帮助孩子以上帝为避难所Helping Your Children Run to God astheir Refuge

作者: Jill Nelson   译者/校对者: 非比/雅斤

http://blog.childrendesiringgod.org/helping-your-children-run-to-god-as-their-refuge/

https://www.churchchina.org/archives/180703.html

我的孙子现在五岁了，他越来越意识到那些可怕和危险的事情。有些是小的恐惧——碎片、巨大的响声和游戏场上新来的孩子。但是另一些恐惧更加重大，比如对死亡的恐惧。随着年龄的增长，他接触到的可怕和危险的事情只会增加——恐怖主义、癌症、灾难等等。你如何帮助一个小孩子逃向一位“看不见的”全能的上帝以他为避难所？他如何能在他受了伤或者你们的房子被暴风雨毁坏了的时候，仍然确信上帝是完全的避难所？一种方法是通过讨论上帝在圣经中向我们启示的具体形象：上帝是坚固台、盾牌、山寨、岩石、避难所……

My grandson is now five years old, and he is increasingly aware of scary and dangerous things. Some are small fears—splinters, loud noises, and new children at the playground. But other fears are much more significant, like the fear of death. As he grows older, the number of scary and dangerous things he is exposed to will only grow—terrorism, cancer, calamities, etc. How can you help a young child run and trust in an “unseen” almighty God for his refuge? How can he be confident that God is a perfect refuge, even when he gets hurt or your house is damaged by a storm? One way is to talk about the concrete images that God has given us in Scripture: God is a strong tower, shield, fortress, rock, refuge…and more.

下面的经文和问题讨论可以作为例子供你和孩子一起使用。（来自新修订的《关于上帝的ABC》[3]）你们可以每天或每周讨论一项，或者，寻找一些适合教导的时机，就是你的孩子对某些环境表达恐惧的时候。

Below are some examples of texts and discussion questions to use with your children. (They are from the newly revised ABCs of God.) Maybe discuss one per day, or even one a week. Or, look for specific teachable moments when your child expresses fear over some circumstance.

阅读箴言18:10[4]。经文中用什么词来形容神的名？“坚固台”。经文中用什么词来表明你将被保护免受伤害？“安稳”。接下来阅读诗篇46:1[5]。什么词意味着上帝像一座坚固台，能保护你的安全？“避难所”。你认为你如何进入这座“坚固台”和“避难所”？有专门的门吗？阅读约翰福音10:9[6]。通往安全的道路是藉着相信耶稣。耶稣就像一扇门。当你把你的信心放在耶稣身上时，上帝就成为你的避难所，一个永远完全安全的地方。如果你相信耶稣，无论你身在何处，身处何种危险，你都可以通过呼求耶稣找到避难所。这周你有什么担心的事吗？我们如何能把这些经文变成祈求上帝帮助的祷告呢？

Read Proverbs 18:10. What words does the verse use to describe God’s name? [strong tower] What word does the verse use to show that you will be protected from harm? [safe] Next read Psalm 46:1. What word means that God is like a strong tower who will keep you safe? [refuge] How do you think that you get into this “strong tower” and “refuge”? Is there a special kind of door? Read John 10:9. The way to safety is through trusting in Jesus. Jesus is like a door. When you put your trust in Jesus, God becomes your refuge, a place of perfect safety forever. If you are trusting in Jesus, no matter where you are or what kind of danger you are in, you can find refuge by calling out to Jesus. Is there anything that you have felt worried about this week? How can we turn these verses into a prayer asking for God’s help?

让你的孩子回忆一个让他觉得身处危险之中、害怕某些东西的时候。问他：你试图在什么东西里找到安全吗？那是什么？它让你感到安全吗？为什么可以或者为什么不行？假设你正在外面的公园里，突然狂风大作，电闪雷鸣。你会试着做什么？站在树下可以吗？跑向一辆汽车怎么样？一座建筑物呢？这些东西总能保证你的安全吗？阅读箴言18:10和诗篇46:1。上帝提供的“台”有多坚固？他是全能的。没有任何人或东西比上帝更强大。要在上帝里寻求安全。你需要跑到某个地方，比如一座实际的建筑物里吗？神是“随时的帮助”意味着什么？这如何使得神给予他子民的庇护比其他任何东西所能提供的都更好？你是否曾“奔向”神那里寻求安全和保护呢？发生了什么？有没有圣经经文帮助你在遭患难时感受到神的帮助？

Ask your child to recall a time when he felt in danger and was scared of something. Ask: Did you try to find safety in something? What was it? Did it make you feel safe? Why or why not? Suppose you were outside at the park and a huge storm suddenly came with high winds, lightning, and hail stones. What would you try to do? Would standing under a tree be good? What about running to a car? A building? Can these things always keep you safe? Read Proverbs 18:10 and Psalm 46:1. How strong is the “tower” that God provides? [He is almighty. There is no one or nothing stronger than God.] To seek safety in God, do you need to run to a certain place, as in an actual building? What does it mean that God is a “very present help”? How does this make the refuge that God gives His people better than anything else? Was there a time in which you “ran to” God for safety and protection? What happened? Have there been any Bible verses that have helped you to feel God’s help in a time of trouble? [See verses such Psalm 18:2a; 34:22; 59:16b; 61:3; Psalm 62:7; John 14:1-3.]

给你的孩子看以下物品之一：放在信封内的贺卡，放在盒子里的珠宝或者一袋糖果。损坏信封、盒子或袋子，而不要损坏卡片、珠宝和糖果。用这个例子来帮助你的孩子理解上帝是他子民的避难所的真正含义。这并不意味着我们的身体将永远保持安全、不受伤害。我们的身体就像“外壳”（信封、盒子或袋子）。我们的灵魂——我们的心灵和头脑——这些部分会永远存在，它们就像放在里面的东西一样。上帝是避难所，意味着他将永远保守最重要的部分的安全。尽管上帝能够保守我们的身体免受一切伤害，因他是如此智慧和至高，但他可能为我们灵性的益处而允许我们受身体上的伤害。对一个基督徒来说，即使死亡也不再是有害的，因为这是上帝将他的子民带到天国永恒避难所的方式。和你的孩子讨论约翰福音14:1-3[7]或罗马书8:38-39[8]中的一些伟大应许，并一起有一段时间的祷告。

Show your child one of the following: a greeting card within an envelope; jewelry inside a box; a bag of candy. Damage the envelope, box, or bag in a way that does not damage the card, jewelry or candy. Use the illustration to help your child understand the true meaning of God being a refuge to His people. It does not mean that our bodies will always be kept safe from all physical harm. Our bodies are like the “outer covering” (the envelope, box, or bag). Our souls—our hearts and minds—the part of us that will last forever is like what was inside. God being a refuge means that He will always keep safe what is most important. Even though God is able to keep our bodies from all harm, He is also wise and sovereign and may allow physical harm for our spiritual good. Even death is not harmful for a Christian, because it is the way in which God brings His people into the eternal refuge of heaven. Talk about some of the great promises found in John 14:1-3 or Romans 8:38-39 and have a time a prayer with your child.

问你的孩子：你担心身体上的伤害吗？是什么让这件事如此可怕？你是否曾担心过更危险的东西，比如撒但、罪恶和你自己的罪？你曾害怕过上帝吗？为什么是或为什么不是？阅读诗篇62:7[9]。你认为大卫主要是在谈论关于他身体的保障和安全吗？什么是“拯救”？拯救就是上帝拯救人脱离他们的罪；从我们因自己的罪而应得的上帝公义的刑罚中被拯救出来。一个人如何能得到这样的庇护，即永远脱离神对你的罪的忿怒，被保守在安全中？通过信靠耶稣。

Ask your child: Do you worry about physical harm? What makes it so scary? Do you ever worry about even more dangerous things like Satan and evil and your own sin? Do you ever feel afraid of God? Why or why not? Read Psalm 62:7. Do you think that David was talking mainly about protection and safety for his body? What is “salvation”? [God saving someone from their sin; being saved from the right punishment we deserve from God because of our sin] How can a person receive this kind of refuge—being kept safe forever from God’s anger at your sin? [through trusting in Jesus]

Jill Nelson是一名妻子、母亲、祖母、教师和作家。她在主日学任教20多年，并为真理78编写以上帝为中心的课程。

[2] Helping Children to Understand the Gospel是Truth 78网站编辑的小册子。http://www.childrendesiringgod.org/resources/resource.php?id=19&productPageId=2（2017年7月11日存取）——编者注

[3] ABCs of God是Truth 78网站编辑的小册子。——编者注

[4] 耶和华的名是坚固台，义人奔入，便得安稳。

[5] 神是我们的避难所，是我们的力量，是我们在患难中随时的帮助。

[6] 我就是门，凡从我进来的，必然得救，并且出入得草吃。

[7] 你们心里不要忧愁，你们信神，也当信我。在我父的家里有许多住处；若是没有，我就早已告诉你们了。我去原是为你们预备地方去。我若去为你们预备了地方，就必再来接你们到我那里去；我在那里，叫你们也在那里。

[8] 因为我深信无论是死，是生，是天使，是掌权的，是有能的，是现在的事，是将来的事，是高处的，是低处的，是别的受造之物，都不能叫我们与神的爱隔绝；这爱是在我们的主基督耶稣里的。

[9] 我的拯救，我的荣耀，都在乎神；我力量的磐石，我的避难所，都在乎神。

帮助孩子明白跟从耶稣的代价Helping Children Understand the Costof Following Jesus

作者: Jill Nelson  译者/校对者: 香柏/雅斤

http://blog.childrendesiringgod.org/helping-children-understand-the-cost-of-following-jesus/

https://www.churchchina.org/archives/180703.html

许多年前我的儿子踏进了征兵办公室。那里的人向他描绘了一番精彩光荣的军旅生活——不只经济待遇好，还有令人兴奋的冒险。不加入简直是疯了。但是征兵工作人员并不知情的是，在此之前我们的儿子已经和一位从军20年（其中有两年在战区的经历）的好友和导师有过一番交谈。他给我们的儿子描绘了一幅更加客观且真实的画面。我们的儿子是从他那里了解了真实的军旅生活之后才报名应征的。他是在计算了代价之后才决定参军，因为他愿意投身于一项他所相信的事业，知道等着自己的会有辛劳、舍己、受苦和战争。

Years ago my son stepped through the doors of an Army recruitment office. He was given a wonderful and glorious picture of army life—one filled with financial benefits and exciting adventures. You’d be crazy NOT to join up. But, unbeknownst to the recruiter, our son had been given a prior “recruitment” talk by a good friend and mentor who had been in the army for 20 years (including two, year-long deployments into war zones). He gave our son a much more realistic and truthful picture. It was with this latter understanding that our son signed up. He counted the cost and joined because he was committed to a cause he believed in, knowing that hard work, self-sacrifice, suffering, and war was ahead.

有时我会想，在我们向孩子传讲福音的时候，是否也容易带有一种微妙的“征兵心理”。请不要误会我的意思——福音无疑是最荣耀的消息，我们也非常乐意与孩子和学生分享，信靠和跟从耶稣确实能够带来无与伦比的益处和全然满足的喜乐。唯有耶稣是“道路、真理和生命”。但是，我们是否曾帮助他们了解到跟从耶稣需要付代价呢？

I wonder sometimes if we are prone to a subtle type of recruitment mentality when we present the Gospel to children. Please don’t get me wrong—the Gospel IS the most glorious news of all, and we should be gladly sharing with our children and students the truth of the incomparable benefits and all-satisfying joy of trusting in Jesus and following Him. Jesus alone is “the way and the true and the life.” But, do we also help them understand that there is a cost in following Jesus?

耶稣又对众人说：“若有人要跟从我，就当舍己，天天背起他的十字架来跟从我。因为凡要救自己生命的，必丧掉生命；凡为我丧掉生命的，必救了生命。”（路9:23-24）

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24, ESV)

最近，贾里德•威尔森（Jared Wilson）在一篇题为《寻人：前来赴死》的文章中写道：

Recently, Jared Wilson wrote an article titled, “Men Wanted: Come and Die.”  In it he states:

你可曾在征兵海报或电视广告上看到过负伤的士兵？可曾看到过中枪的士兵、为鲜血直流的战友注射吗啡的军医以及在战场上成片倒下的伤员？

Have you ever seen a military recruitment poster or TV ad that showed wounded soldiers? Ever seen one that showed soldiers taking bullets, medics administering morphine to blood-gushing comrades, or an array of battle-hardened quadriplegics?

不，你没有见过。我们招兵的时候会展示锃亮的武器、技术先进的机器和系统、惊险刺激的驻地，还有强健的男男女女手持武器、积极投入并且勇敢无畏地乐在其中。

No, you have not. We recruit soldiers by showing shiny weapons, technologically advanced machines and systems, adventurous locales, and strong, healthy men and women using them, engaging in them, and bravely enjoying them.

但保罗不会这样。他不会美化福音使命。正如基督所说的：要“计算代价”，“背起你的十字架”；而保罗的征兵口号是：同担苦难！

But not Paul. He will not whitewash the mission. As Christ says, “Count the cost” and “Take up your cross” and “Die to self,” Paul’s recruitment slogan is: Share in suffering.

在提摩太后书2:7中，他写道：“我所说的话你要思想，因为凡事主必给你聪明。”他希望耶稣的门徒能够仔细考虑神为他们预先做好的安排，告诉他们基督要求门徒像士兵一样受苦、像运动员一样训练、像农夫一样劳力。这三个例子的共同之处在于为了一个当前不能很快实现的回报，坚持日复一日地刻苦操练。

In 2 Timothy 2:7, he writes, “Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.” He wants disciples of Jesus to consider what he’s just laid out for them, which is that Christianity is about suffering like a soldier, training like an athlete, and working hard like a farmer. One thing these three examples have in common is a stubborn commitment to a diligent daily grind for a payoff that is not instant or immediate.

这并不是说每当我们在向孩子阐明福音的时候都要用很长时间并且很病态地描述受苦。但是，我们应当使用适合他们年龄的方式，帮助孩子和学生意识到，跟从耶稣需要付上代价。

This is not to say that we include a prolonged or overly morbid description about suffering whenever we present the Gospel to children. However, we should help our children and students recognize, in age-appropriate ways, that there is a cost involved in following Jesus. What might this look like?

在我们的小册子《帮助孩子理解福音》[2]中，我们列举了十条需要孩子知道并领受的重要真理，其中第十条是：

In our booklet “Helping Children to Understand the Gospel,” we present 10 essential truths for children to know and embrace. Here is essential truth 10:

信靠耶稣的人会为讨他喜悦而活，也会得到永生的应许——在天上永远以神为乐。（路9:23；约11:25；约一2:15；诗16:11）

Those who trust in Jesus will live to please Him and will receive the promise of eternal life-enjoying God forever in heaven. (Luke 9:23; John 11:25; 1 John 2:15; Psalm 16:11)

我们建议你这样讲解这条真理：

Here is how we suggest you could explain this truth:

如果你想弹钢琴或成为棒球队队员，你会想到你需要为此花时间练习吗？有必要在上钢琴课或加入棒球队之前好好考虑一下吗？为什么？因为我们要为自己作出的选择付上代价。如果你想要把钢琴弹好，你需要花很多时间去练习。为了练琴和上课你需要放弃其他一些事情。为了弹好钢琴你可能需要放弃什么呢？为了成为一名优秀的棒球运动员你需要做出哪些改变呢？

If you want to play the piano or be on a baseball team, would you expect it would take a certain amount of time and practice? Would it be a good thing to think about this before you started piano lessons or joined the baseball team? Why? Because there is a “cost” involved to the choices we make. If you want to play the piano well, it will demand your time because you will have to practice. You will need to give up other things in order to practice and to go to lessons. What might you have to give up in order to play the piano well? What will you need to change in order to be a good baseball player?

救恩是神白白赐给你的礼物，而且每一位真正悔改和信靠耶稣的人都能得到这份礼物。但是这个免费的礼物需要你付上一生的代价!这是什么意思呢？意思是你必须按照耶稣的旨意而活，而不是听凭己意。意思是在余生的每一天你都应该相信和跟从耶稣——在你十岁、二十岁、五十岁、甚至九十岁的时候。要做到这一点，有些事你需要放弃，有些事你需要改变。

Salvation is a free gift offered to you by God and it is given to everyone who truly repents and is trusting in Jesus. But this free gift will cost you your whole life! What does that mean? It means you must do things Jesus’ way instead of your own way. It means every day you must trust and follow Jesus for the rest of your life—when you’re 10, 20, 50, and even 90 years old. In order to do this, there are things you will have to give up and things you will need to change.

比如说，你需要花时间祷告，而不是随心玩耍；你需要花时间阅读圣经，而不是沉迷于电视；你需要花时间默想上帝，而不是只顾想着朋友，这都是很难的功课！你曾想过信耶稣的代价吗？你已经准备好真心悔改、信靠耶稣并且在余生按他的心意行事，即使当你老去的时候也依然如此吗？

For example, you will need to spend time praying instead of just playing. You will need to spend time reading your Bible instead of just watching television. You will need to spend time thinking about God instead of just thinking about friends. That is hard work! Have you thought about the “cost” of trusting in Jesus? Are you ready to truly repent and trust Jesus, and then do things His way for the rest of your life? Even when you get old?

神对每一个信靠耶稣的人都有应许：他会赐你一位特殊的帮助者，即圣灵。圣灵是神，他住在每一位信靠耶稣的人里面。圣灵是全能的，他能够帮助你完成遵行耶稣旨意这一艰难的功课。圣灵会开始改变你，因此你会越来越爱神、信靠神、顺服神并且以神为乐。

God has a promise for everyone who is trusting in Jesus: He will give you a special Helper, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God, and He lives inside every person who trusts in Jesus. The Holy Spirit is all-powerful, and He is there to help you with the hard work of doing things Jesus’ way. The Holy Spirit will begin to change you, so you love, trust, obey, and enjoy God more and more.

跟从耶稣需要付代价，但是神应许每一个信靠耶稣的人都会得到丰厚的奖赏——这份奖赏又大又激动人心，比我们想象的还要美好。是什么样的奖赏呢？是永生！永生是指在天堂与神永远同住。天堂是一个真实的地方，每一个信靠耶稣的人有一天都会去那里居住。神的百姓再也不会犯罪。我们的身体是不朽坏的。不再会有疾病、衰残、伤害和孤单。天堂是全然无暇的，一切都洁净、完好而且美丽，但这还不是天堂最吸引人之处。我们终于能亲眼见到耶稣！没有什么人和事比耶稣更惊人、伟大、奇妙、美丽和令人心驰神往了。和耶稣在一起会让我们永远幸福。

There is a cost to following Jesus, but God has promised a huge reward for everyone who trusts in Jesus—a reward that is so great and exciting that it is better than anything we can even imagine. What is it? Eternal life! Eternal life is living forever with God in heaven. Heaven is a real place where everyone who is trusting in Jesus will someday go to live. God’s people will not sin anymore. Our bodies will be perfect. No more being sick, or dying, or feeling hurt or lonely. There will be no bad things in heaven. Everything will be clean and perfect and beautiful, but those things aren’t even the best part of heaven. The best part of heaven is that God will live there with His people. We will finally get to really see Jesus! There is nothing and no one who is more amazing, great, wonderful, beautiful, and exciting than Jesus. Being with Jesus will make us happy forever.