今天: | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
昨天: | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
總計: | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
"So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning." (Job 42:12.)
Through his griefs Job came to his heritage. He was tried that his godliness might be confirmed. Are not my troubles intended to deepen my character and to robe me in graces I had little of before? I come to my glory through eclipses, tears, death. My ripest fruit grows against the roughest wall. Job's afflictions left him with higher conceptions of God and lowlier thoughts of himself. "Now," he cried, "mine eye seeth thee."
And if, through pain and loss, I feel God so near in His majesty that I bend low before Him and pray, "Thy will be done," I gain very much. god gave Job glimpses of the future glory. In those wearisome days and nights, he penetrated within the veil, and could say, "I know that my Redeemer liveth." surely the latter end of Job was more blessed than the beginning.
-In the Hour of Silence.
"Trouble never comes to a man unless she brings a nugget of gold in her hand."
Apparent adversity will finally turn out to be the advantage of the right if we are only willing to keep on working and to wait patiently. How steadfastly the great victor souls have kept at their work, dauntless and unafraid! There are blessings which we cannot obtain if we cannot accept and endure suffering. There are joys that can come to us only through sorrow. There are revealings of Divine truth which we can get only when earth's lights have gone out. There are harvests which can grow only after the plowshare has done its work.
-Selected.
Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seamed with scars; martyrs have put on their coronation robes glittering with fire, and through their tears have the sorrowful first seen the gates of Heaven.
-Chapin.
I shall know by the gleam and glitter
Of the golden chain you wear,
By your heart's calm strength in loving,
Of the fire you have had to bear.
Beat on, true heart, forever;
Shine bright, strong golden chain;
And bless the cleansing fire
And the furnace of living pain!
—Adelaide Proctor.
「知道這真是救世主。」約翰福音四章42節
無所不能和無所不在是宣告神的本性,只是藉著祂聖潔和慈愛的本性顯明出來。當我們的主說出祂的無所不能,擁有天上地下的權,及祂的無所不在——與每個門徒同在——祂的話是一切的根本、祂是榮耀的救世主,贖回人類;祂謙卑、順服至死,且死在十字架上,因此神使道成肉身的基督耶穌升為至高,有神的本性,因祂一次完全順服,完成神救恩的旨意,成就了救贖聖工。
從這裏,將祂自己是無所不能且無所不在的意義完全表現出來;在這兩種本性之間,祂命令門徒往普天下去傳福音,將一切主的命令教導給領受的人遵守。救贖主就是拯救人脫離罪惡,對於順命的僕人,給予神聖同在的應許。
但唯一的條件是要祂的僕人在生活中順服祂,彰顯祂一切的命令;祂期望這使命得以成全,而祂能與他們同在。然而也只有那些見證祂救贖的人,才能體驗主的同在,而有能力順服祂,要贏得他人靈魂的命令。
是的!唯有耶穌基督能將自己的百姓從罪惡中拯救出來,祂也管理那些順命的子民,使他們能說:「哦!我的神啊!我願意照您的旨意而行。」祂也對他們說:「我要永遠與你同在。」祂要內住在那些願接受祂除罪,救贖能力的人裏面,而這些人也願以生活或言語傳揚祂是何等奇妙的救主。
「蒙召作聖徒的」哥林多前書一章2節
你要因你見到而未做到的事感謝神。異象你是見過的,但你絕沒有達到那個地步。我們中多數的人,在山谷中還沒有證實我們是否是蒙選的,就轉頭走了。我們希望轉入異象的形式,但是還未準備接受那必要來到的打擊。我們已經看到我們不能如此,而神要我們如此。我們願意接受打擊的方法,將異象變成事實麼?「打擊」常是由平常的方式,平常的人而來。
有時我們確實知道神的旨意如何,使異象變成真實的性質,在我們,不在神。如果我們寧願偃息在山上,而在異象的記憶中過活,只是在造就人生上,是無用處的。我們要利用從異象所見的去生活,不要從出神之中過活。藉著異象的光,生活在實際裡,直到我們達到真實的境地。我們一點一滴的訓練,都要對準那個方向。當深深感謝神,因為祂叫你知道祂的目的。
每當神吩咐說「做」的時候,這個小小的「我」,總是怏怏不樂。讓這小小的「我」,在神義怒中萎縮起來──「那自有的打發我。」(出三14)祂要支配一切。神知道我們在那裡生活,也知道我們所爬的洞穴,我們豈能不領悟哩!祂要像閃電一般獵取我們,沒有一個人知道人,像神知道人一樣。
「……番石榴長出代替蒺蔾……」以賽亞書五十五章13節
神最甜美的紀念物,是由荊棘及蒺藜所生長出的平安、美善的花朵。因為這其間的過程是艱鉅且緩慢的。
神正藉著此刻最傷害我們的事,在我們未來的生命中建造成為具有價值的紀念物。讓我們把委屈、分離的痛苦、不愉快的友誼、破碎的關係,及一切在我們生命中錐心痛苦之事,完全地交給神來醫治。神能給我們恩典,使過去任何的錯誤都矯正過來。而當我們從那些遺憾、痛苦的事中得到喜樂、祝福時,連我們自己都會感到訝異。
馬太福音五章9節說:「使人和睦的人有福了,因為他們必稱為神的兒子。」可見神聖救贖主的永恆任務,乃是使罪人以及遠離神的人,與主和好。而我們所作的事工中,最高及最像基督的事奉,乃是像祂一樣地勸人與神和好。
讓我們今天就開始擦乾悲傷的眼淚,安慰心靈憂傷的人,為受傷的人纏裹,使我們能心連心,叫人與神能合一。