活在神的平安中

我们口口声声说想要和平，但大多数人追求的其实远比和平小得多。我们想要的是没有烦恼。我们想要电话不再响起，诊断结果一切正常，棘手的关系自行解决，银行账户余额恢复正常。于是，我们把和平当作一个终点，一旦一切顺遂，就能抵达。问题是，顺遂的时机少之又少，即便顺遂，平静也难以持久。总会有新的浪潮在我们身后袭来。

圣经所说的平安则截然不同。保罗在狱中写信给腓立比人时，并没有承诺他们会过上更轻松的生活。他告诉他们：“应当一无挂虑，只要凡事藉着祷告、祈求和感谢，将你们所要的告诉神。神所赐出人意外的平安，必在基督耶稣里保守你们的心怀意念。”（腓立比书 4:6-7）请注意这句话的含义。这种平安并非源于理解自身处境并得出一切都会好起来的结论。这种平安恰恰在你无法理解、在你身处困境却找不到任何理性理由保持平静之时降临。它如同守卫城门的士兵，守护着你的心灵。它并不依赖于风暴的平息，而是在风暴之中赐予。这正是耶稣在被钉十字架前夜赐予门徒的：“我留下平安给你们，我将我的平安赐给你们。我所赐的，不像世人所赐的。你们心里不要忧愁，也不要胆怯。”（约翰福音 14:27）

这是因为圣经中的平安（shalom）并非主要关乎感觉。它意味着完整、圆满，意味着万物本应有的状态。活在平安中，意味着与神建立正确的关系，并由此与万物建立正确的关系。以赛亚揭示了平安的奥秘：“坚心倚赖你的，你必保守他十分平安，因为他倚靠你。”（以赛亚书 26:3）因此，我们的不安最终并非源于环境因素。这是一个关系问题。奥古斯丁对此洞察透彻，他曾祈祷，愿我们的心在安息于神之前永无宁日。我们被造是为了在造物主的爱中找到安全感，而当我们从其他任何地方——比如我们的成就、名誉、对未来的掌控——寻求安全感时，我们如同在沙土上建造平安。

福音改变了一切。我们无法通过努力让自己平静下来而制造出真正的平安。平安不是一种技巧，而是一位神。保罗在谈到耶稣时坦言：“因他使我们和睦”（以弗所书 2:14）。在十字架上，基督承担了我们与神之间深重的敌意和混乱，使我们与神和好。“我们既因信称义，就藉着我们的主耶稣基督得与神和好”（罗马书 5:1）。战争结束了。我们不再是神的仇敌，不再急切地努力博取他的恩宠。我们是蒙爱的儿女，安稳稳当，我们的根基不在于我们的行为，而在于他已完成的救赎大工。守护你内心的平安并非一厢情愿，而是确凿无疑的现实：你与神隔绝的那件最糟糕的事，早已被永远地解决了。

那么，我们该如何活出这平安呢？我们呼气，我们吸气。我们坦诚地在神面前倾诉，以此来释放我们的焦虑。保罗并没有说要我们假装一切都好。他说，凡事藉着祷告、祈求，将你们的需要告诉神（腓立比书 4:6）。彼得也同样温柔地说道：“你们要将一切的忧虑卸给神，因为他顾念你们”（彼得前书 5:7）。隐藏的焦虑会在黑暗中滋长。而将焦虑带到光中，主动交托给爱我们的天父，焦虑的束缚便开始松动。然后，我们吸气。我们再次领受神的真理，认识神是谁，以及他所成就的一切。正如保罗所写，我们要让“基督的平安在我们心里作主”（歌罗西书 3:15），直到福音不再仅仅是我们所信的，而是我们全心全意倚靠的根基。

这是每日的功课，也是需要慢慢来的事。神的平安与其说是雷鸣般的震撼，不如说是学会好好呼吸。你会忘记，午饭前你可能无数次地把忧虑从神那里夺回来。没关系，你只需再次将它们交托给神。记住耶稣的邀请：“凡劳苦担重担的人，可以到我这里来，我就使你们得安息”（马太福音 11:28）。经过数月甚至数年，一些事情会发生改变。焦虑的本能会慢慢减弱。圣灵的果子，包括平安本身（加拉太书 5:22），在我们里面悄然成长。你会发现自己不再受制于下一波浪潮，因为你的生命锚定在浪潮无法触及的地方。

这平安是世界无法给予的，也是世界无法夺走的。那不是生活一帆风顺之人的平安，而是无论遭遇何种苦难，都深知自己被眷顾之人的平安。活出并呼吸着神的平安，就是学习一次次地呼吸，最终安息在我们一直归属的地方。

22/06/2026

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Planning your Visit

Why not plan a visit to try us out?

Whether this is your first time visiting a church or you’ve attended another church for years, we understand that visiting a new church can be a bit overwhelming. To help make it a bit easier, we’ve done our best to answer some questions you may have, so your first experience is a little less overwhelming.

Runnymede Christian Fellowship is a church based in Egham but serving a much larger geographical area. Those who call us home come from Egham, Virginia Water, Staines, Englefield Green, Egham Hythe, Pooley Green, Maidenhead, Ascot, Sunbury, Heathrow, Slough, Ashford, Thorpe, Windsor, Woking and beyond.

Our church is a community of believers who gather regularly to share life and demonstrate God's love. We do this by encouraging and serving each other and the community. We believe in the power of prayer and are always happy to pray for you.

Church - What to expect

Our Sunday service is available to stream online at 11 am. You can join us on Livestream or via Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube or X.

The Sunday Venue is Coopers Hall, Strodes College, Strodes College Lane in Egham, open to all, so if you would like to join us, please feel free to do so. If you have any questions, please call us on 01784 637010.

We run a physical Sunday School most weeks. If you would like your children to receive a weekly Sunday School teaching pack that you can do from home, please email us at admin@e-runnymede.co.uk so that we can send you the materials.

Sunday Venue at Coopers Hall, Strodes College, Strodes College Lane, Egham

Our Sunday service starts at 11.00 and typically lasts about 90 minutes.

We begin each service with lively worship, featuring songs from around the world, followed by inspiring, Bible-based teaching. All our sermons are recorded and are available as a podcast after the service.

We have a monthly cycle of Sunday services, with our Communion Service on the first Sunday of each month and an All-Age All-Nation Service on the second. Our other Sunday services include Spirit-focused and teaching services.

We have consciously adopted being a blended church, that is, both online and face-to-face. You are welcome to join us on Livestream or via Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, or X, or catch up with the recordings later.

Joining us in person

Visiting a new and unfamiliar church for the first time can be intimidating, but we want to ensure you feel welcome and enjoy your time with us. A friendly face will be waiting to meet you at the entrance and welcome you.

Doors open at 10:30 for coffee and prayer.
Our Sunday Service starts at 11:00 and typically runs for about 90 minutes, normally followed by tea and coffee.

Driving and Car Parking

Our Sunday Venue is Coopers Hall, Strodes College, Strodes College Lane, Egham, TW20 9DR, which has ample parking.
Click on the link for directions to RCF.

We have plenty of parking spaces right outside the building. Spaces are reserved near the entrance for anyone with mobility issues (those with a blue badge). Please let us know if you need to use one of these spaces, have any special needs, or require any assistance.

The car parking area is a public area, so please ensure that your children are under your control and that, for their safety, they do not run around in the car park.

Visiting with children?

Everyone is welcome at RCF. We encourage everyone, regardless of age, to join the service. We offer Sunday School, which begins after worship and runs concurrently with the sermon for 30 to 40 minutes, serving children aged 4 to 12. On the second Sunday of each month, we have a shorter All-Aged All Nations Service, where the children stay for the worship and the sermon.

After Church

We chat over coffee and biscuits after church on the first, third, fourth and fifth Sundays. If you want to get to know us better, why not join us for Sunday lunch with some of our members? The first meal is on us (Voucher provided). Please contact us and let us know. We would love to share a meal and get to know you better!

Fellowship Feast

Want to connect?

If you're interested in connecting with us, whether to join our online community or attend our Sunday gatherings, please use our connect card.

Any Questions?

If you have any questions, please review our FAQ page. Here, you’ll find answers to many common questions. If you still have questions or concerns, please contact us; we’d love to hear from you.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU TO RCF!!

To contact us or see a map, click here.

Our address is Virginia Lodge, Heritage Court, Egham
Virginia Lodge Ariel

13/02/2023