幸福。他们总是回答“不”。他说，即使他们拥有一切:年轻、健康、智慧、丰富的食物、衣服、舒适的居住环境、教育和充满希望的未来——他们并不感到幸福。他们都在追求名利。他们中的一些人会得到它，但问题是——正如他所说——他们仍然不会快乐。
This is what the Quester finds in here in his own pursuit of happiness–through pleasure. I find it helpful to think of chapter 2 as the quester looking at this pursuit of happiness by looking at various rooms in a massive house of cards.
First of all, he guides us to his…outdoor deck.
这就是传道者在他自己追求幸福的过程中所发现的——通过享乐。我发现，把第二章想象成一个传道者通过观察巨大纸牌屋中的不同房间来寻找幸福对我们的理解是很有帮助的。
首先，他带我们去他的室外露台。
So I said, “Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?” After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine … In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world. (Ecclesiastes 2:2-3) I picture the quester on his deck with friends at a grand party. They're having a good time. There is laughter, pranks, jokes – to the point of tears streaming down their face. Of course, he has access to a grand cellar with the very best wines. He was a connoisseur and spoke the sophisticated language of connoisseurs. Add to this: “I hired wonderful singers, both men and women…” (Ecclesiastes 2:8) Effectively, he has his own choir or band- It’s like Spotify on-but with the singers and band fully present whenever he wanted to listen to music.
我说：“欢笑只不过是一阵狂妄，享乐又有什么用！” 于是，我决意用酒使自己快乐，在体验愚昧的同时仍然保持理智，直到我明白在短暂的人生岁月中做何事才有益。(传道书2:2-3) 我想象着传道者和他的朋友在露台上举行一场盛大的聚会。他们玩得很开心。有欢笑、玩笑、笑话，甚至眼泪都从他们的脸上流下来了。当然，他有一个大酒窖，里面有最好的葡萄酒。他是一个鉴赏家，说着鉴赏家的复杂语言。再加上: “我为自己得男女歌手……” (传道书2:8) 实际上，他有自己的合唱团或乐队——就像Spotify软件播放一样——但只要他想听音乐，歌手和乐队就会完全在场。
From the deck, he moves down the marble steps into the most beautiful garden east of Eden. “I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees.” (Ecclesiastes 2:4-7) The quester throws himself into architectural projects and landscaping. The results would be on the front page of House and Garden magazine. He goes on to talk about the large human resource base to get it all done. More staff than anyone else–showing his importance.
从露台上，他走下大理石台阶，来到伊甸园东边最美丽的花园。”我大兴土木，为自己建造房屋，栽葡萄园， 修造庭园和公园，在其中栽种各样果树， 挖造水池，用以灌溉林中的幼树。 我买了仆婢，也有生在家中的仆婢；又有许多牛群羊群，胜过我以前所有在耶路撒冷的人。” (传道书2:4-7) 传道者投身于建筑项目和景观美化。结果会出现在《房屋与花园》杂志的头版上。他接着谈到完成这一切需要庞大的人力资源基础。比任何人都多，显示了他的重要性。
How can he afford all this? Well, he takes us to his study. “… I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces.” (Ecclesiastes 2:8) We see the financial accounts. He doesn’t have everything tied up in assets. No – he also has stockpiles of liquid assets to buy anything and everything he ever wants. Money is no object.
他如何买得起这些呢？他带我们去了他的书房。”我为自己积蓄金银，搜集各君王、各省份的财宝。” (传道书2:8) 我们看到财务账目。他没有把所有的东西都绑在资产上。不，他还有大量的流动资产，可以买任何他想要的东西。钱没有问题。
If that wasn’t enough, we move to the bedroom. “I had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire!” (Ecclesiastes 2:8) Writing as a Solomon-like character, we know Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines.
It’s absurd, right?
The quester adds: “I was far wealthier than all my predecessors in Jerusalem… I did not restrain myself from getting whatever I wanted; I did not deny myself anything that would bring me pleasure…” (Ecclesiastes 2:9-10) He threw himself into this pursuit of pleasure. But, listen to his final assessment: “Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded: “All these achievements and possessions are ultimately hevel — like chasing the wind! Nothing was gained under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11)
It was all like a house of cards – so fragile and temporary. It could fall at any moment.
如果那还不够，我们又去了他的卧室。”我得到许多妃嫔，都是世人所想望的” (传道书2:8) 这所写的像是所罗门的角色，我们知道所罗门有700个妻子和300个妾。
这是荒谬的,对吧?
“这样，我便财势日增，享誉盛名，超过耶路撒冷历来所有的人…凡我眼睛爱看的、心里渴慕的，我都随心所欲，尽情享受…” (传道书2:9-10) 他全身心的追求享乐。传道者补充道: “然而，当我回顾双手辛勤经营的一切成就时，唉，却发现都是虚空，都是捕风；日光之下的一切都毫无益处。” (传道书2:11)
一切都像纸牌搭成的房子——如此脆弱而短暂。它随时可能坍塌。
We can’t tick off every experience he has had – but we know from our limited experience.
We order the chocolate explosion at that famed restaurant – it’s good – but then there is a sense of ‘was that it?’ It’s over in a moment.
You went to the holiday destination in a past era– and you had a good time when you did– but it’s over so quickly.
The experiences we were promised –if we’re really honest, we go, ‘Really, that’s what everyone is talking about?!’
The same is true of money. We know that millions of dollars won’t buy joy. Actually, I haven’t experience that one – but we hear of people that have.
我们无法列举出他的每一次经历，但我们从有限的经历中知道。
我们在那家著名的餐厅点了巧克力甜点，味道不错，但有一种“就是这样”的感觉。“一会儿就完了。
在过去的某个时代，你去了一个度假胜地——你在那里度过了一段美好的时光——但它很快就结束了。
我们承诺的体验——如果我们真的诚实，我们会说，‘真的吗，这就是每个人都在谈论的吗?!
金钱也是如此。我们知道数百万美元买不到快乐。事实上，我没有经历过，但我们听说有人经历过。
“I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the answer.”― Jim Carrey
Think politicians like Benjamin Franklin who ironically has his picture on the USA $100 bill: “Money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more of it one has the more one wants.” ― Benjamin Franklin
Consider words from musicians like Paul McCartney. “I don’t care too much for money, money can’t buy me love.” ― The Beatles
“我认为每个人都应该变得富有、出名，做他们梦想过的一切，这样他们就会明白，这不是答案。” — 吉姆·凯瑞
想想像本杰明·富兰克林这样的政治家吧，他讽刺地把自己的头像印在100美元钞票上:“钱从来没有使人幸福，它也不会，它本身并没有产生幸福的东西。”一个人拥有的越多，他想要的就越多。” — 本杰明·富兰克林
想想保罗·麦卡特尼(Paul McCartney)等音乐家的歌词。 “我不在乎钱，钱买不到爱情。“ ― 披头士乐队
When interviewed about these words, Paul McCartney explained that “all these material possessions are all very well, but they won’t buy me what I really want.” It’s like the quester is saying to you – what thing is it that you are looking to in life to give happiness?
Then, he looks you in the eye and says ‘Do you think [that experience or asset or job] is going to make life worth it. Go for it. Live for the weekends... Throw yourself into the parties... into your work... into that relationship or experience... But, remember Monday always comes! And what about stress and the toll that it takes on you – all the anxiety and sleepless nights.’
Again…”I concluded: “All these achievements and possessions are ultimately hevel — like chasing the wind!” (Ecclesiastes 2:11)
在接受采访时，保罗·麦卡特尼解释说:“所有这些物质财富都很好，但它们不能给我买到我真正想要的东西。” 这就像传道者在问你——你在生活中希望得到什么东西来给你带来幸福?
然后，他会看着你的眼睛说:“你认为(那些经验、资产或工作)能让你的生活值得吗?”那就去做吧。为周末而活……把自己投入到派对中……为你的工作…进入那种关系或经历…但是，记住星期一总是会来的!还有压力和它带给你的代价——所有的焦虑和不眠之夜。”
再次…… “后来，我回顾我手所经营的一切和我劳碌所做的工。看哪，全是虚空，全是捕风” (传道书2:11)
So, what do we do with this? What I’ve found is that people often see the world in an either/or way. Either – we can’t make sense of it all and therefore mop around and do nothing. Or, we become a starry-eyed optimist – seeking to follow what’s in our heart, in the hope that God makes it work out for us right now. Quester says – let’s not do the ‘either-or.’ You’re looking at in the wrong way. I can hear him say to us ‘you believe that life’s failures and disappointments are obstacles to enjoyment. You think that if you can remove them, THEN you will finally get your grasp around meaning and find your pursuit of happiness.’ The quester says, ‘No – expecting failures and disappointments and disruptions in the here-and-now, under the sun’ is actually the key to real enjoyment.
You go, “what?”
那么，我们该怎么做呢? 我发现人们经常以非此即彼的方式看待世界。要么——我们无法理解这一切，因此只能无所事事地拖拖拉拉。 或者，我们变成一个乐观的乐观主义者——寻求追随自己的内心，希望上帝现在就能让一切成真。传道者说——我们不要做非此即彼的事。“你看事情的方式错了。我能听到他对我们说:“你们认为生活中的失败和失望是享受生活的障碍。你认为如果你能去掉它们，你就能最终理解幸福的意义并追求到幸福。” 传道者说:“不是这样的，要预料接受失败、失望和混乱，就在此时此刻，在日光下”实际上是真正快乐的关键。
听到这，你会说，”什么?”
At end of this chapter, he writes: “Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him? God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy ….” (Ecclesiastes 2:25-26) He says this 7 times throughout this book, in some of the bleakest points in his monologue, he talks about the ‘enjoying the gift of God.’
I love the way he put this over in chapter 9: “Go, eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart… Let your clothes always be white, and do not spare precious ointment on your head. Enjoy life with your beloved wife during all the days of your fleeting life that God has given you on earth during all your fleeting days.” (Ecclesiastes 9:7-9)
In other words - don't walk around in dreary clothes. Wear colour. Put some product in your hair. Look like you’re enjoying life.
If I had to summarise his big idea, it’s this: Enjoy the moment in front of you because there is only one thing you can control– and that’s your attitude towards the present moment.
在本章末尾，他写道: “离了上帝，谁还能吃喝享受呢？ 上帝把智慧、知识和喜乐赐给祂喜悦的人…” (传道书2:25-26) 他在整本书中说了七次，在他独白中最凄凉的地方，他谈到"享受上帝的恩赐"
我喜欢他在第9章的表述: “去欢欢喜喜、快快乐乐地吃喝吧… 你的衣服要经常保持洁白，头上也不要缺少膏油。 在你虚空的人生中，就是在上帝所赐、日光之下虚空的岁月里，你要与爱妻快乐度日，因为这是你一生在日光之下的劳碌中所当得的。” (传道书9:7-9 当代译本)
换句话说，不要穿着沉闷的衣服走来走去。穿得色彩鲜艳些。在头发上抹点护发产品。看起来你很享受生活。
如果要我总结他的大观念，那就是: 享受当下吧，因为你只能控制一件事, 那就是你对当下的态度。
Three implications of this big idea I want to unpack with you.
First, #1: Nothing in life is perfect … so expect moments of disappointment and disruption. Expect things not to go as planned. Realise things don’t always assemble according to the manual. I’m not just talking about assembling the kitset furniture. I think many of us have these unwritten manuals and unspoken expectations about the way life should work – what to expect from relationships, health, work, society. When life doesn’t work according to that unwritten manual and expectations we have… In other words, when we face disappointments, disruptions – lockdowns - we deeply feel the hevel, and we are sideswiped.
The quester says the first step to enjoying life is realising that disappointment and disruption is part and parcel of this broken world. This is the message of the gospel. It says the world is beautiful but also broken. It began right back in the garden of Eden when Adam and Eve turned their back on God. Ever since Hevel is now part and parcel of life in this world. This hevel will continue to seep through everything while we live on this planet. So, I shouldn't expect this to be heaven on earth. I live in a world compromised by evil and by selfishness and pride. Why would we think for a moment that we can find ultimate shalom and joy here in these 70 or 90 or so years of our lives? Yes, there will be moments you see beauty and wonder. But, realize there will be moments of unavoidable adversity. So, lower your expectations of what to expect.
我想告诉你们这个大观念的三个含义。
首先，第一条:生活中没有什么是完美的，所以要预料接受失望和混乱的时刻。预料事情不会按计划进行。要知道，东西并不总能按照说明书组装好。我说的不仅仅是组装成套家具。我想我们很多人都有这些不成文的说明书和对生活应该怎样运作的无言的期望——从人际关系、健康、工作和社会中期望什么。当生活并没有按着那不成文的说明书和我们的期望运作时…换句话说，当我们面对失望、混乱和封锁时，我们深深感到脆弱无助，我们备受打击。
传道者说，享受生活的第一步是意识到失望和混乱是这个破碎世界的一部分。这就是福音的信息。它说世界是美丽的，但也是破碎的。这要追溯到伊甸园亚当和夏娃背对上帝的时候。从那以后，脆弱短暂（hevel）就成了这个世界上生命不可分割的一部分。当我们生活在这个星球上的时候，这个脆弱短暂（hevel）会继续渗透到一切。所以，我不应该期望这里是人间天堂。我生活在一个被邪恶，自私和骄傲所妥协的世界。为什么我们会有那么一刻认为我们可以在这七十或是九十岁左右的生命中找到终极的快乐。是的，你会看到美丽和奇迹的时刻。但是，要意识到有时会有不可避免的逆境。所以，降低你对期望的期待。
To help me with this, I’ve been putting together a list of things I can control and things I can’t control. I’d encourage you to do it this week as well. What I’m finding is that the list of the things I can’t control is pretty lengthy: the length of lockdown, the length of my life, what someone thinks of me, how much food is - or isn’t at the supermarket, what mood my kids are in, what the weather is like. These are outside of my control. If I release trying to control areas that I largely can’t control, and concentrate on the one thing I can – my attitude to this present moment - I am able to be free to enjoy the moment right in front of me as a gift from God.
If you don’t grasp this in a relationship, you can think that the person you have met, will be the perfect friend or perfect spouse for you. Then, when you see their flaws – which will happen – you can be devastated. So what will you do? Some people think the answer is to look for a new friend, a new spouse. Thinking that will be the answer – only to hit the same issue again. We do it with people. We do it with jobs. We do it with gadgets. We do it with houses and stuff. We think the answer is to swap that thing or person or job with something else. But all you’re doing is exchange one futility for another.
Realise that nothing in life is perfect. Expect moments of disappointment and disruption.
为了帮我做到这一点，我把我能控制和不能控制的事情列了一张清单。我鼓励你们这周也这么做。我发现我无法控制的事情实在太多了: 封锁的时间，我的寿命，别人对我的看法，超市里有多少食物，我的孩子心情如何，天气如何。这些都不在我的控制范围之内。如果我不再试图控制那些我基本上无法控制的领域，而专注于我能做到的一件事——我对当下的态度——我就能自由地享受眼前的时刻，这是上帝给我的恩赐。
如果在一段关系中你没有领会到这一点，你可以认为你遇到的那个人，会是你的完美朋友或完美配偶。然后，当你看到他们的缺点时——这是会发生的——你可能会崩溃。那么你会怎么做呢?有些人认为答案是找一个新朋友，一个新配偶。认为这将是答案——只会再次击中同样的问题。我们对待人这样做。我们对待工作这样做。我们对待小工具这样做。我们对待房子和其他东西也这样。我们认为答案是把那个东西、人或工作换成其他的。但你所做的一切都是徒劳的。
要意识到生活中没有什么是完美的。要预料接受失望和混乱的时刻。
The second implication:
#2: To makes sense of life, don’t look to the creation but look to the Creator If you look at the thing or person for your ultimate meaning and happiness, you’re going to be disappointed. I wonder - what good things might you be expecting too much from?
We can have too much of a good thing, right? Biblically, when that happens, that thing or person has become an idol. It’s what happens when we expect too much from some relationship, or some activity, or some job for our identity and meaning. The problem again is that they can never live up to the hype and expectations we place on them. The hope of the gospel is that God ultimately WILL – and IS dealing with the disappointments, disruptions and hevel. It is only with God at the centre does life ever make any sense.
I mentioned this book earlier The Question of God: C S Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life by A Nicholi. In the book, the Harvard professor stages this debate between the famous founder of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud, and the famous author and Cambridge professor C.S. Lewis. Of course, Freud was an atheist and Lewis a Christian. They clearly represented different views on this issue of happiness.
Freud believed that happiness is rooted in pleasure. He believed that people are not happy because they are not free to pursue outwardly what they desire to do inwardly. It’s very similar to the questers pursuit here in chapter 2. How did this play out for Freud? In a letter to his fiancé he admitted over a fourteen month period that he had experienced only three or four days of happiness. The only thing he found that consistently lifted his spirits was cocaine. His life had an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness and helplessness, …a pessimistic view of the future. The author then contrasts Freud’s story with C.S. Lewis’. Lewis actually speaks about a similar dour outlook on life. But that changed when at 31 years old, when Lewis became a Christian. His somber view of life was transformed into joy and a real sense of freedom. He wrote a book, Surprised by Joy. Lewis asserts that the primary purpose of our lives – the reason for our existence on this planet – is to establish a relationship with the Person who placed us here. Until that relationship is established, all of our attempts to attain happiness – our quest for recognition, for money, for power, for the perfect marriage or the ideal friendship– will always fall short, will never quite satisfy the longing, fill the void, quell the restlessness, or make us happy. The only way to enjoy happiness is ensuring God is at the centre.
我之前提到过这本书 上帝之问:C.S. 路易斯对辩弗洛伊德：上帝、爱、性和生命的意义，作者是阿曼德·尼科利。在这本书中，这位哈佛教授在著名的精神分析创始人西格蒙德·弗洛伊德和著名作家、剑桥大学教授C.S.刘易斯之间展开了辩论。当然，弗洛伊德是无神论者，而路易斯是基督徒。他们在幸福这个问题上显然代表着不同的观点。
弗洛伊德认为幸福的根源在于快乐。他认为，人之所以不快乐，是因为他们不能自由地去追求他们内心想要做的事情。这与第二章中的传道者的追求非常相似。弗洛伊德对此有何看法?在一封给他的未婚妻的信中，他承认在14个月的时间里，他只经历了3到4天的幸福。他发现唯一能让他精神振奋的是可卡因。他的生活充满了绝望和无助，对未来持悲观态度。然后作者将弗洛伊德的故事与C·S·路易斯进行了对比。路易斯实际上也谈到了相似的人生观。但当路易斯31岁成为基督徒时，情况发生了变化。他对生活的悲观看法转变成了喜乐和真正的自由感。他写了一本书《惊喜》。路易斯断言，我们生命的主要目的——我们存在于这个星球上的原因——是与把我们放在这里的人建立一种关系。在这种关系建立之前，我们为获得幸福所做的一切努力——对被认可、金钱、权力、完美婚姻或理想友谊的追求——总是会失败，永远不会完全满足渴望，填补空虚，平息不安，或让我们快乐。享受幸福的唯一方法是确保上帝在中心。
I want to ask you today: Do you know Jesus? Are you in a relationship with him – where he the One you look to find your identity in life. If he’s not, we would love to pray with you in a few minutes. Of course, it might also be that you have a relationship with Jesus, but some things have got out of place. It’s time to invite Jesus to be at the centre and focus on your life.
To makes sense of life, don’t look to the creation but look to the Creator.
今天我想问你:你认识耶稣吗?你和他建立关系了吗——在这段关系中你可以定睛于他来找寻你生命中的身份。如果你还没有邀请他在你的生命中，我们很乐意在几分钟后和你一起祷告。当然，这也可能是你与耶稣建立了关系，但事情发生了改变。是时候邀请耶稣成为你生命的中心和焦点了。
要使生命有意义，不要仰望被造物，而要仰望造物主。
There’s one final implication:
#3 Enjoy the simple things as a gift from God The quester is not saying ‘eat, drink and be merry because that’s all there is. Instead, it’s ‘eat, drink and be merry – because God has provided these things – and ultimately he will deal with the hevel. So, enjoy the simple things as a gift from God.
In every single passage where the quester tells us to enjoy life- you’ll notice it always two activities: eating and drinking. This idea of dining is one of the most common biblical themes from cover to cover to describe what we are made for. Relationship. Every time you open your mouth and eat something, you're acknowledging your dependence on something /someone outside of Yourself. Did you produce those lovely muffins you made in lockdown? No - but the ingredients came from Countdown or Pak n Save. The supermarkets got it from somewhere else. Every time you open your mouth to eat, you’re acknowledging your fragility, your smallness, your dependence on larger forces at work outside yourself.
When you eat, what happens afterwards? Satisfaction. It’s not permanent, it's a short momentary state. But these experiences are like little breadcrumbs that we’re following in a trail that leads to a great feast-where Jesus will reunite Heaven and Earth. We will dine with him around the table without disappointment or disruption or lockdowns. But when I mistake the small momentary joys for the real and ultimate thing, it's hevel because the meal now will soon be over. When I change my attitude to see the presence of God with the hope of what is to come, I can enjoy the simple things – like a simple meal.
Dining is what God and humans were doing in the garden of Eden with all the fruit trees God made for their enjoyment. Dining is what Israel was to do every sabbath – every 7 days – to rest, feast and enjoy. Isn’t dining what Jesus did throughout his ministry? Yes, he pointed to the future – yet as we saw in our series earlier this year, Jesus ate and drank his way through the gospels. He was the happiest man alive. Enjoying each moment in a relationship with others.
还有最后一个含义:
#3享受上帝赐予的简单事物 传道者并不是在说:“吃喝玩乐吧，因为这就是一切。”相反，它是“吃、喝、快乐——因为上帝提供了这些东西——最终他将解决脆弱。” 所以，把简单的事情当作上帝的赐予来享受吧。
在传道者告诉我们要享受生活的每一篇章节中，你会注意到有两种活动:吃和喝。“进餐”这个概念是最常见的圣经主题之一，从头到尾都在描述我们是为什么而生。关系。每当你张开嘴吃东西的时候，你就是在承认你对别人或事物的依赖。你在封锁期间做的那些可爱的松饼是你做的吗?不是，但是这些原料来自于Countdown或者Pak‘n Save. 超市又是从别的地方买来的这些原料。每次你张开嘴吃东西的时候，你都在承认自己的脆弱，渺小，你对外界更大力量的依赖。
当你吃的时候，之后会发生什么?满意。它不是永久的，只是短暂的状态。但这些经历就像我们沿着一条面包屑的踪迹，来到伟大的盛宴----，在那里，耶稣将重新连结天地。我们将与他共进晚餐，不会失望，不会混乱，也不会封锁。但当我把这瞬间的小快乐误认为是真正的和最终的快乐时，那它是脆弱短暂的因为这顿饭马上就要结束了。当我改变我的态度，带着对未来的盼望去看神的同在时，我可以享受简单的事情——比如简单的一顿饭。
进餐是上帝和人类在伊甸园中所做的事，上帝创造了所有果树供他们享用。进餐是以色列人在每个安息日都要做的事——每个7天——都要休息，进餐，享受。进餐不正是耶稣在整个传道过程中所做的吗?是的，他指出了未来——然而正如我们在今年早些时候的系列讲道中所看到的，耶稣在福音书中一路吃喝。他是世界上最幸福的人。享受与他人相处的每一刻。
If the quester were speaking to us today, he would say – yeah – COVID is outside of your control. It’s part of this world with hevel and frustration. So, enjoy those muffins. Enjoy a bike ride. Call a friend, watch a movie, read a novel, ring your parents, write a letter, play with your kids, cook a meal, feed the hungry, learn a language, laugh with some friends until it makes you cry. Listen to Mozart or perhaps even Justin Bieber! Enjoy the sun on your face or a good meal with people you care about. When my starting point is to stop controlling the things I can’t control, I am free to enjoy the simple things as a gift from God.
如果传道者今天对我们说话，他会说——是的——新冠肺炎不在你的控制范围之内。它是这个世界的一部分，充满了脆弱和挫败感。所以，好好享受这些松饼吧。享受骑行。打电话给朋友，看电影，读小说，打电话给你的父母，写信，和你的孩子玩，做饭，喂饱饥饿的人，学习一门语言，和一些朋友尽情欢笑，笑到哭。听听莫扎特或者贾斯汀·比伯! 享受阳光洒在脸上，或者和你关心的人一起享用一顿美食。当我的出发点是停止控制我不能控制的事情时，我就可以自由地享受这些简单的事情，把它们当作上帝的恩赐。
Conclusion / 结语
My guess is that you’ve been waiting for this house of cards to fall. If I expect this house of cards to stand forever, I will be disappointed when it falls. But if I realise that this house of cards is not permanent. It’s not the ultimate thing, I won’t be disappointed when it collapses. Instead, I can enjoy making the house of cards. I can even chuckle when it falls...
Enjoy the moment in front of you because there is only one thing you can control– and that’s your attitude towards the present moment.
我猜你一直在等着这个纸牌屋倒塌。如果我希望这个纸牌屋永远屹立不倒，那么当它倒塌的时候我会很失望。但如果我意识到这个纸牌屋不是永久的。这不是终极目标，我不会因为它崩塌而失望。相反，我可以享受做纸牌屋的乐趣。当它塌下来的时候，我甚至可以咯咯地笑……
享受当下吧，因为你只能控制一件事——那就是你对当下的态度。
Prayer / 祷告
Jesus thank you that you are dealing with the hevel of this world. Help us to humble accept the state of what is – and enjoy the simple things. May you be at the centre of it all.
主耶稣感谢您，因为您面对这个脆弱的世界。帮助我们谦卑地接受现状，并享受简单的事情。愿你是这一切的中心。
