2021 07 27
Article by Yvonne Zheng
今天早上打開網上靈修日程， 讀到一個女仕做麵包的故事。她因家務忙，讓麵團過份發酵。焗出來的麵包外面金黃內裏卻是空心的。空心麵包， 令她想到人往往因別的事情而遠離上帝。對靈命有負面的影響。
在過去一年多的時間，大部份我認識的人都在家工作。在家工作是不是等於多一些時間做自己想做的事呢？有部份人，的確有多餘的時間,在家做蛋糕、做麵包、做家居小裝修、出外接觸大自然或在家「煲劇」。但是有些人的工作量卻比以前多，連休息的時間都沒有。有小朋友的家長，更加活在水深火熱之中。工作之餘還要充當日托保母、網校助教、補習老師、課外活動教練、家中紛争仲裁員和一日三餐大厨等工作。他們隨時或已經變成了空心麵包。 我們在生活忙亂之中，有沒有與上帝疏離？又或者我們在忙亂之中更加信靠上帝？希望大家都能每天抽出時間做靈修工作。因為「那等候耶和華的必重新得力。他們必如鷹展翅上騰；他們奔跑卻不困倦，行走卻不疲乏。」（以賽亞書四十：三十一）
I recently read a short piece from The Upper Room Daily Devotional by Stacey Elza from West Virginia. Stacey wrote about making bread with just a few ingredients and simple steps. While she was busy with other household chores she forgot about the bread. Her bread turned out to be golden on the outside but hollow in the middle because she left it to rise for too long. In her reflection, Stacey wrote that if we are distracted from God because of our busy life, our spiritual live will suffer. Like a loaf of hollow bread, it looks good on the outside but is empty on the inside.
For the past year and a half, most of the people I know are working from home due to COVID-19. One might think that working from home gives people more time to do things. Things like baking, bread making, doing household repairs, hiking, or binge-watching TV dramas. But if you talk to parents with young children, working from home can be a nightmare when the children are also learning from home. You would be tired too if you have to be the babysitter, teaching assistant, tutor, gym teacher, peacemaker, chef and the parent on top of working from home. I wonder how many parents feel like they have turned into hollow breads.
Dealing with everyday challenges can be tiring and draining. If we do not take care of our spiritual life, we will end up like a loaf of hollow bread. Spending time with God each day is important for our spiritual health. He shall give us strength when we are weary.
” but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)