阅读经文 

几年前，我们社区有个人给了我一本陆可铎的《恩典百分百》。经历几次悲惨的事件使得这个人和她的家人转向主和归向教会。她送给我这本书时说道：“我们回归是因为神的恩典抓住了我们。”她认识到我们都在神恩典的手中——无时无刻都在。若不是这样，无人能有机会归向神。

神的恩典是你我最需要的。没有它，我们什么也不是，但有了神的恩典，我们就能够面对一切。这就是主自己告诉使徒保罗的。保罗带着所谓的“一根刺，撒但的使者”这种生活，一直受着折磨。他不断祈求主把这根刺挪去。神回应说不，祂的恩典够他用。无论如何，神会用祂的恩典抓住保罗，保罗也能够完成神为他预备的工作。

这也是我们新年的确信：无论前方如何，神都会托住我们，以祂的恩典抓住我们。我们只需要转向耶稣，并接受祂的恩典。

Several years ago someone in our community gave me a book titled In The Grip of Grace by Max Lucado. A couple of tragic events had brought this person and her family back to the Lord and to the church. When she handed me the book, she said, “We found our way back because we were in the grip of God’s grace.” She had learned that we are all in the grip of God’s grace—all of the time. Without that, none of us would stand a chance.

God’s grace is what you and I need more than anything else. Without it we are nothing, but because of God’s grace we can face whatever comes our way. That’s what the Lord himself tells the apostle Paul. Paul lived with what he called “a thorn in [his] flesh, a messenger of Satan,” that was tormenting him. He kept asking the Lord to remove that thorn. God’s answer was no, saying that his grace would be enough. No matter what, God would keep Paul in the grip of his grace, and Paul would be able to carry out the work God had in mind for him.

That’s our assurance for the coming year too: Come what may, God will hold on to us and keep us in the grip of his grace. All we need to do is turn to Jesus to receive his grace.