Ministry in Word

I’d Rather Have

我宁愿有

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from you forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

知道你们得赎，脱去你们祖宗所传流虚妄的行为，不是凭着能坏的金银等物，乃是凭着基督的宝血，如同无瑕疵、无玷污的羔羊之血。

1 Pe 1:18-19
彼前1:18-19

These verses bring to my mind Beverly Shea’s hymn, “I’d rather have Jesus.”
这些经文让我想起谢比华的圣诗「我宁愿有耶稣」。

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold,
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand
Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin’s dread sway;
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

我宁愿有耶稣胜於金钱，
我宁愿有耶稣胜过财富无边；
我宁愿有耶稣胜於地土，
愿主钉痕手，引导我前途
胜过做君王，虽统治万方
却仍受罪恶捆绑；
我宁愿有耶稣胜於世上荣华富贵声望。

This hymn refreshes my memory of the day in my youth that I came to experience and know that I was redeemed from the empty way of life by Jesus’ blood which is more precious than silver or gold. That day I’d rather have Jesus than have all the riches of this world. I let go of myself, willingly be led by His nail-pierced hand. I told my Lord that wherever He led me I would follow.

这圣诗使我回忆到我少年时那一天，当我经历和知道我得救赎，脱去我祖宗所传流虚妄的行为，乃是凭着比金银贵重的基督的宝血。那一天我宁愿有耶稣胜过世上的财富。我放开自己，自愿被主钉痕手来引导我。我告诉我主无论他带我往那里去我都要跟随。

That was my “mountain top” experience in my church summer camp many, many years ago. I could not believe how free it was to be close to Jesus. But not long after I descended from the mountain top into the challenges of worldly college life, the knowledge of my redemption was reduced from heart knowledge to head knowledge; worldly logic became my guide instead of Jesus. After I began my career, silver or gold became my goal in the place of Jesus. I gradually took more and more control of my life away from God; at least I thought I did. I forgot that I was redeemed by more precious things than silver or gold. I lost the freedom and lightness in life. Work was no longer exciting, and relationships were heavy. There was no more joy in life.

那是我许多年前在我教会夏令会中的「山顶」经厉，我不能相信亲近耶稣是多自由的。但我从山顶下来进入属世的大学生活的不久，我的救赎认知从心中消失只留印象在脑海中，属世的逻辑取代了耶稣的导师地位。在我事业开始後，金钱取代了耶稣作为我的目标。我逐渐从神那里拿了更多对我生命的控制，至少我自以为如此。我忘记了我是凭着比金银贵重的东西得救赎的。我失去了生命中的自由轻快。工作不再是兴奋的事，而人际关系变得沈重。生命中缺乏了喜乐。

But God is sovereign. Though I became a prodigal son to God, He remained the loving Father waiting for me to return home. He said, “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed.” (Is 54:10) Like the prodigal son I was awakened by the adversity God allowed in my life. “Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them” (Is 30:20) Every adversity or affliction was my teacher, but sometimes I was a reluctant student due to my pride, not willing to learn the lessons. It was always a lesson of choice and value. I had to constantly go back to the understanding that I was redeemed by something more precious than silver or gold and to choose wisely according to that understanding. I made my choice wisely when my value judgment was made with this understanding in my heart. When my value judgment was made with this understanding in my head alone most of the time I made wrong choices, like the foolish man who built his house on sand which, without a foundation, was toppled by the wind and flood (Mt 7:24-27).

但神仍掌王权。我虽然成了神的浪子，他仍是等待我回家的慈父。他说，「大山可以挪开，小山可以迁移；但我的慈爱必不离开你；我平安的约也不迁移。」〔赛54:10〕正如那位浪子，我是被神所允许进入我生命中的艰苦所唤醒的。「主虽以艰难给你当饼，以困苦给你当水，你的教师却不再隐藏；你眼必看见你的教师。」〔赛30:20〕每一个艰难或困苦都是我的教师，但有时因为我的骄傲，我变成一个不甘心的学生，不肯学习那些功课。那经常是一个选择和价值的功课。我须要固定地回到我的了解，就是我是凭着比金银贵重的东西得救赎的，而须要按照我心中这个了解来作明智的选择。当我按照我心中这个了解来作价值审定时，我的选择就是明智的。当我只是按照我头脑中这个了解来作价值审定时，我的选择大都是错误的，就如那建房子在沙土上的愚昧人一般，因为房子没有根基，风吹水淹使它倒塌了〔太7:24-27〕。

Now by God’s grace I am stripped of my pride, relieved of my control, I am reestablishing once again the understanding of Jesus’ redemption of me through His blood. Today Beverly Shea’s hymn brings back a glimpse of the passion for Jesus and the freedom to pursue Him who is more precious than silver or gold!

现在我蒙恩脱离我的骄傲，不再有我的控制，我重新建立耶稣藉他的血救赎我的了解。今天谢比华的圣诗使我重新瞥见对耶稣的热忱和去追求那胜过金银的他之自由！

I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause,
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame,
I’d rather be true to His holy name
Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin’s dread sway;
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

我宁愿有耶稣胜於称扬，
我宁忠於主，满足主的心肠；
我宁愿有耶稣胜於美名，
愿对主忠诚，宣扬主圣名
胜过做君王，虽统治万方
却仍受罪恶捆绑；
我宁愿有耶稣胜於世上
荣华富贵声望。

Have you lost the vibrant joy of days past? You can regain it by embracing Jesus today.
你是否失去了往日活泼的喜乐呢？今天你若拥抱耶稣你就可以重新得到。

Tom and Tehwan Tso
仲谋与德菀

“The outcome of your faith is the salvation of your souls.” 1Peter 1:9

“信心的果效， 就是灵魂的救恩” 彼得前书1：9