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"As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing." (2 Cor. 6:10.)
SORROW was beautiful, but her beauty was the beauty of the moonlight shining through the leafy branches of the trees in the wood, and making little pools of silver here and there on the soft green moss below.
When Sorrow sang, her notes were like the low sweet call of the nightingale, and in her eyes was the unexpectant gaze of one who has ceased to look for coming gladness. She could weep in tender sympathy with those who weep, but to rejoice with those who rejoice was unknown to her.
Joy was beautiful, too, but his was the radiant beauty of the summer morning. His eyes still held the glad laughter of childhood, and his hair had the glint of the sunshine's kiss. When Joy sang his voice soared upward as the lark's, and his step was the step of a conqueror who has never known defeat. He could rejoice with all who rejoice, but to weep with those who weep was unknown to him.
"But we can never be united," said Sorrow, wistfully.
"No, never." And Joy's eyes shadowed as he spoke. "My path lies through the sunlit meadows, the sweetest roses bloom for my gathering, and the blackbirds and thrushes await my coming to pour forth their most joyous lays."
"My path," said Sorrow, turning slowly away, "leads through the darkening woods, with moon-flowers only shall my hands be filled. Yet the sweeted of all earth-songs─the love song of the night─shall be mine; farewell, Joy, farewell."
Even as she spoke they became conscious of a form standing beside them; dimly seen, but of a Kingly Presence, and a great and holy awe stole over them as they sank on their knees before Him.
"I see Him as the King of Joy," whispered Sorrow, "for on His Head are many crown, and the nailprints in His hands and feet are the scars of a great victory. Before Him all my sorrow is melting away into deathless love and gladness, and I give myself to Him forever."
"Nay, Sorrow," said Joy softly, "but I see Him as the King of Sorrow, and the crown on His head is a crown of thorns, and the nailprints in His hands and feet are the scars of a great agony. I, too, give myself to Him forever, for sorrow with Him must be sweeter than any joy that I have known."
"Then we are one in Him," they cried in gladness, "for none but He could unite Joy and Sorrow."
Hand in hand they passed out into the world to follow Him through storm and sunshine, in the bleakness of winter cold and the warmth of summer gladness, "as sorrowful yet always rejoicing."
"Should Sorrow lay her hand upon thy shoulder,
And walk with thee in silence on life's way,
While Joy, thy bright companion once, grown colder,
Becomes to thee more distant day by day?
Shrink not from the companionship of Sorrow,
She is the messenger of God to thee;
And thou wilt thank Him in His great tomorrow─
For what thou knowest not now, thou then shalt see;
She is God's angel, clad in weeds of night,
With `whom we walk by faith and not by sight.'"
「你們藉著基督的身體,在律法上也是死了……。現今就脫離了律法,叫我們服事主,是按著心靈的新樣。」羅馬書七章4、6節
信徒不僅向罪死也向律法死,這個較深的真理給我們雖然努力仍失敗的生命,開了一條領受聖靈能力的道路。「你將為此留地位給聖靈」,在這章的第24節,提到基督徒若仍靠律法則必有全然失敗的經驗,「在我裏頭就是我肉身之中沒有良善。」一旦發現罪的律完全戰勝自己的努力,將他擄去,被迫說:「我真是苦啊!誰能救我脫離這取死的身體。」在整個過程中充滿了「我」,而沒有聖靈的相助,而唯有當他徹底絕望呼叫後,認清絕不可再住在律法下,而受聖靈的管制,就能說出八章1、2節的話:「如今那些在基督耶穌裏的,就不定罪了。」這罪是由於試著行律法而來,「因為賜生命聖靈的律在基督耶穌裏釋放了我,使我脫離罪和死的律。」第七章告訴我們為罪的律所擄,第八章卻在基督耶穌裏,使生命從罪和死的律法得以釋放。以前我們也是以謹守律法,靠自己傚法主的樣式,但卻告失敗,然後當我們得知在基督耶穌裏就可向罪死,向神活,而脫離罪和死的律。
此人在羅馬書七章瞭解此一深奧的道理,使他明白其肉體乏善可陳;只有降服在聖靈大能之下,才可從肉體的權勢及綑綁得到釋放,從基督的生命支取能力,結出仁義的果子。
「可以到我這裡來。」馬太福音十一章28節
神希望我們在基督耶穌裡過一種美滿的生活,但是生活有時遭遇外來的襲擊,使我們過分的想到自己。過分的想到自己是傾覆生活在神裡面的第一件事,也是內在矛盾之所由來。過分想到自己不是罪;乃是因神經過敏,或因忽然墜入新環境而來的。我們絕對在祂裡面得到完全,才是神的意思。凡驚擾我們不能在祂裡面安全的事,是要立刻糾正的,這只有來到耶穌基督面前,不是裝做不知可以了事的。如果我們到祂那裡去,求祂使我們產生基督的知覺,祂必惠然允諾,直到我們習於住在祂的裡面。
叫你在耶穌裡的生活分心的事,萬不可忽視,切勿置之不問不聞。你不要因為朋友的環境使你的生活漏洩不專;也不要讓甚麼事分開你與祂合而為一的心,而自覺處於孤獨的地位。保持靈性正當的關係,沒有事比這要緊。唯一解決的辦法,是──「可以到我這裡來。」我們真實的深度,無論是智力的,道德的,靈性的,可用這句話來測驗。若是我們有點不真實,我們就要辯論而不肯來的。
「……你們當信服神。」馬可福音十一章22節
神要我們求完全的信心,並且告訴我們如果我們毫不懷疑地相信,就會得著所求的一切。記住,一絲的不信都能立刻瓦解我們的信心。
但是我們怎麼樣才能有如此完美的信心呢?就人的天性而言,有可能嗎?如果依我們的天性來說是不可能的,但是若有基督在我們裡面,就沒有問題。神能,也願意給我們信心,基督則是使我們信心創始成終的幫助者,祂囑咐我們要有屬神的信心。當我們有從基督的靈而來的信心,我們就能像基督一樣的相信神。
我們奉基督的名禱告,也因基督在我們裡面活著,我們也能像基督那樣禱告。加拉太書二章20節說:「……我如今在肉身活著,是因信神的兒子而活,他是愛我,為我捨己。」同樣道理,祂要求我們的愛也不僅僅是人性軟弱的愛,或是舊約中有條件的愛,祂要我們能愛得更深,祂說:「我賜給你們一條新命令,乃是要你們彼此相愛。我怎樣愛你們,你們也要怎樣相愛。」(約十四34)因此祂要我們有祂的大愛。
擁有如此的愛可能嗎?如果祂的愛在我們裡面運行,祂的靈把愛賜給我們,那麼我們就能像祂愛我們一樣地彼此相愛。