06月07日 一年的第159天 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
讀經:箴25-28章
第25章主要在講:「與君王的關係.v6」。
所羅門的箴言,強調將事隱祕乃 神的榮耀;將事察清乃君王的榮耀。天之高,地之厚,君王之心也測不透。除去王面前的惡人,國位就靠公義堅立。不要在王面前妄自尊大;不要在大人的位上站立。寧可有人說:請你上來,強如在你覲見的王子面前叫你退下。不要冒失出去與人爭競,免得至終被他羞辱,你就不知道怎樣行了。提醒一句話說得合宜,就如金蘋果在銀網子裏。恆常忍耐可以勸動君王;柔和的舌頭能折斷骨頭。勸勉你的仇敵若餓了,就給他飯吃;若渴了,就給他水喝; 因為,你這樣行就是把炭火堆在他的頭上;耶和華也必賞賜你。警告吃蜜過多是不好的;考究自己的榮耀也是可厭的。人不制伏自己的心,好像毀壞的城邑沒有牆垣。
◎心得分享:有人說「伴君如伴虎」,是在說與君王相處的時候,要特別小心,君王好像老虎一樣可怕,弄不好可能會被老虎吃掉,這一章在告訴我們與君王相處,第一是不要去測透君王的心,因為是很難測,第二是要謙卑不要在王面前妄自尊大搶位子,這樣才能避免得至終被君王羞辱,第三是在君王面前要說合宜的的話,第四是要恆常忍耐柔和就可以勸動君王,第五是要制伏自己的心,不要存著報復的心,仇敵餓給他吃,渴給他喝。
第26章主要在講:「與愚昧人相處.v4」。
強調不要照愚昧人的愚妄話回答他,恐怕你與他一樣。要照愚昧人的愚妄話回答他,免得他自以為有智慧。提醒藉愚昧人手寄信的,是砍斷自己的腳,自受損害。箴言在愚昧人的口中,好像荊棘刺入醉漢的手。懶惰人放手在盤子裏,就是向口撤回也以為勞乏。懶惰人看自己比七個善於應對的人更有智慧。警告好爭競的人煽惑爭端,就如餘火加炭,火上加柴一樣。挖陷坑的,自己必掉在其中;滾石頭的,石頭必反滾在他身上。
◎心得分享:這一章「與愚昧人相處」,有一點奇怪,說「不要照愚昧人的愚妄話回答他,恐怕你與他一樣。要照愚昧人的愚妄話回答他,免得他自以為有智慧。」,到底要不要用愚昧人的愚妄話回答愚昧人呢?其實聖經是在告訴我們,第一個是要小心自己說話,不要像愚妄人說話的方式,讓人聽了不舒服,第二個是「因我們愛愚昧人,要教導愚昧人,不要他繼續愚昧下去」,所以我們有時偶爾就會用愚妄人說話的方式,向愚昧人說話,讓愚昧人知道平常說話是很愚昧的,能改過向善。當然智慧人與愚昧人差別,不是外在說話的方式,而是他內心內在動機心態。
第27章主要在講:「與處理事觀念.v23」。
提醒不要為明日自誇,因為一日要生何事,你尚且不能知道。要別人誇獎你,不可用口自誇;等外人稱讚你,不可用嘴自稱。當面的責備強如背地的愛情。朋友加的傷痕出於忠誠;仇敵連連親嘴卻是多餘。膏油與香料使人心喜悅;朋友誠實的勸教也是如此甘美。通達人見禍藏躲;愚蒙人前往受害。鐵磨鐵,磨出刃來;朋友相感也是如此。勸勉看守無花果樹的,必吃樹上的果子;敬奉主人的,必得尊榮。你要詳細知道你羊群的景況,留心料理你的牛群;因為資財不能永有,冠冕豈能存到萬代?
◎心得分享:我們作事,總是希望得到朋友的稱讚,不希望得到朋友的責備,有時我們因為想要獲得別人的肯定,常常先「用口自誇」,但是到後來,卻是像「氣球被戳破」,這一章主要在告訴我們作事,第一是「要謙卑,不要自誇」,因為我們根本不會知道,會發生什麼事,第二是「要能接受朋友的責備,拒絕背地的愛情」,這樣才能「精益求精」,第三是「要尊敬事奉主人,並留心作好自己的工作,留心料理你的牛群」,這樣才能保有「資財」。
第28章主要在講:「與律法的行為.v4」。
提醒邦國因有罪過,君王就多更換;因有聰明知識的人,國必長存。違棄律法的,誇獎惡人;遵守律法的,卻與惡人相爭。謹守律法的,是智慧之子;與貪食人作伴的,卻羞辱其父。
警告遮掩自己罪過的,必不亨通;承認離棄罪過的,必蒙憐恤。常存敬畏的,便為有福;心存剛硬的,必陷在禍患裏。行動正直的,必蒙拯救;行事彎曲的,立時跌倒。勉勵耕種自己田地的,必得飽食;追隨虛浮的,足受窮乏。誠實人必多得福;想要急速發財的,不免受罰。告誡看人的情面乃為不好;人因一塊餅枉法也為不好。人有惡眼想要急速發財,卻不知窮乏必臨到他身。責備人的,後來蒙人喜悅,多於那用舌頭諂媚人的。
◎心得分享:謹守律法的,是智慧之子,要守律法,第一是要懂得「與惡人相爭」,第二是「心存敬畏神的心,承認離棄罪過」,第三是「行動正直」,第四是「耕種自己田地的,必得飽食」,第五是「不要看人情面,更不要想要急速發財」,這樣就能謹守律法,求神幫助我們能「敬畏神,謹守律法」。
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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。