‘Through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and the Lamb will be in it, and His servants will worship Him.’ - Revelation 22:2-3
The past week in Sydney has been a difficult one for our city. Among the cost of living crisis is now added several events of violence. Not only in Sydney, but our world has been succumbing to many years now of war, drought and fire. The nations need healing.
Revelation reminds all believers of a truth we would do well to keep in our minds. That one day, God promises to heal the nations. Just as the tree of life nourished Adam and Eve in the Garden, so it will once again heal the nations of their dysfunction and fighting; all shall worship the Lord together. In the weeks and years of church and ministry, sometimes Christians forget that there is a goal and a destination the church is aiming for. In our prayers, our ministries and worship God is bringing the world towards His healing.
Therefore although we should grieve over the sickness of sin in our world, we must also focus our gaze heavenward. Let every tragedy spur us to do good, to preach the gospel well and to show the love of God in every season of life. For our eschatology teaches us that in the end, God will heal the nations, God will bring life back into the deadness of our souls and God will be praised forever and ever.
So however you are processing this week, let scripture encourage you not to lose hope, but to continue to be firm in God’s work in the world around us.
「在河這邊與那邊有生命樹，結十二樣果子，每月都結果子；樹上的葉子乃為醫治萬民。以後再沒有咒詛；在城裡有神和羔羊的寶座；他的僕人都要事奉他。」啟示錄22:2-3
過去一週對悉尼來說是艱難的一週。在生活成本危機以外，現在又增加了幾件暴力事件。不僅是在悉尼，我們的世界多年來一直受到戰爭、乾旱和火災的摧殘。列國需要得醫治。
啟示錄提醒所有信徒一個我們應時刻存在心裡的真理。到那日，神應許要醫治列國。正如生命樹在伊甸園滋養亞當和夏娃一樣，它將再次醫治列國的不良運作和鬥爭；眾人都將一同事奉主。在教會和事工的周而復始的年日裏，有時候基督徒會忘記了教會是有一個追求的目標和目的地。在我們的祈禱、事工和敬拜中，神正在引領世界走向祂的醫治。
因此，雖然我們應該為世界罪惡的疾病感到悲傷，但我們也必須把目光專注在天上。讓每一次悲劇都激勵我們行善，好好傳福音，並在生命的每一個季節都彰顯神的愛。因末世論教導我們，在末日，神將醫治列國，神將使我們死寂的靈魂重生，神將永遠受到讚美。
這一週不論你需要處理任何事情，讓這經文鼓勵你不要失去盼望，而要繼續對神在我們世界週遭所作的工堅定不疑。
