“从前引导你们、传神之道给你们的人，你们要想念他们，效法他们的信心，留心看他们为人的结局。” - 来 13:7

当我们想到我们蒙召奉耶稣的名去爱和尊重的那些邻舍时，我们也要记着，领导我们的人也是我们的邻舍，爱和尊重他们也是重要的。

我们当中大部份人都欣赏优秀的领袖，我们一般都会尊敬领导我们的人。所以，领导人忠心服事，是非常重要的；他们需要尽心竭力来获得和维护人们对他们的信任。

我们当中大部份人也明白，作领导人不容易。领导人是被委派或被选拔出来的，他们的责任是引导我们作决定和带动整个群体的发展；面对危机和挣扎时，他们更需要智慧来领导众人。

和写希伯来书那个年代一样，我们今天的教会群体，也有基督徒牧者和其他宗教领袖。当他们致力以敬虔的智慧来领导我们时，我们需要去爱和尊敬他们，为他们祷告。

在今天，很多基督徒在接种疫苗、种族公义、气候变化、性倾向等等事情上采取对立的阵线，真是可悲。陷在这些张力中，基督徒领袖若要指引人以可行的方式来避免右倾或左倾带来的后果，就格外艰巨了。

就让我们忠心为我们的宗教领袖祷告吧。惟愿他们能放胆事奉，有聪明智慧，能够引导我们“行公义，好怜悯，存谦卑的心，与〔我们〕的神同行”（弥迦书 6:8）。

（AM）

祷告

耶稣啊，我们为那些以仆人般样式服事你的教会领袖感谢你。求你指引他们刚强壮胆，智慧聪明地领导我们，又愿我们每一个人也忠心服事你。阿们。

希伯来书 13:7-17

7从前引导你们、传神之道给你们的人，你们要想念他们，效法他们的信心，留心看他们为人的结局。
8耶稣基督昨日、今日、一直到永远，是一样的。
9你们不要被那诸般怪异的教训勾引了去，因为人心靠恩得坚固才是好的，并不是靠饮食。那在饮食上专心的从来没有得着益处。
10我们有一祭坛，上面的祭物是那些在帐幕中供职的人不可同吃的。
11原来牲畜的血被大祭司带入圣所做赎罪祭，牲畜的身子被烧在营外。
12所以，耶稣要用自己的血叫百姓成圣，也就在城门外受苦。
13这样，我们也当出到营外，就了他去，忍受他所受的凌辱。
14我们在这里本没有常存的城，乃是寻求那将来的城。
15我们应当靠着耶稣，常常以颂赞为祭献给神，这就是那承认主名之人嘴唇的果子。
16只是不可忘记行善和捐输的事，因为这样的祭是神所喜悦的。
17你们要依从那些引导你们的，且要顺服，因他们为你们的灵魂时刻警醒，好像那将来交帐的人。你们要使他们交的时候有快乐，不致忧愁，若忧愁就于你们无益了。

Pray For Leaders

“Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” - Hebrews 13:7

As we think about the neighbors we are called to love and respect for Jesus’ sake, it’s important to remember that our leaders are our neighbors too.

Most of us appreciate good leadership and generally look up to our leaders. So it’s very important for leaders to serve faithfully. To the best of their ability, they need to earn and maintain the trust that people have in them.

Most of us also realize that being a leader is not easy. Leaders are appointed or elected to guide us in making decisions and moving us ahead as a community. And they are called to lead wisely in times of crisis and struggle.

In our church communities today, as in the time when Hebrews was written, we have Christian pastors and other religious leaders. And we need to love, respect, and pray for them as they aim to lead with godly wisdom.

Sadly, many Christians today are polarized over vaccinations, racial justice, climate change, sexuality, and more. Within these tensions, it can be especially difficult for Christian leaders to call people to follow Jesus in practical ways without fallout from the right or the left.

Let’s pray faithfully for our religious leaders. May they serve boldly and wisely in calling us “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with [our] God” (Micah 6:8).

(AM)

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for servant-leaders for your church. Guide them to lead boldly and well, and may we all serve you faithfully. Amen.