不要害怕哭泣

我们将从这场疫情及其毁坏和痛苦中汲取何种教训呢？我们的收获是什么？这取决于我们自己。让我们“不要像那些没有指望的人一样忧伤”(参帖前4:13)。让我们成为满有指望的人。耶稣的宝血是我们对从罪而生的死亡果子产生免疫。这宝血有着全备的力量——医治的力量、安慰的力量和复活的力量。本文来源:《传道者》杂志翻译/朗读:TruthTV 小组

作者伯特伦·墨尔伯尼 博士，霍华德大学神学院圣经语言与文学教授 现居美国华盛顿哥伦比亚特区

我无法想象自己能够见证一种病毒使全球停摆，从偏远的乡村到繁华的都市，从一个国家到另一个国家，从一个大洲到另一个大洲。我也无法想象这小小的病毒可以关停商业、破坏股市、关闭教堂、犹太会堂、清真寺、娱乐厅和棒球场、大学和中小学，还带来了“社交距离”政策。城市和国家，牧师和神父，统治者与决策者纷纷向这小小的病毒屈服，诚然是“‘人想起那将要临到世界的事，就都吓得魂不附体’” (路21:26，常见英文版)。

在疫情期间，许多人走进医院，却再也没能回来。许多人被残酷地剥夺了最后一次与爱人执手话别的宝贵机会。许多人的苦痛随着社交距离政策的实施和感染者被隔离而加剧。

这场悲剧中失去亲人的人们，请允许我怀着一颗牧者之心告诉你们。这样的时代提醒我们，的确有一位更高的掌权者为我们面临的难题赐下怜悯的话语。

难题

这疫情是否成为了我们的老师，我们愿意从中学习吗？

这病毒是否向我们显明了我们对上帝的需要？

这种病毒已经变异成为致死毒株，我们是否应当感到恐惧？

我们是否会因此看到有一位比你我更大的掌权者？

这微小的生命是否在告诉我们要将目光转离国王、王后、教皇、牧师、总统、明星、政客、业绩、股市和财产，坚定地注目于永恒？

这小小的微生物是否会邀请我们（遵从经上所记）“这些事都已听见了，总意就是：敬畏上帝，谨守他的诫命，这是人所当尽的本分”呢 ？(传12:13)

此时此刻，我们当以持守信仰的心高呼：“‘但愿颂赞、尊贵、荣耀、权势都归给坐宝座的和羔羊，直到永永远远！。’” (启5:13)

在这危机时刻，我们如何持守如此的信心？希伯来书的作者将我们的注意力引向正途：“我们既有这许多的见证人，如同云彩围着我们，就当放下各样的重担，脱去容易缠累我们的罪，存心忍耐，奔那摆在我们前头的路程， 仰望为我们信心创始成终的耶稣（或译：仰望那将真道创始成终的耶稣）。他因那摆在前面的喜乐，就轻看羞辱，忍受了十字架的苦难，便坐在上帝宝座的右边。

“那忍受罪人这样顶撞的，你们要思想，免得疲倦灰心。”(来12:1-3)

这段经文采用了一种被称为“交叉”的文学手法，其中心思想位于段中。1 就是“仰望为我们信心创始成终的耶稣”，这种对基督的笃信不是一种选择，而是一种必需。如果有什么时候格外需要如此持守，那就是现在了。

怜悯的话语

我和妻子过去常常和一位有小孩的亲戚一同度假。我们一起度过了愉快的时光，在我们离开之前，一切都是那么美好。孩子们不愿面对离别，而是选择躲藏。他们讨厌离别。亚瑟王的圆桌骑士也有过同样的困境。当亚瑟王离开时，骑士们恳请他留下，甚至提出和他一起走。他便说出了那句不朽的话：“旧事已过，都变成新，上帝多方成就祂的旨意。” 2

我为你所失去的感到难过。如果你所爱的人去世了，而你无法与他/她执手话别，我为你难过。但我可以告诉你，我能体会你的心情，因为我未曾得见我的祖母咽下最后一口气。我父亲去世时，我距离他750英里（合1207.01公里），距离使我未能最后一次触摸他。我母亲去世时，我在1450英里（合2333.55公里）之外，我们没能说出最后的告别。

你的失去是真实的，你空空的椅子是可见的，你的悲伤是真实的，你的愁苦是深切的。当然，你的记忆也是真实的。让它们激励着你继续前行吧。

耶稣知道

我给你带来了好信息。上帝能对你的失去感同身受。祂失去了祂的独生爱子。祂将目光转离十字架，任凭爱子哭泣：“我的上帝！我的上帝！为什么离弃我？”(可15:34) 那时的天父是多么伤心啊。耶稣也完全明白你的感受，并且怜悯你。我们为何如此笃定？因为有拉撒路的故事为证。

拉撒路去世时，耶稣就在几英里之外。当祂到达时，马利亚责备祂不早在那里。她甚至暗示耶稣的缺席是她兄弟死亡的主要原因(约11:21)。耶稣充满了痛苦和怜悯，祂哭了——是的，耶稣哭了(路19:41,42；约11:35)。

不要害怕哭泣。为什么呢？

当你哭泣时，你是在以耶稣为榜样。

眼泪是心灵的语言。

眼泪是精神的宣泄。

眼泪释放压抑的情绪。

在上帝看来眼泪不是外来的语言，也不是陌生的方言。

眼泪是上帝设计缓解痛苦的方法。

眼泪是一种逃避机制；它使我们远离痛苦的根源，从而转向我们内心的身体感受。

哭是健康的，自然的，医治的，治愈的。

死亡正在掌权，但死亡很快就会消亡。林前15:26应许我们，尽末了所毁灭的仇敌就是死。但请放心，没有人会因此哀哭。死亡将永无复燃的指望，但如果你所爱的人接受耶稣为个人的救主，他们就会有复活的指望。

现在请 “及时哭泣”吧，因为在不久的将来，当你与你爱的人重逢时，你将不再哭泣，而是会笑，会跳，会欢呼，会赞美。

医治的力量

我们将从这场疫情及其毁坏和痛苦中汲取何种教训呢？我们的收获是什么？这取决于我们自己。让我们“不要像那些没有指望的人一样忧伤”(参帖前4:13)。让我们成为满有指望的人。耶稣的宝血是我们对从罪而生的死亡果子产生免疫。这宝血有着全备的力量——医治的力量、安慰的力量和复活的力量。你尽可使用，它是免费的。你是否已经拥有它呢？诚然，如果有一段时机可以接受它，岂不是现在吗？

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1.伯特伦·L·墨尔伯尼，“希伯来书中历史-耶稣主题的审视”，《安德烈大学神学院研究》26卷，第3期(1988年):第281-297页。

2.《亚瑟的逝去》1:407，引自《牛津语录词典》，第三版。(英国牛津:牛津大学出版社，1979)，535。

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DON’T BE AFRAID TO CRY

By Bertram L. Melbourne, PhD, a professor of biblical language and literature at the Howard University School of Divinity, Washington, DC, United States.

I could not have imagined that I would have seen one virus shut down the globe, from remote villages to gigantic cities, from country to country, and from continent to continent. Nor could I have envisaged one small bug halting commerce; wrecking stock markets; closing churches, synagogues, and mosques, entertainment halls and ballparks, schools and universities; and ushering in social distancing. One small virus has brought cities and nations, pastors and priests, and potentates and policymakers to their knees, indeed, “ ‘causing people to faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world’ ” (Luke 21:26, CEB).

During this pandemic, many people have gone to the hospital and never returned. Many have been cruelly robbed of the precious privilege of holding their loved ones’ hands one last time and saying goodbye. As physical distancing has been implemented and those infected have been isolated, the pain and suffering of so many have been exacerbated.

For those who have lost someone to this tragedy, I speak to you from a shepherd’s heart. Times like these remind us that there is indeed a Higher Power who offers words of compassion for our hard questions.

HARD QUESTIONS 

Has this pandemic become our educator, and are we willing to learn from it?

Is one virus showing us our need for God?

Should we be scared that this virus has mutated into virulent forms that could destroy us?

Could this situation invite us to see that Somebody bigger than you and me is in charge?

Is this miniature form of life telling us to take our eyes off kings, queens, popes, priests, presidents, celebrities, rulers, accomplishments, stock markets, and possessions and fix them on the Eternal?

Could one small microorganism be inviting us to “hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Eccl. 12:13, KJV)?

At such a time as this, our duty is to cry out with hearts holding on to faith, “ ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power / Be to Him who sits on the throne, / And to the Lamb, forever and ever!’ ” (Rev. 5:13, NKJV).

How can we hold to such a faith during these times of crisis? The author of Hebrews guides us to where our attention should be. “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

“For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls” (Heb. 12:1–3, NKJV).

Set in the form of a literary device called a chiasm, this Scripture’s most important feature occurs in the middle.1 Here, the central point is “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” This fixation on Jesus is not an option; it is an imperative. And if there was ever a time when this imperative was needed, it is now.

COMPASSIONATE WORDS My wife and I used to spend holidays with a relative who had young children. We had fun times together, and all would be fine until it was time for us to leave. Rather than face the parting, the children would go to hide. They hated parting. The knights of King Arthur’s Round Table had the same problem. When the time came for King Arthur to depart, they begged him to stay and even offered to go with him. He told them these immortal words: “The old order changeth, yielding place to new, / And God fulfils himself in many ways.”2

I am sorry for your loss. I am sorry if your loved one passed and you were not able to be there to hold a hand or say goodbye. I could tell you I know how you feel because I could not be there to see my grandmother take her last breath. I was 750 miles from where my father was when he died, too far to touch him one last time. I was 1,450 miles away when my mother died, and we did not say our last farewell.

Your loss is real. Your empty chair is tangible. Your grief is genuine; your sorrow, profound. And for sure, your memories are genuine. Let them buoy you up and keep you going.

JESUS KNOWS 

I bring you some good news. God understands and feels your loss. God lost His only Son to death. It grieved God so much that He looked away from the Cross, causing His Son to cry, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34, KJV). Jesus also knows exactly how you feel and is empathizing with you. How can we be so sure? Because of the story of Lazarus.

Jesus was miles away when Lazarus passed. When He arrived, Martha blamed Him for not being there. She went so far as to suggest that Jesus’ absence was a principal contributing factor to her brother’s death (John 11:21). Jesus was so filled with anguish and compassion that He wept—yes, God wept (Luke 19:41, 42; John 11:35).

Don’t be afraid to cry. Why? When you cry, you are following Jesus’ example.

 Tears are the language of the heart.

 Tears are catharsis for the soul.

 Tears release pent-up emotions.

 Tears are not a foreign vernacular or a strange dialect to God.

 Tears are a God-designed technique to grant relief. Tears are an escape mechanism; they turn us away from the cause of our anguish and inward to our own bodily sensations.
 Crying is healthy, natural, therapeutic, and curative.
Death reigns now, but soon death itself will die. First Corinthians 15:26 assures us that it will be the last enemy to be destroyed. Yet, be assured that no one will mourn for it. It will have no hope of a resurrection, but your loved one does if they had accepted Jesus as personal Savior and Lord.

Go ahead and cry now, for one day soon, you will not cry but laugh, jump for joy, shout, and praise when you see your loved one again.

HEALING POWER 

What lessons will we learn from this pandemic, its devastation and pain? What will be our takeaways? It is up to each of us to decide. Let us “not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope” (1 Thess. 4:13, NIV). Let us be people of hope. The blood of Jesus is our immunization against the life-draining effects of sin. This blood has lost none of its power—power to heal, power to comfort, and power to resurrect. It is available to you, and it is free. Do you have it? Indeed, if there ever seemed a time to accept it, would it not be now?

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1. Bertram L. Melbourne, “An Examination of the Historical-Jesus Motif in the Epistle to the Hebrews,” Andrews University Seminary Studies 26, no. 3 (1988): 281–297. 

2. The Passing of Arthur 1:407, as quoted in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, 3rd ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1979), 535.
Please find the original article at https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/2021/07/Dont-be-afraid-to-cry

传道者