今天: | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
昨天: | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
總計: | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
"It is the Lord: let him do what seemth him good." (1 Sam. 3:18.)
SEE God in everything, and God will calm and color all that thou dost see!" It may be that the circumstances of our sorrows will not be removed, their condition will remain unchanged; but if Christ, as Lord and Master of our life, is brought into our grief and gloom, "HE will compass us about with songs of deliverance." To see HIM, and to be sure that His wisdom cannot err, His power cannot fail, His love can never change; to know that even His direst dealing with us are for our deepest spiritual gain, is to be able to say, in the midst of bereavement, sorrow, pain, and loss, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."
Nothing else but seeing God in everything will make us loving and patient with those who annoy and trouble us. They will be to us then only instruments for accomplishing His tender and wise purposes toward us, and we shall even find ourselves at last inwardly thanking them for the blessings they bring us. Nothing else will completely put an end to all murmuring or rebelling thoughts.
─H. W. Smith.
"Give me a new idea," I said.
While musing on a sleepless bed;
"A new idea that'll bring to earth,
A balm for souls of priceless worth;
That'll give men thoughts of things above,
And teach them how to serve and love,
That'll banish every selfish thought,
And rid men of the sins they've fought."
The new thought came, just how, I'll tell: `
Twas when on bened knee I fell,
And sought from HIM who knows full well,
The way our sorrow to expet.
SEE GOD IN ALL THINGS, great and small,
And give HIM praise whate'er befall,
In life or death, in pain or woe,
See God, and overcome thy foe.
I saw HIM in the morning light,
HE made the day shine clear and bright;
I saw HIM in the noontide hour,
And gained from HIM refreshing shower.
At eventide, when worn and sad,
HE gave me help, and made me glad.
At midnight, when on tossing bed,
My weary soul to sleep HE led.
I saw HIM when great losses came,
And found HE loved me just the same.
When heavy loads I had to bear,
I found HE lightened every care.
By sickness, sorrow, sore distress,
HE calmed my mind and gave me rest.
HE'S filled my heart with gladsome praise,
Since I gave HIM the upward gaze.
"Twas new to me, yet old to some,
This though that to me has become
A revelation of the way,
We all should live throughout the day;
For as each day unfolds its light,
We'll walk by faith and not by sight.
Life will, indeed, a blessiing bring,
If we SEE GOD IN EVERYTHING."
─A. E. Finn.
「那差我來的是與我同在,祂沒有撇下我獨自在這裏,因為我常做祂所喜悅的事。」約翰福音八章29節
這些字句不僅指出基督與父神同在的生命,同時也啟示與神交通的原則——單純的順服。在祂分別的談話中是何等強調這種觀念,在約翰福音中,祂三次題到:「如果你們愛我,就必遵守我的命令,我要求父賜下聖靈。父愛你們,我也愛你們;並且向你們顯現,我們要一同在你們裏面。」十五章也有三次:「假如我的話常在你們裏面,你們無論求什麼,都必給你們成就」;「如果你們遵守我的話,就常在我的愛裏面,正如我遵守父的話,就常在祂裏面一樣」;「假如你們遵守我的命令,就是我的朋友。」
順服證明並操練聖靈將神的愛澆灌在我們心裏,是從愛而產生,並引出愛來,更深而且更完全經驗神的愛和內住。這實在是對我們的要求,以證明我們住在神的愛裏,也為我們稱為基督的朋友的印記;不但是愛的應證,也是信的事實,「求就得著,因我們遵守祂的命令,做祂喜悅的事。」
神聖內住的享受需要單純而完全的順服,新約早就被人提到:「我要把我的誡命寫在他們心裏,把敬畏我的靈放在他們裏面,使他們不離開我」;「我要教他們順從我的律例,謹守我的典章。」
有福的順服!能使我們常在祂的愛中,不斷體驗無法破壞的內住。由於看見我們可期望支取聖靈何等的大能,使得基督說這並非不可能,但願我們的思想緊緊捉住順服之道,而使啟示我們「常與你們同在」的話得以應驗。
「你們所遇見的試探,無非是人所能受的。」哥林多前書十章13節
「試探」是歷史上傳流下來的一個字,我們容易錯用它。試探不是罪,我們只要是在這世界上做人,是必要遇見的。不受試探的不是人。然而,我們有許多人受了我們不應受的試探的痛苦,這完全因為我們拒絕神領我們到較高的境地,接受另一試探的緣故。
人裡面的性質,是他人格之所賦有的,也就是決定他所受的試探的因素。試探適於受試探的人的本性,也是表現他本性的可能性的。各人有其自己的試探,這試探常是沿著支配他性質的路線而來。
試探暗示了一條實現最高的善的捷徑──不是向著我所認知的惡,卻是向著我所明瞭的善。試探是一時能制服我的東西,我不知道那個東西是對是不對。屈服試探便是尊重慾念為神,並且表明我們從前之不犯罪,不是因為不犯,卻是因為怕犯。
試探不是我們或能逃避的事,是吾人達到美滿生活所必不可無的。切不要想你所受的試探,是別人所未受過的;你所經過的,是人類所同有的,不是從前沒有人經過的事情。神並不救我們脫離試探;祂要在試探中來搭救我們(來二18)。
「當您掌權的日子,您的民要以聖潔的妝飾為衣,甘心犧牲自己……」詩篇一百一十篇3節
甘心犧牲自己就是獻身的真正意思,主盼望我們能自願或是出自內心的犧牲,而且毫不保留地愛祂、完全歸屬祂。正如雅歌六章3節所說:「我屬我的良人……。」
順服的心必須從信心而起,我們要相信在這放縱的時代,我們是安全的,我們不會在急難中絆倒,也不會落到法官的手裡。我們乃是投入天父的懷抱中,且要得到無限的產業。
能夠被允許將自己交在神的手中,是一項崇高的特權。因為祂應許我們,將使我們得著內心渴望成就的一切。並且用祂無限的智慧、能力和愛來幫助我們完成目的。只要我們像陶土將自己交在窯匠的手裡,神必然能使我們塑造成為合祂使用,榮耀祂的器皿。這情形就如一個無家可歸、流浪街頭的孩子,為了得著教育、生活所需,以及他監護人的富有遺產,而同意被領養一樣。