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最好的尚未到来

“坐宝座的说：“看哪，我将一切都更新了。”（启21：5）

耶稣离开世界之前，承诺说他要为他的追随者预备将来他们要去的“地方”（约14：2-3）。几年后，神藉着异像对耶稣的门徒约翰说话，使他在人的有限心思范围知晓更多相关的细节。此后，神的子民便热切地盼望“新天新地”——那里没有死亡、悲哀、哭号、痛苦（启21：1，4）

当我们从罪的咒诅中解脱出后，就能不间断侍奉神（启22：3-4）。我们就能看见耶稣，而且我们像耶稣（约一3：2）。

想到这些福乐，受圣灵感动，英国著名的医生托马斯·布朗这样写道：“当我们开始谈论死后的生活时，我们就像两个在子宫里的婴儿在讨论他们未来的生活。以我们的心智分享神有关天堂的荣耀，其间的差异不亚于未出生的胎儿与成熟的成年人在心智方面的比较结果……作为基督徒，我们知道，天堂之美是我们无法表述的。我们为此高兴。但，到了天堂，才知道，我们极尽想像的天堂，不过是天堂丰盛里的‘小菜一碟’。”

在人生最黑暗或最快乐的时刻，切莫忘记：最好的尚未到来。

老童 译

The Best Is Yet To Be

He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” —Revelation 21:5

Before Jesus left this earth, He promised to prepare a special place for those who love Him (John 14:2-3). Years later He spoke to His disciple John in a vision, giving him as much detail as man’s finite mind could grasp. Since then, God’s people have pondered with eager anticipation “a new heaven and a new earth,” where there will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain (Rev. 21:1,4).

When we are released from sin’s curse, we will serve God without weariness (22:3-4). We will see Jesus and be like Him (1 John 3:2).

Thinking about these joys moved the renowned English physician Thomas Browne (1605-1682) to write, “When we begin to talk about life after death, we’re like two infants in a womb discussing the nature of their future life. The difference between our present knowledge and understanding of what it will be to share God’s glory is no less great than what exists between unborn babes and a man in the strength of his days. . . . As Christians, we know it is indescribable and thus we can rejoice, but it will be even greater than our wildest imagination.”

In life’s darkest or most joyous moments, let’s never forget that the best is yet to be.

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