I was enjoying the start of my first whitewater rafting experience—until I heard the roar of the rapids up ahead. My emotions were flooded with feelings of uncertainty, fear, and insecurity at the same time. Riding through the whitewater was a first-rate, white-knuckle experience! And then, suddenly, it was over. The guide in the back of the raft had navigated us through. I was safe—at least until the next set of rapids. 

我坐在橡皮艇上，享受首次在湍急水域漂筏的乐趣，突然听到前方传来激流的咆哮声。霎时，我心里泛起疑虑和恐惧不安，五味杂陈。漂筏运动真是叫人冷汗直冒的体验！接下来，我们又进入了平缓的水流。坐在橡皮艇后边的向导带我们驶过了激流，现在我安全了，起码在进入下一波激流之前是如此。

Transitions in our lives can be like whitewater experiences. The inevitable leaps from one season of life to the next—college to career, changing jobs, living with parents to living alone or with a spouse, career to retirement, youth to old age—are all marked by uncertainty and insecurity. 

人生的变迁就像漂筏一样，必然会从一个阶段跳到另一个阶段──从念大学到工作；转换职场；从与父母同住到搬出去自己一个人住，或与配偶同住；从工作到退休；从年轻到年老。所有这些转换中，都隐含着未知与不安。

In one of the most significant transitions recorded in Old Testament history, Solomon assumed the throne from his father David. I’m sure he was filled with uncertainty about the future. His father’s advice? “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. . . . For the  God, my God, is with you” (1 Chron. 28:20). 

旧约历史记载着许多重要的转换期，所罗门接续他父亲大卫作王就是一例。我相信他当时对未来也是战战兢兢，没有把握。那么，他父亲给他的忠告是什么呢？“你当刚强壮胆去行！……因为耶和华上帝就是我的上帝，与你同在”（历代志上28章20节）。

We’ll have our fair share of tough transitions in life. But with God in our raft we’re not alone. Keeping our eyes on the One who is navigating the rapids brings joy and security. He’s taken lots of others through before.

在每个人的一生中，一定都会经历艰难的转换期。但有上帝在我们的橡皮艇上，就不会感到孤单。只需全心仰望带领我们驶过激流的上帝，祂会带给我们喜乐与平安。祂已经带领了许多人安然渡过。

9 “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for theLord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsakehim, he will reject you forever. 10 Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.”

11 Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, its storerooms, its upper parts, its inner rooms and the place of atonement. 12 He gave him the plans of all that the Spirithad put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the Lord and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things. 13 He gave him instructions for the divisions of the priests and Levites, and for all the work of serving in the temple of the Lord, as well as for all the articles to be used in its service.14 He designated the weight of gold for all the gold articles to be used in various kinds of service, and the weight of silver for all the silver articles to be used in various kinds of service: 15 the weight of gold for the gold lampstands and their lamps, with the weight for each lampstand and its lamps; and the weight of silver for each silver lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand; 16 the weight of gold for each table for consecrated bread; the weight of silver for the silver tables;17 the weight of pure gold for the forks, sprinkling bowls and pitchers; the weight of gold for each gold dish; the weight of silver for each silver dish; 18 and the weight of the refined gold for the altar of incense. He also gave him the plan for the chariot, that is, the cherubim of gold that spread their wings and overshadow the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

19 “All this,” David said, “I have in writing as a result of the Lord’s hand on me, and he enabled me to understand all the details of the plan.”

20 David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.