Hands // 雙手

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What unites our hearts as husband and wife beyond our own biological family is God’s family.
除了我們自己的家庭以外，神的家庭也一樣聯繫著我們兩夫妻的心。

One of my favorite authors, Henri Nouwen wrote a book called “The Return of the Prodigal Son” based on his contemplation of Rembrandt’s painting of the same name which hangs in The Hermitage in St. Petersburg.  As the son returns to his father, he is welcomed by a loving embrace depicted in the painting: muscular, intentional, affirming and holding, on the left side.  On the other, the touch is different: gentle, caressing, light, tender, comforting, even elegant.  Both are covering; both are protective. It all begins with the hands, masculine and feminine. Both complete the family which is where we find home.

We all long to come home.  Whether if it’s after a long day of classes, or an eventful work day, or even a day at an amusement park, by the end of the day we just want to rest and be at peace.  Sometimes it helps to lean on someone and tell them about the good, the bad and the ugly.  All it takes is someone to say “Everything’s going to be O.K.”  That’s what family is for, regardless of how imperfect it is.  Family goes through cycles in life, riding through the ups and downs but nothing will stop us from celebrating victories, persevering through trials, and hoping for dreams together.  Not only is this true for my family but also in God’s family, the greater community where we learn to serve as Christ served.

My husband, Gary and I have been married for 21 years now, journeying along in God’s adventure.  We have very different styles in the way we perceive and do things and nothing draws more spirited dialogue than a discussion about raising our own children.  Maybe this is what keeps our family life colorful.  He helps troubleshoot my IT issues; I try to help him understand his dreams from the night before.  I’ll confirm a hunch he has, and he’ll help me decide blue or red.  What he loves the most, though, is when he hears me gasping for air because I’m laughing so hard at his jokes.  What I love the most is when we can hold hands walking down a fairway during a golf game.

What unites our hearts as husband and wife beyond our own biological family is God’s family.  I have been given so much, God’s love, His provision, His freedom, His healing.  When I frequently remind myself of this truth, my heart is so overwhelmed, it overflows.  As partners, we want to reach out to others to be God’s family.  We love to dive into God’s word and let God expand our minds in the knowledge of Him.  We yearn to receive His promises and learn to walk with courage in obedience. We want to practice what we know, live authentically, lift each other up, be accountable to one another, all the while, modeling for the next generation what partnership in Christian marriage looks like.  We are by no means near-perfect but it’s real.  When you enter our lives, what you get is reality TV.

In the words of Teresa of Avila (1515–1582):

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours…

Let us be hands of Christ wrapped with grace to reach out to touch and care for others.  We are compelled by His love, because it is in His most perfect embrace that we find WE have arrived home.

Garland Young-Cheng

我個人其中最喜歡的作者之一Henri Nouwen從前根據著名畫家倫勃朗掛在聖彼德堡在埃爾米塔的作品“浪子的回頭”寫了一本同名的書。當浪子回歸父親時，父親就如在畫中描繪的以充滿愛的擁抱來歡迎兒子的回來。畫中的左邊描述出那擁抱是充滿力量的、是有意的、肯定和保持著的。畫中的右邊，那擁抱是相反的：溫柔、撫摸、輕的、柔然、舒服、甚至優雅的。兩者都覆蓋著，兩者都保護著。一切都從雙手開始，男性和女性的特質都有。兩者讓我們的家庭得以完整，這就是我們的家。

我們都期待回家。無論是上了一整天的課程、或是工作了一天、或是在遊樂園玩了一天，一天的完結時，我們渴望安靜跟休息。有時候當我們依靠著一個人，告訴他一天的好與壞會有幫助；有時候，有人跟我們說一句“一切都會OK”就已經夠了。家人就是有這作用，無論他們有多麽不完美。家庭會經歷生命不同的階段，承受人生的高低起伏，但沒有東西能阻擋我們一同慶祝勝利，堅持到底去對抗考驗，為共同的夢想充滿希望。不僅我們的家庭是這樣，在神的家庭（那個我們學習著如基督般事奉的大社區）也都是這樣。

我丈夫Gary和我已經結婚21年了。我們一同經歷神給予我們的一切。我們有不同的風格，也經常有不同的看法。對於怎樣養育孩子，我們總會有著激烈的對話，或者這就是讓我們家庭生活維持精彩的關鍵。他幫我解決電腦問題，而我就幫他明白昨晚發的夢；我幫他肯定他的直覺，而他就幫我決定藍色或紅色。但他最愛就是聽到我因為聽到他的笑話開懷大笑到快沒有氣的聲音，而我最愛就是我們能在高爾夫球場球道上手牽手的感覺。

除了我們自己的家庭以外，神的家庭也一樣聯繫著我們兩夫妻的心。神給予我很多 – 祂的愛、祂提供的一切、祂的自由、祂的醫治。當我經常提醒自己這個真理時，我的心就被淹沒，並溢出愛。作為拍檔，我們想一起帶其他人進入神的家庭，我們渴望潛進神的話語裡讓神擴濶我們認識祂的程度；我們渴望接受祂的承諾，學習用勇氣和順服跟神同步；我們想實踐我們所知道的、活得真實、互相扶持、互相鼓勵，而且同時為下一代活出在基督裡的婚姻的模樣。我們絕對不完美，但是非常真實。當你進入我們的生活時，你看到的就像電視裡的真人秀一樣。

就如德蘭修女(1515–1582) 所說：

神沒有身體，除了你的，
在世上沒有手，沒有腳，除了你的。。。

讓我們包含著基督的恩典與關心做神的雙手去關愛別人。我們以祂的愛為推動力，因祂最完美的擁抱讓我們發現我們已回家了。

Garland Young-Cheng

Image credit: flickr.com/thomashawk

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