01月20日讀經 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
經文:伯15-17章 (第二回合辯論)
第15章主要在講:「以利法責備:你不敬畏神,你是有罪,從你口裡說出來的話就知道」v4-5。以利法說:1.你說的話是虛空無益無濟於事的理論v1-3,2.你講的話,就會定你有罪與不是v4-6,3.你知道什麼是我們不明白的,我們這裏有年紀比你父親老的v10,4.神用溫和話安慰你,你就反對神v13,5.你要聽我的勸告;我把我的經驗告訴你:A.惡人一生劬勞痛苦v20,B.惡人不信自己能從黑暗轉回v22,C.惡人漂流在外乞食v23,D.惡人以驕傲攻擊上帝V25,E.惡人的虛假使他成為他的報應v31-35。
◎心得分享:以利法「倚老賣老」,他先否定了約伯的話是虛空的,雖然他講的有些話是常識,就像惡人受苦,惡人受報應..等等,但問題是約伯要的不是常識,他要的是「認同、安慰」,但是以利法的話,約伯聽不出,也得不到想要的,約伯感受到的是「以利法」在論斷他是一個「惡人」,才會有今天的「惡果」,這一章提醒我們,我們是否常常也像以利法這樣的方式,對待有需要幫助的人呢?求神讓我們有智慧去幫助別人,而不是一味定別人的罪。
第16章主要在講:「約伯表達:你們安慰人,卻叫人愁煩,說的是無窮虛空的話」v2-3。約伯說:1.你們的安慰叫我愁煩v2,2.你們若處在我的境遇,我也會聯合言語攻擊你們,向你們搖頭v4,3.上帝把我扔在惡人的手中v11,4.神把A.我的頸項掐住v12,B.我成為箭靶子,C.我的肺腑、膽,傾倒在地v13,D.我的臉,因哭泣發紫v17,5.我的朋友譏笑我,我向上帝眼淚汪汪v20,我都快死了,希望有人為我向上帝抗辯,像人為朋友抗辯一樣v21-22。
◎心得分享:約伯聽了以利法講的之後,他好像「一隻受到驚嚇的貓,躲在牆角,貓髮豎立,貓爪張開,預備對靠近的任何東西展開攻擊」,他有說不出來的痛苦,而他所曾經說出來的話,全部被否認了,上帝徹徹底底的把約伯瓦解,連最後的朋友們,都沒站在他這一邊,這讓我們學到「屬靈同伴朋友,雖然重要,但是我們要知道,人不是惟一可靠,惟一的依靠只有上帝」。
第17章主要在講:「約伯表達:他痛苦心靈消耗、日子滅盡、成了民中笑談,願上帝來作保」v1,3,6。約伯說:1.我都快死了,到處有人嘲弄我;我整天面對他們的冷笑v1-2,2.上帝啊,求你為我作保;除你以外,沒有別人肯證實我的話v3,求你不要讓他們勝過我v4,3.他們用話攻擊我;吐唾沫在我的臉上,使我眼睛瞎了;我的手腳消瘦像影兒v7,4.自以為正直高尚的人,譴責我不虔不敬,可是讓他們都來站在我面前;我實在找不出一個賢明的人v8-10,5. 我的日子已經過去,我的計劃粉碎;我的希望也已幻滅v11,我惟一的盼望是陰間,當我下陰間躺下長眠的時候,「希望」會跟我一道去嗎?v12-16
◎心得分享:「哀莫大於心死」,約伯的心,差不多被磨的只剩下「下陰間的希望」,雖然他曾經有過希望有過理想,但是當一切都「幻滅」,在熊熊火焰,燃燒之後,除了灰燼還能留下什麼,但是有人說:「幻滅是成長的開始」,誰不希望上帝祝福?誰會希望上帝降災呢?最美的是「壓傷的蘆葦,神不折斷;將殘的燈火,神不吹滅」(太12:20),神總是在最後關頭,替我們伸出援手。
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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。