01月17日讀經 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
經文:伯04-07章
第04章主要在講:「以利法的責備:一切都是報應」。以利法說:1.你厭煩人的話嗎?你曾教導、堅固許多軟弱人,為什麼現在你自己遇到禍患就害怕v2-5。2.你不是倚靠敬畏上帝,希望自己的行為純正嗎?v6。3.你回想無辜的人和正直的人,有誰被滅亡剪除v7。4.根據我各人經驗,這是報應,種的是罪惡毒害,收的也這是這樣,惡有惡報。V8。5.依我各人屬靈經驗,沒有一個人是公義的,比上帝還公義v.17,人的死是在早晚之間v20。
◎心得分享:從「以利法」讓我們看到,我們在看事情,總是用我們的經驗在看事情,這種看法往往容易導致錯誤,傷害到已經受苦的人,再一次受到傷害,以利法的話,一味的指責,無法安慰約伯。這讓我們學到,千萬不要把我們「各人主觀經驗,硬套在別人客觀事實上」,畢竟每一個人的情況都未必是一樣。
第05章主要在講:「以利法的安慰:這是全能者的管教」。以利法說:1.人的一生,像火星飛騰v7,2.我曾咒詛愚妄人的住處v3,但後來我仰望神,將我的事交託給神v8,3.我相信被上帝責打的人是有福的,不要輕看上帝的管教v17,因為A.上帝打傷你,必醫治你v18,B.你遭難神必救你,災禍無法害你v19-21,C.你遇災害也不害怕,田間野獸,必與你和好v22-23,D.你必帳棚平安,一無所失v24,E.你的子孫後裔發達像地上青草v25,F.你要聽這是與你有益的,我們已經考察,你必壽高年邁,才歸墳墓。
◎心得分享:以利法先用責備,再用安慰的話說,可以說是「硬軟兼施」的想要說服約伯,專心看一下,好像我們慣用的說法,真的是很好的說詞,對某些人有用,但是約伯來說一點也不能安慰他的心,這提醒我們「經驗」,只是作參考,若沒有神的動工,說再多話,只會讓別人厭煩,就像以利戶的話讓約伯感到厭煩。
第06章主要在講:「約伯的反駁:請提出我有錯的證據」。約伯說:1.我希望把我煩惱災害,放在天平稱一稱,比海沙更重,所以我說話急躁v3,2.我希望上帝把我壓碎剪除v9,因我沒有違背上帝的話v10,但是我現在已經沒有等候忍耐的氣力v11-13,3.將要灰心離棄不敬畏神的人,他的朋友應當以慈愛對待他,但是我的兄弟不是這樣,A.是詭詐的,像流乾的河道,不能實際安慰人v15,B.是結伴到荒野死亡的客旅v.18-19,3.請你們教導我,使我明白我在何事有錯v24,正直的話,力量是大的,4.你們責備,是在責備甚麼,絕望人的講論如風,你們還要反駁他講的話嗎?v26
◎心得分享:約伯身上的痛,需要的他朋友的慈愛相待,而不是「說教」,約伯開始用指責他的朋友講話沒有安慰他,沒而給他更多的絕望,這在提醒我們,我們常常自覺的義正詞嚴用愛分享,但是別人聽了,卻是覺得是在「傷口上撒鹽」,所以我們要小心我們的表達方式。
第07章主要在講:「約伯:我若有罪求神赦免除掉,不要讓我在塵土中」。約伯說:1.我的人生,是在爭戰中渡過v1-4,2.我的身上長滿了蟲子和癬;皮膚潰爛破裂v5,3.我的生命是不見福樂v7,是虛空v.16,4.我的靈愁苦,口要對上帝說:A.神你竟然防守我,B.你用夢驚駭我,C.我算什麼,你竟看我為大,鑒察我試驗我v17,D.我若有罪,你何不赦免我過犯,除掉我的罪孽,我不久就要進墳墓;你要找我,我已經不在了。V21
◎心得分享:約伯覺得他身上實在痛苦,在他表達痛苦後,他向上帝禱告,希望上帝能赦免他除掉他的罪,如果上帝不趕快這樣作,他死了進入塵土,上帝就再也找不到他了。痛苦中向神禱告,雖然問題還在,但是卻是最好舒發痛苦的方法。
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"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."(Gal. 6:14)
THEY were living to themselves; self with its hopes, and promises and dreams, still had hold of them; but the Lord began to fulfill their prayers. They had asked for contrition, and had surrendered for it to be given them at any cost, and He sent them sorrow; they had asked for purity, and He sent them thrilling anguish; they had asked to be meek, and He had broken their hearts; they had asked to be dead to the world, and He slew all their living hopes; they had asked to be made like unto Him, and He placed them in the furnace, sitting by "as a refiner and purifier of silver," until they should reflect His image; they had asked to lay hold of His cross, and when He had reached it to them it lacerated their hands.
They had asked they knew not what, nor how, but He had taken them at their word, and granted them all their petitions. They were hardly willing to follow Him so far, or to draw so night to Him. They had upon them an awe and fear, as Jacob at Bethel, or Eliphaz in the night visions, or as the apostles when they thought that they had seen a spirit, and knew not that it was Jesus. They could almost pray Him to depart from them, or to hide His awfulness. They found it easier to obey than to suffer, to do than to give up, to bear the cross than to hang upon it. But they cannot to back, for they have come too near the unseen cross, and its virtues have pierced too deeply within them. He is fulfilling to them His promise, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (John 12:32).
But now at last their turn has come. Before, they had only heard of the mystery, but now they feel it. He has fastened on them His look of love, as He did on Mary and Peter, and they can but choose to follow.
Little by little, from time to time, by fitting gleams, the mystery of His cross shines out upon them. They behold Him lifted up, they gaze on the glory which rays from the wounds of His holy passion; and as they gaze they advance, and are changed into His likeness, and His name shines out throught them, for He dwells in them. They live alone with Him above, in unspeakable fellowship; willing to lack what others own (and what they might have had), and to be unlike all, so that they are only like Him.
Such, are they in all ages, "who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth."
Had they chosen for themselves, or their friends chosen for them, they would have chosen otherwise. They would have been brighter here, but less glorious in His Kingdom. They would have had Lot's portion, not Abraham's. If they had halted anywhere-if God had taken off His hand and let them stray back-what would they not have lost? What forfeits in the resurrection?
But He stayed them up, even against themselves. Many a time their foot had well night slipped; but He in mercy held them up. Now, even in this life, they know that all He did was done well. It was good to suffer here, that they might reign hereafter; to bear the cross below, for they shall wear the crown above; and that not their will but His was done on them and in them.
-Anonymous.
基督曾說過:「我心柔和謙卑,你們當學我的樣式,這樣你們心裏就必得享安息。」這兒有雙重的真理,有忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好的美德,這與傚法基督或信靠祂有相同的意義;同時因著你有這些美德,可以完全脫離亞當墮落的本性而有信靠主高尚的行為。
連帶而有的福份,是因著脫離罪惡和對基督初步信仰、期望,受基督忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好的靈引導並管理;當你具有這些德性,你的生命就有目的,是真理和生命的基督才會在你裏面,你不再掌權,而是基督在你裏面活著。除非你願在忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好裏治死老我,否則神聖愛的靈,因無立足之地而不能在你裏面產生;而當你又為不忍耐、驕傲所困擾之際,馬上完全捨己,求神施恩幫助。當你遇到難處就促使與神親近,最能使你忍耐接受神的幫助,我們對神有多少信心和期望就可得多少的啟示。
「這些雖然很簡短,但是真正確的教義,使我們因賜下的救恩而真正完全順服神的啟示下,也真正宣告承認三而一的真神。」現在願你有個思想:完全將我的心靈獻上,單單尋求救恩,直接藉著溫柔、謙卑、忍耐和與神和好的力量,使我的生命有屬天的德性。
「並且要作這更大的事,因為我往父那裡去。」約翰福音十四章12節
祈禱不是叫我們適於那偉大的工作;祈禱本身就是偉大的工作。我們以為祈禱,是叫我們得到較高的能力,去應付神的工作。但按照耶穌基督的眼光看,祈禱是我本已救贖的奇蹟,藉著神的能力,同時也是別人救贖的奇蹟。結果子之方法,是祈禱,但須記取的,這種祈禱是建立在救贖的痛苦,不是建立於我的痛苦。一個小孩能獲得祈禱的答覆,一個聰明人反而得不著。
你無論在那裡祈禱總是一種戰爭。不管神製造環境的方法怎樣,本分就是祈禱。切不可如此作想──「我所在的地方,不見得有用;」因為你不在的地方,你必沒有有用。無論神安排你在那裡,祈禱,常常向祂祈禱。「你們若奉我的名求甚麼,我必成就。」(約十四13)我們不肯祈禱,我們得不著奮興,就不肯祈禱,那就是靈性自私的極度形態。我們要依照神的指導而勞動,但祂指導我們的是祈禱,「所以你們當求莊稼的主,打發工人出去,收祂的莊稼。
通常的工人對於工作,是沒有興奮的,但是成功通常是工作勞作出來的;同樣基督的概念,沒有那些勞苦的聖徒是不會發現的。你慇勤祈禱,從神的立場看,是無時不發生效果的。當帕子揭開,一種說不出的驚奇必然發現,你可以看出你是慣於接受耶穌基督的命令的,已經為祂收穫了不少的靈魂。
「……亞伯拉罕信神……」羅馬書四章3節
亞伯拉罕的信心是向著神本身的,他認識帶領他的神,所以他對神有絕對的信心。
亞伯拉罕一生的秘訣在於他與神的友誼。他所認識的神是一位偉大、良善、信實的朋友。無怪乎他能聽神的話,從他自身所愛的本家本族出來,走向一條未知的道路。
除了信靠神的話語,我們是否已學會把自己全然交給神呢?神有無限的愛及力量,祂是與我們立約的主並永遠的好朋友。
經上告訴我們,亞伯拉罕因著信心而榮耀了神。最能榮耀神的辦法,乃是讓世人看見神是誰,以及祂的大能力。神並不希望藉著我們所能做的事,讓世人知道祂能做什麼;神也不用那些有乖謬性格的器皿。相反的,祂一直在找尋那些謙卑的人,並用這些人在世世代代中榮耀祂。