Invitations To Come! 邀请过来！
I began hearing that word – Come – when I was a little girl. I learned to listen to the tone of voice of my Dad or Mom, before I obeyed the summons. Was it an excited-wait-til-you-see-this tone of voice, or a commanding tone that implied that I slow down my obedience with dread of a scolding or punishment? Now I know that my parents had the same thoughts of wanting to share the ‘firsts’ with their parents. Grandma Suderman came soon after my birth on a train from Hillsboro KS to Hooker OK, quite a trip in the 1920’s to see her first grandchild.
我开始听到‘来’这个单词，是在我小时候。在我学会服从传道之前，我开始学习爸爸或妈妈发声的音调。它是一个令人激动地等待直到你看得到的音调呢，还是命令的带着令人恐惧的责备或惩罚的口气，意味着我的服从不够？现在我知道了我的父母同样想向同他们的父母分享许多的第一次。当我在一辆从 Hillsboro KS到Hooker OK的火车上出生后，我的祖母 Suderman很快来看她的第一个孙儿，这在1920年是一趟很不容易的旅行。
I began using the words, “Come here and see!” Usually it was a self-centered ‘come and see’ invitation to celebrate what I had accomplished. A somersault, a headstand, a clean room, a program at school, my first effort at baking, success at driving a car, graduation, recitals, a wedding, a new baby always was preceded by a ‘come here and see’. Later it was delight and joy in what our children accomplished as they grew up, often accompanied by their own, ‘come and watch, Momma!”
我开始使用这句话，“来这里看!” , 通常它是自我中心的‘来看’的邀请来庆祝我刚取得的成就。一个翻筋斗、一个倒立、一次清洁房间、学校的一个节目、我的第一次烘焙食物的努力、成功的开车、毕业、演奏、婚礼、一个新宝宝的诞生等等，常常是跟着“来这里看看”。后来是在我们的孩子们长大过程中取得成就时的高兴和喜悦，常常伴随着他们自己的“来看看，妈妈！”
We receive invitations every day to attend weddings, to go caroling, parties, graduations, office parties, concerts, church meetings of various kinds. Then there is the world of commerce with its beckoning through words, pictures, the guise of helping to come and use some product that will cure snake bites, warts, sprains, zits or a variety of other imperfections or hurts. Then there is the ‘come-on’ to use our money for various get-rich-quick schemes, insurance for fires, floods, life, long term, health (or the lack thereof), prescriptions, dental, car, house or termites. Oh, I must not forget the education insurance and burial insurance.
我们每天接受各种邀请参加婚礼、唱颂歌、各种小聚会、毕业典礼、办公室聚会、音乐会、各种各样的教堂会议。随之而来的是商业的世界，带着令人动心的语言、图片、帮助人的诱惑，并且使用一些产品，可以治疗蛇咬、疣、扭伤、丘疹或很多其他的不舒服或伤害。再后来是各种各样欲一夕致富的伎俩诱惑我们花钱，如火灾保险、洪水险、寿险、长期险、健康险 （否则就会没有）、处方险、牙险、车险、房险或白蚁险。哦，一定不提教育险和葬险。
So many invitations to ‘come’. One of the sweetest invitations I had was from my friend Emma’s six year old daughter to come to China and she would show me around. I knew it was one invitation that I could not accept, but it pleased me and warmed my heart.
所以很多邀请来了。我所接到的最甜蜜的邀请之一来自于我的朋友Emma的六岁的女儿，她邀请我到中国并要带我去四周转转。我知道这是一个我不能接受的邀请，但是它使我开心并让我感到温暖。
During our life time we have attended our children’s graduations, weddings, new born grandchildren and their graduations and weddings. We attended our parents’ 50th’s wedding celebrations and their funerals – celebrating their lives, plus the funerals of several of our siblings. A life of celebration of ‘come and see’s.
在我们的一生中我们参加了我们孩子们的毕业典礼、婚礼、孙儿孙女的出生以及他们的毕业典礼和婚礼。我们参加了我们父母亲的50周年结婚纪念日以及庆祝他们的一生的葬礼，也参加了几个我们同胞兄弟的葬礼。对人的一生的‘来看看’的庆祝仪式。
Last summer an invitation came to witness our granddaughter’s wedding in California. Although my dear husband could not go, I flew there on my own. Many invitations we are not able to accept because of distance, time or money. At this time of the year, visits from or with our family is sparse because of the distance. No matter how far away our family is, in four or five different states, they are as near to us as our hearts.
去年夏天我们接到了邀请去见证我们孙女在加州的婚礼。尽管我亲爱的老伴不能一同前往，我自己还是飞去了。由于距离、时间或经济的原因很多邀请我们不能接受。在每年的这个时候，由于距离的原因我们家庭之间的互访比较少。不管我们的家庭距离有多远，在不同的四到五个州，他们同我们心的距离一样近。
When I visited my Aunt Irene, she introduced me to the thought of the many uses of the word – Come – in the Bible. Such a small word, a word you can slide over easily in the scripture…and yet it brings various responses in our hearts and minds.
当我拜访我的婶婶Irene的时候，她向我介绍了在圣经上‘来’这个词的许多用法。如此一个小小的单词，一个你在经文中很容易不经意而带过的单词， 然而它对我们的心灵和思想带来多种多样的反应。
God invites us, through Christ Jesus, to love Him and be His. I checked, the word come, in its various forms is used 1,638 times all the way from Genesis to Revelation. I accepted His invitation to enter my heart and be baptized to complete my obedience 71 years ago. The older I grow, the more dear He becomes in my life.
上帝通过基督耶稣邀请我们爱他并成为他的臣民。我检查后发现，‘来’这个单词，从创世纪到启示录，以各种各样的形式一共出现了1,638次。在71年前我打开了我的心灵，接受了他的邀请并完成顺从的洗礼。随着年龄的增长，他在我的生命中越来越亲切。
How blessed it is to be loved and wanted, to find a lasting friendship in Jesus. A friendship that is deeper than any other. It is Spirit-Deep. And I find this friendship invitation in the following verses.
能被爱和被想念，在耶稣里找到永存的友谊是多么的福分啊！一种比其他任何东西更加深沉的友谊。它在心灵深处。我在下面的诗篇中找到这种友谊的邀请。
Come, children, listen closely; I’ll give you a lesson in God worship. Psalm 34:11
众弟子啊，仔细聆听，我将教你们敬拜神。诗篇34:11All believers, come here and listen, let me tell you what God did for me. I called out to him with my mouth, my tongue shaped the sounds of music. If I had been cozy with evil, the Lord would never have listened. But he most surely did listen, he came on the double when he heard my prayer. Blessed be God: he didn’t turn a deaf ear, he stayed with me, loyal in his love. Psalm 66:16:20
所有信神的人，来这里听吧，让我告诉你上帝为我所行之事。我用口求告他，我用舌头发出音乐之音。若我同邪恶为伍，主必不听。但神确实听到了，他听到了我的祷告并加倍给予我。称颂神，他没有不听，他同我一道，对我慈爱。诗篇66:16:20There is plenty of room for you in my Father’s home. If that weren’t so, would I have told you that I’m on my way to get a room ready for you? And if I’m on my way to get your room ready, I’ll come back and get you so you can live where I live. John 14:2-4
在我父的家里有许多住处。若是没有，我也早已告诉你们了。我若去为你们预备了地方，就必会来接你们到我那里去。约翰福音14:2-4“Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you.” Revelations 3:20
看啊，我站在门外敲门。若有听见我的声音就开门的，我会立刻近来同你们坐席。启示录3:20“Come!” say the Spirit and the Bride. Whoever hears, echo, “Come!” Is anyone thirsty? Come! All who will, come and drink, Drink freely of the Water of Life! He who testifies to all these things says it again: “I’m on my way! I’ll be there soon!” Yes! Come, Master Jesus! Revelations 22:17, 20
圣灵和新妇都说‘来’。听到的人都应说，‘来！’。口渴的人也当来。所有愿意的，都当来随意饮取生命之水。证明这一切的人又说‘我在路上，快来了！’主耶稣啊，来吧！启示录22:17,20。