Don’t Miss Out on God’s Best 別錯過上帝最好的東西  − 5 May, 2008

Don't Miss Out on God's Best
別錯過上帝最好的東西

Years ago, before transatlantic flight was common, a man wanted to travel to the United States from Europe. The man worked hard, saved every extra penny he could, and finally had just enough money to purchase a ticket aboard a cruise ship. The trip at that time required about two or three weeks to cross the ocean. He went out and bought a suitcase and filled it full of cheese and crackers. That's all he could afford.
許多年前當跨洲旅行還不普及的時候，有個人就想要從歐洲到美國旅行。這個人努力工作，存下每一分錢，最後終於存到一筆剛好能買船票的錢。當時那趟旅程大約要花上二至三週橫渡大西洋。他去買了一個皮箱，裡面裝滿起士與餅乾，因為他只負擔得起那些食物。

Once on board, all the other passengers went to the large, ornate dining room to eat their gourmet meals. Meanwhile, the poor man would go over in the corner and eat his cheese and crackers. This went on day after day. He could smell the delicious food being served in the dining room. He heard the other passengers speck of it in glowing terms as they rubbed their bellies and complained about how full they were, and how they would have to go on a diet after this trip. The poor traveler wanted to join the other guests in the dining room, but he had no extra money. Sometimes he'd lie awake at night, dreaming of the sumptuous meals the other guests described.
一上了船，所有人都跑到富麗堂皇的餐廳去吃美味的餐點。而在同一時間，這個窮人就躲到角落去啃他的起士與餅乾。他就這樣過了好些日，聞著餐廳裡的菜香味，還一邊摸著他們的肚子抱怨吃得太撐，旅行結束後可要好好減肥。這個貧困的旅人也想加入這些人一起在餐廳用餐，但他沒有多餘的錢。有時他還會半夜睡不著，夢想著那些乘客口中的奢華大餐。

Toward the end of the trip, another man came up to him and said, 「Sir, I can't help but notice that you are always over there eating those cheese and crackers at mealtimes. Why don't you come into the banquet hall and eat with us?」
在旅程即將接近尾聲，有個人走來對他說：「這位先生，我在用餐時間注意到你總是在啃起士與餅乾，你何不來到餐廳與我們一起吃呢？」

The traveler's face flushed with embarrassment. 「Well, to tell you the truth, I had only enough money to buy the ticket. I don't have any extra money to purchase fancy meals.」
旅人因羞愧漲紅了臉。「這個嘛，告訴你事實好了，我的錢只夠買票，沒辦法負擔得起這些昂貴的餐點。」

The other passenger raised his eyebrows in surprise. He shook his head and said, 「Sir, don't you realize the meals are included in the price of the ticket? Your meals have already been paid for!」
那位乘客驚訝地挑起眉毛，搖搖頭並說：「先生啊，你不知道餐飲費已經內含在票價嗎？你早已經付過餐費了。」

When I first heard that story, I couldn't help but think of how many people are similar to that naïve traveler. They are missing out on God's best because they don't realize that the good things in life have already been paid for. They may be on their way to heaven, but they don't know what has been included in the price of their ticket.
當我第一次聽到這個故事，我忍不住想：有多少人就像這位無知的旅人。因為他們不知道生命中一切的美好事物早已被付清了帳，於是他們錯過上帝最好的東西。

Every moment that we go around with that weak worm-of-the-dust mentality, we're eating more cheese and crackers. Every time we shrink back and say, 「Well, I can't do it; I don't have what it takes,」 we're eating more cheese and crackers. Every time we go around full of fear, worry, anxiety, or we are uptight about something, we're over there eating more cheese and crackers. Friend, I don't know about you, but I'm tired of those cheese and crackers! It's time to step up to God's dining table. God has prepared a fabulous banquet for you, complete with every good thing imaginable. And it has already been paid for. God has everything you need there – joy, forgiveness, restoration, peace, healing – whatever you need, it's waiting for you at God's banquet table if you'll pull up your chair and take the place He has prepared for you.
每一次當我們懷著卑微的心態，就好比是啃了更多起士與餅乾。每當我們退縮並說：「喔！我做不到，我條件不夠。」我們就是在吃更多的起士與餅乾。每當我們充滿懼怕、擔心、焦慮，就為某件事緊張不堪時，就是正在吃更多的起士與餅乾。朋友，該是去上帝的餐桌吃飯的時候了。神為你預備豐盛的宴會，其中充滿了各種難以想像的好東西，而且都已經幫你付清了帳單。上帝有你要的每樣東西–喜樂、寬恕、平安、醫治，無論你需要什麼，都已在上帝的餐桌上擺著，只等你拉開椅子坐上去享用。

全文摘自約爾．奧斯汀《活出美好》(Joel Osteen / Your Best Life Now)