神總會撐住你 He is the Pillar

我在禱告時間聯想到晾衣服的畫面，在草稿裡，我畫了戴著帽T的孩子跟著別的

衣服一起輕鬆地被掛起來。好像在表達：有神撐住，我不用自己死撐了。畫中的女孩雖然姿勢看來有些辛苦，好像被困在其中，但她卻滿面平安、處之泰然。外面雖面臨各種狀況，內心卻能享受平安與輕省。那一刻，我心情放鬆了下來。

When I was stressed, I did a quick sketch of my mental image, which was later turned into this artwork. I imagined myself in a hoodie hanging among freshly washed clothes, lightly dancing along the laundry lines by the flowing of the wind. The pole has bore all the weight, so that the clothes could move freely in the air. Without it, the laundry would be too heavy and would fall to the ground, soaked in mud and dirt. In the same way, Jesus singlehandedly bears our weight. He knows our pain and burden thoroughly- and He lifts them off of us, so that we could find rest in Him with lightness and freedom at heart. Praise God that I don’t have to “hang in there” by my own strength. Drawing my attention away from the problem offered a soothing effect and assured me of God’s presence, who always gives me strength.

縱使事情本質不變，心態上的變化直接影響我們對事情的態度和伴隨而來的行動。馬太福音 11:28-29 論到基督召我們負祂的軛，其實我們當付的擔子本該重許多許多，那十字架本該是每我們自己背負的。但耶穌犧牲自己、代我們付了，我們要承擔的相對輕省很多。我們只要靠著祂，從祂支取力量，像晾衫架上的衣裳靠著木頭支撐着，我們也就翩翩起舞、隨風搖曳了。若不是祂，沈重的衣服都掉在地上，泡在污泥全髒了。耶穌樹立了愛和犧牲的榜樣，作為過來人也明白我們心中的苦澀。跟隨祂的人縱使嘗到苦楚，但因祂跟我們分擔了這份苦，就讓我們心裡變得輕盈起來了。

As I meditated on Matthew 11:28-29, this image came to life – although we share Jesus’ suffering, as the girl being hung there in an awkward position relative to the pole that resembles the cross, it is much lighter in comparison to His. His grace is undeservingly lavished upon us, and His strengthening is unreservedly given. To think that we should have been the ones who suffer and pay the excruciating cost as a consequence of our sin, yet our precious Lord suffered for our sake is beyond comprehension. Our present suffering is small in comparison and serves to refine our character.

論到衣服，我思想到聖經的幾處, 別具意義：

• 因着基督的寶血，屬神的人來自各地各方，他們的袍子都被洗得潔白了（啟 7:14）。縱使作為基督徒信念、價值觀和行為跟身邊的人或許不一樣，或會覺得孤單，但請知道神會招聚萬國萬民來到祂跟前的，我們並非獨自面對。

  
  

• 再想到聖經說，天地會像衣服漸漸陳舊，神要將天地捲起來，像一件外衣，天地就都改變了。取而代之的是從天上的聖城，好像打扮整齊等候丈夫的新娘一樣, 由神那裡降下來，預備好了（啟 21:2）。「神的帳幕在人間，祂要與人同住，他們要作祂的子民。」（啟 21:3）。

  
  

白袍，代表着潔淨無瑕疵，是榮耀和屬神的人的象徵； 天地像衣服被捲起來代表著陳舊的替換、新天新地的來臨。這一整個景象所呈現的也許就是盼望與真正的自由。

Interestingly, the Bible mentioned clothes at a number of occasions. Here are just a few I reflected on:

When I squinted and viewed the painting, the white stands out among the mix of warm tones – it doesn’t quite fit in. As Christians, we can feel awkward at times, with our values, speech and behaviours seeming out of step from the rest. But it is also beautiful to know that the saved will come from every tribe, nation, people and language, with their robes washed white by the blood of Jesus (Rev 7:14).

The heavens and earth will wear out like a garment (Hebrew 1:12) and flee from God’s presence (Rev 20:11). Then God’s kingdom will come down out of heaven, as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband, where God will dwell among His people forever and ever. (Rev 21:2-3).

From this I see hope:  white robe being the symbol of purity, honour and God’s people, and the old heaven and earth will be rolled up and pass away, the new heaven and earth comes.