05月22日 一年的第143天 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
讀經:詩124-126篇
第124章主要在講:「我們得幫助在乎倚靠耶和華的名」。
一.以色列人要說:若不是耶和華幫助我們,124:1
1.若不是耶和華幫助我們,當人起來攻擊我們、124:2
向我們發怒的時候,就把我們活活地吞了124:3。
2.那時,波濤必漫過我們,河水必淹沒我們,124:4
狂傲的水必淹沒我們。124:5
二.耶和華是應當稱頌的!他沒有把我們當野食交給他們吞吃〔原文是牙齒〕。124:6
1.我們好像雀鳥,從捕鳥人的網羅裏逃脫;網羅破裂,我們逃脫了。124:7
2.我們得幫助,是在乎倚靠造天地之耶和華的名。124:8
◎心得分享:〔大衛上行之詩〕本篇分為二段,第一段是講如果上帝沒有幫助,早就死定了,第二段講應當稱頌,在真實中上帝有幫助,所以能在網羅裡逃脫掉了。我們得幫助是在乎倚靠造天地之耶和華的名,提摩太前書6章17節「你要囑咐那些今世富足的人,不要自高,也不要倚靠無定的錢財;只要倚靠那厚賜百物給我們的享受的神。」,求神幫助我們倚靠祂。
第125章主要在講:「倚靠耶和華的人,永不動搖」。
一.倚靠耶和華的人好像錫安山,永不動搖。125:1
眾山怎樣圍繞耶路撒冷,耶和華也照樣圍繞他的百姓,從今時直到永遠。125:2
二.惡人的杖不常落在義人的分上,免得義人伸手作惡。125:3
三.耶和華啊,求你善待那些為善和心裏正直的人。125:4
至於那偏行彎曲道路的人,耶和華必使他和作惡的人一同出去受刑。願平安歸於以色列!125:5
◎心得分享:〔上行之詩〕本篇分成三段,分別講到三個不同的對象,第一段是倚靠耶和華的人,第二段惡人作惡,第三段耶和華善待心裏正直的人。在第三節很特別的一段話,「惡人的杖不常落在義人的分上,免得義人伸手作惡」,「杖」代表的是一種「權力」,記得聽過這樣的話,「絕對的權力,絕對的腐化」,上帝沒有把太多的權力給我們,是因為如果我們有太多權力,就會變成一個作惡的惡人。
第126章主要在講:「流淚撒種必歡呼收割」。
一.當耶和華將那些被擄的帶回錫安的時候,我們好像做夢的人。126:1
1.我們滿口喜笑、滿舌歡呼的時候,外邦中就有人說:耶和華為他們行了大事!126:2
2.耶和華果然為我們行了大事,我們就歡喜。126:3
二.耶和華啊,求你使我們被擄的人歸回,好像南地的河水復流。126:4
1.流淚撒種的,必歡呼收割!126:5
2.那帶種流淚出去的,必要歡歡樂樂地帶禾捆回來!126:6
◎心得分享:〔上行之詩〕本篇分為二段,第一段是「期待」的想像,神行了大事,我們就歡喜,第二段是「期待」的禱告,求你使我們被擄的人歸回,好像南地的河水復流。最後的二節是以「流淚與歡呼喜樂」,作為結束,「沒有耕耘,就沒有收獲」,正如彼得前書1章6-7節「因此,你們是大有喜樂;但如今,在百般的試煉中暫時憂愁,叫你們的信心既被試驗,就比那被火試驗仍然能壞的金子更顯寶貴,可以在耶穌基督顯現的時候得著稱讚、榮耀、尊貴。」
今天: | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
昨天: | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
總計: | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
"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。