This Spiritual Waimai is a part of a series entitled, “Christmas Interrupted”. When God’s plan and your life plan intersect, there will interruptions that lead to participating in God’s glorious plan.
本文是“中断的圣诞节”系列文章之一。当你的人生计划遭遇神的计划，你的计划会中断，这中断将要带你参与神的荣耀计划中。
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Mary was a willing servant of God; when God calls your name, will you be willing to serve as well?
马利亚是积极服侍神的仆人；当神呼召你时，你也会乐意地服侍祂吗？
At Christmas time, the story of Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus has become quite romantic. Beautiful paintings of the holy family, the star, the angels and shepherds. It is a beautiful scene in our minds. But this story is actually a hard story that disrupted a young couple’s love story. Imagine a couple planning their wedding celebration and thinking optimistically of the future together. But then God’s plan crosses their plan. Their wedding plans are canceled. The man considers divorce.
圣诞节期间，马利亚、约瑟、婴孩耶稣的故事变得十分浪漫，有许多描绘着这神圣一家、星星、天使和牧羊人的美丽画像。在我们脑海里是一副美丽的画面，但这其实是个艰难的故事，它打乱了一对年轻恋人的爱情故事。想象一下一对恋人正在为婚礼的庆典做预备，一起憧憬美好的未来。但此时 神的计划与他们的计划冲突，他们婚礼的计划取消了，这个男人甚至在考虑分开。
The Christmas story is full of characters who did not lead ideal lives. Mary and Joseph were a young couple about to embark on their journey together as a married couple when all of a sudden the unthinkable happens – Mary becomes pregnant and Joseph is not the father.
圣诞节的故事里满是没有过上理想生活的人物。马利亚和约瑟是一对本来即将开启婚姻生活的恋人，突然不可思议的事情发生了，马利亚怀孕了，约瑟不是孩子的父亲。
Ruined wedding plans
被破坏的婚礼计划
Mary was a young engaged woman. This would be one of the most hopeful and blissful times in a woman’s life. Looking forward to a life together with the man she loves, planning a wedding celebration and preparing for their new life together.
马利亚是一位已经订婚的女性，这也许是女人一生中最有盼望和快乐的时光，期待着与她所爱的男人共度一生，计划着婚礼的庆典，为一起的新生活做准备。
All of these joyful wedding plans and dreams of the future would be interrupted with an unplanned pregnancy. Especially if the future groom was not the father of the child. There would be disgrace, gossip, broken relationships, rumors. Not to mention a heartbroken groom and ashamed bride.
所有这些令人喜悦的婚礼计划和关于未来的梦想都被意料外的怀孕中断了，尤其未来的新郎不是你孩子的父亲，带来的是不光彩、流言、破裂的关系、谣言，当然还有心碎的新郎和羞愧的新娘。
But when the angel came to Mary to announce her unexpected pregnancy, none of these thoughts came to Mary.
但是当天使来到马利亚面前宣布让她意外的怀孕时，这是她连想都没有想过的事。
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
Luke 1:26-38 NIV
到了第六个月，天使加百列奉 神的差遣，往加利利的一座城去，这城名叫拿撒勒。到一个童女那里，是已经许配大卫家的一个人，名叫约瑟，童女的名字叫马利亚。天使进去，对她说：“蒙大恩的女子，我问你安，主和你同在了！” 马利亚因这话就很惊慌，又反复思想这样问安是什么意思。天使对她说：“马利亚，不要怕！你在 神面前已经蒙恩了。你要怀孕生子，可以给他起名叫耶稣。他要作雅各家的王，直到永远，他的国也没有穷尽。” 马利亚对天使说：“我没有出嫁，怎么有这事呢？” 天使回答说：“圣灵要临到你身上，至高者的能力要荫庇你，因此所要生的圣者，必称为 神的儿子（或作“所要生的必称为圣，称为 神的儿子”）。况且你的亲戚伊利莎白，在年老的时候也怀了男胎，就是那素来称为不生育的，现在有孕六个月了。因为出于 神的话，没有一句不带能力的。” 马利亚说：“我是主的使女，情愿照你的话成就在我身上。”天使就离开她去了。
路加福音1:26-38
How could Mary so quickly agree to what the angel said? How could she so easily say yes to an assignment that would disrupt all of her wedding plans? How could she surrender to something that would ruin hers and Joseph’s reputation, hopes and dreams?
马利亚怎么能这么快就答应天使说的话？她怎么能这么容易就接下一个会打乱她所有婚礼计划的任务？她怎么能降服于这件会毁坏约瑟和她名声、盼望、梦想的事情？
Meeting with Gabriel
与加百列会面
When Gabriel said that she would conceive and give birth to a son, her mind and heart were pure. I think her statement, “How will this be since I am a virgin?” was not so much questioning the angel but stating the fact that she was a virgin and had no intention of breaking her vow of purity. Once the angel explained that the child would be conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, she had no further questions. She fully accepted his word and said that she was the Lord’s servant. We see the character of Mary. She was a humble servant, thinking not of her own plans and dreams, but only about following the Lord in holiness.
当加百列说她要怀孕生子，她的思想和心很单纯。我想当她说：“我没有出嫁，怎么有这事呢？”不是在质疑天使，而是陈述她还没有出嫁的事实，她也没有意向打破守贞的誓约。当天使解释说这个孩子会由圣灵感孕，她就没有其他疑问了。马利亚完全接纳天使的话并说她是主的使女。我们看到马利亚的品格，她是一位谦卑的使女，考虑的不是她自己的计划和梦想，而单纯地在圣洁中追随主。
We further learn of Mary’s inner heart for the Lord when she goes to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Upon entering Elizabeth’s home, Mary makes a powerful proclamation about her situation. Her song is ten verses long. Four verses are about herself, six verses are about the Lord.
当她去拜访亲戚伊丽莎白时，我们更多了解到马利亚向着主的心，一进到伊丽莎白的家，马利亚就针对她的情况做了一个有力的宣告，她的颂歌有十节，四节关于她自己，六节关于主。
Mary’s humble position before the Lord
马利亚在主面前的谦卑姿态
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.”
Luke 1:46-49 NIV
马利亚说：“我心尊主为大，我灵以 神我的救主为乐； 因为他顾念他使女的卑微。从今以后，万代要称我有福。那有权能的，为我成就了大事，他的名为圣。
路加福音1:46-49
The beginning of her song is about herself worshipping God for what He has done for her. But her position in this part of the song is that of a humble servant.
她的颂歌以神在她身上的作为来开始敬拜祂，但是她在颂歌中的姿态是一位谦卑使女。
Mary’s focus on God’s greatness
马利亚专注于神的伟大
The next part of Mary’s song speaks of the greatness of God.
马利亚颂歌的下一部分讲述神的伟大
“His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.” Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.”
Luke 1:50-56
他怜悯敬畏他的人，直到世世代代。 他用膀臂施展大能，那狂傲的人正心里妄想，就被他赶散了。 他叫有权柄的失位，叫卑贱的升高， 叫饥饿的得饱美食，叫富足的空手回去。 他扶助了他的仆人以色列，为要记念亚伯拉罕和他的后裔，施怜悯直到永远，正如从前对我们列祖所说的话。” 马利亚和伊利莎白同住约有三个月，就回家去了。
路加福音1:50-56
The majority of her song is about the greatness of God and what He has done. We see from her song that she is a woman whose eyes are not on herself. They are turned towards the Lord. Her life has been spent turned away from her own concerns and towards the Lord. So when her time came and God asked her sacrifice for His plan, she was ready for her eyes were already on Him.
她颂歌的大部分是关于神的伟大和祂的作为。我们从她的颂歌中看到她是一位眼目不在自己身上的女性，她的眼睛转向主，她的生活已经被翻转从她自己的思虑转向了主。所以当她的时间到了，神呼召她为神的计划奉献时，她已经预备好了，因为她的眼睛已经在神身上。
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, Until He is gracious to us.
Psalms 123:2 NASB
看哪，仆人的眼睛怎样望主人的手，使女的眼睛怎样望主母的手，我们的眼睛也照样望耶和华我们的 神，直到他怜悯我们。
诗篇 123:2
Without hesitation, Mary not only accepted God’s unusual plan for her life, but she rejoiced in it. She fully embraced her position as God’s humble servant and wholeheartedly did whatever He called her to do.
没有丝毫犹豫，马利亚不仅接受了神在她生命中非比寻常的计划，而且她在其中喜乐。她完全接纳 做神谦卑使女的职分地位，并且全心全意地回应神对她的任何呼召。
When your time comes, will you be ready?
当你的时间到了，你也会预备好吗？
When will your time be? When will your moment come when the Lord asks you to give yourself to His mission? How will you respond? Now is the time to prepare. Learn from Mary to:
你的时间是什么时候？主呼召你 为祂的计划委身会是什么时候？你会如何回应？现在就是预备的时候。我们从马利亚身上学到：
- Daily live as a humble servant
每天都做一个谦卑的仆人 - Daily pursue holiness in your body, mind and spirit.
每天都在你的身心灵上追求圣洁 - Focus your eyes on the Lord, not on yourself
转眼仰望主，而不是自己
You do not know the day the Master will come to you to unfold His plan for your life. His plan just might not match up with your personal plan. Quite often this is the case. So hold your plans loosely and be ready to serve so you can say as Mary did, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me according to your word.”
你不知道主在哪一天会向你揭开 祂在你生命中的计划，祂的计划很有可能和你自己的计划不同，所以不要太握紧你自己的计划，预备好自己去服侍，可以像马利亚那样说：“我是主的使女，情愿照你的话成就在我身上“。
