主是靈糧 Sustained by Feeding

經文: 「永活的父怎樣差我來，我又因父活著；照樣，吃我肉的人也要因我活著。」（約翰福音六︰57）

我們藉著與上帝的兒子聯合而活；而神子耶穌又是靠著差祂來的天父而活。同理，我們也是靠著甦醒我們靈魂的耶穌而活。祂是我們生命的源頭；也是支持我們活力的補品。我們屬靈的生命，需要屬靈糧食的供給，而這靈糧就是耶穌自己；不是祂的生命、祂的死亡、祂的工作、或祂的話，而是祂自己，當然，祂就包括了一切。耶穌是我們的靈糧嗎哪。 主的肉是可吃的，主的血是可喝的，這意義在主的聖餐擘餅聚會中可表徵出來；事實上，當我們藉著默想主自己，運用信心相信祂，藉著愛的回應思念主名，將上帝內化到我們的生命，就是享受主自己。我們瞭解吃主的肉，喝主的血是怎樣的滋味，但我們說不出來，也寫不出來。這種只可意會不能言傳的感受，惟有親身去做，才能體嚐那種甘甜。上帝邀我們來享受這豐盛的宴席，祂自己就是取之不盡，用之不竭的補給站。 主啊，祢不但是我新生命的必需品，更是我心中所愛慕的對象，讓我現在就在默念主名，享受耶穌自己。 Scripture: “As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me” (John 6:57). We live by virtue of our union with the Son of God. As God-man Mediator, the LORD Jesus lives by the self-existent Father who has sent Him, and in the same manner we live by the Savior who has quickened us. He who is the source of our life is also the sustenance of it. Living is sustained by feeding. We must support the spiritual life by spiritual food, and that spiritual food is the LORD Jesus. Not His life, or death, or offices, or work, or word alone, but Himself, as including all these. On Jesus Himself we feed. This is set forth to us in the LORD’s Supper, but it is actually enjoyed by us when we meditate upon our LORD, believe in Him with appropriating faith, take Him into ourselves by love, and assimilate Him by the power of the inner life. We know what it is to feed on Jesus, but we cannot speak it or write it. Our wisest course is to practice it and to do so more and more. We are entreated to eat abundantly, and it will be to our infinite profit to do so when Jesus is our meat and our drink. LORD, I thank Thee that this, which is a necessity of my new life, is also its greatest delight. So, I do at this hour feed on Thee.

 

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行動自如 Free to Travel

經文: 「我必使他們倚靠我，得以堅固；一舉一動必奉我的名。」（撒迦利亞書十︰12）

這經文是病痛中信徒的一帖安慰劑。當他們纏綿病榻，體力孱弱，難免陷入憂懼的幽谷，但全能的大醫生可以除掉我們的病痛，挪開我們的軟弱，使我們剛強健壯，因為只要「在耶穌裏」一切的應許都是肯定的。我們的能力，若靠著自己，不但有限，且容易自義；若靠著上帝，則源頭不竭，且帶來神人的契合。 我們的日子如何，力量也如何。我們的一舉一動都奉主的名，大病初癒，能夠自由行動，是多麼喜悅的事！尤其在主裡得以健壯，更是令人快慰的事！主給祂的百姓有這樣的自由，能到處走動，也給我們內心的平安舒坦，來行使這自由。我們不再是工作或金錢的奴僕，我們自在地到處旅行，享受主所賜的平安生活。 來吧，我的心，勿再受傷軟弱；上帝叫你健壯與祂同行，就讓我們默然靠主，聽從祂慈愛的吩咐吧！

Scripture: “And I will strengthen them in the LORD: and they shall walk up and down in His Name, saith the LORD” (Zechariah 10:12).

A solace for sick saints. They have grown faint, and they fear that they shall never rise from the bed of doubt and fear; but the Great Physician can both remove the disease and take away the weakness which has come of it. He will strengthen the feeble. This He will do in the best possible way, for it shall be “in Jehovah.” Our strength is far better in God than in self. In the LORD it causes fellowship, in ourselves it would create pride. In ourselves it would be sadly limited, but in God it knows no bound.  When strength is given, the believer uses it. He walks up and down in the name of the LORD. What an enjoyment it is to walk abroad after illness, and what a delight to be strong in the LORD after a season of prostration! The LORD gives His people liberty to walk up and down and an inward leisure to exercise that liberty. He makes gentlemen of us: we are not slaves who know no rest and see no sights, but we are free to travel at our ease throughout Immanuel’s land. Come, my heart, be thou no more sick and sorry; Jesus bids thee be strong and walk with God in holy contemplation. Obey His word of love.

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無人能關的門 Open Door of Communion

經文: 「我在你面前給你一個敞開的門，是無人能關的。」（啟示錄三︰8）

忠於真理的聖徒，在他們面前，有一扇敞開的門，是無人能關的。我的靈哪，若你在聖經中已找到，那顛撲不破的真理且能為之生為之死，你就找到那扇為你敞開的門。 我要進入那扇門，與上帝一同坐席，誰能攔阻我呢？耶穌已經擔當我的罪債，賜我稱義的白袍，使我得以進到祂的施恩寶座前，這完全是仰賴上帝的恩典。 我還有一扇門，是引我進到上帝的真理裏面，得以知道上帝國奧秘的事，比如上帝的揀選，與主的聯合，主的再臨等，這些對我不再是頭腦的知識，陌生的道理；而是了然於心，能完全接受的真理。 我有一扇密室的門，是通往天上，人藉著禱告與上帝彼此相通；另一扇門，是開向世界，讓我在地上能與聖徒相通，且服務世人。有人雖想把這兩扇門關掉，卻是不可能。 不久我即將回到天家，那兒的珍珠大門，將為我大開，讓我進到天堂，與萬王之王一同坐席，從此永不分離。 Scripture: “I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it” (Revelation 3:8). Saints who remain faithful to the truth of God have an open door before them. My soul, thou hast resolved to live and die by that which the LORD has revealed in His Word, and therefore before thee stands this open door. I will enter in by the open door of communion with God. Who shall say me nay? Jesus has removed my sin and given me His righteousness; therefore I may freely enter. LORD, I do so by Thy grace. I have also before me an open door into the mysteries of the Word. I may enter into the deep things of God. Election, union to Christ, the Second advent- all these are before me, and I may enjoy them. No promise and no doctrine are now locked up against me. An open door of access is before me in private and an open door of usefulness in public. God will hear me; God will use me. A door is opened for my onward march to the church above, and for my daily fellowship with saints below. Some may try to shut me up or shut me out, but all in vain. Soon shall I see an open door into heaven: the pearl gate will be my way of entrance, and then I shall go in unto my LORD and King and be with God eternally shut in.

 

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贖罪祭壇 What Sanctifies Our Offerings?

經文: 「又要把些血抹在會幕內、耶和華面前香壇的四角上。」（利未記四︰7）

焚香的祭壇，是聖者獻上禱告與讚美的地方，若能想像此處是耶穌寶血傾洒之處，更能使我們的敬拜蒙上帝悅納。因為祂看到祂愛子的血，祂就接納我們的奉獻與敬拜。 定睛在寶血上是必要的，因為那是惟一的贖罪祭。而罪常與我們看為是好的事混雜在一起，若沒有耶穌寶血的挽回祭，我們的悔改、信心、禱告，在上帝眼中，都不算數。有人輕看耶穌的流血，覺得那沒什麼，但對我們而言，這卻是我們一切盼望的基礎。寶血抹在香壇的四角，意味著當我們近到上帝面前，那將是最搶眼的部份。寶血使我們的禱告有力，所以它被抹在壇上最醒目之處。因為祂是獻在上帝面前，所以也擺在我們面前，藉以我們的獻祭得以潔淨。 來吧，因為羔羊已經代贖罪債，就讓我們坦然無懼地來到上帝面前，知道藉著寶血的遮蓋，我們已蒙悅納，我們的禱告，必像馨香之氣，達到上帝面前。  Scripture: “And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD” (Leviticus 4:7). The altar of incense is the place where saints present their prayers and praises; and it is delightful to think of it as sprinkled with the blood of the great sacrifice. This it is which makes all our worship acceptable with Jehovah: He sees the blood of His own Son and therefore accepts our homage.  It is well for us to fix our eyes upon the blood of the one offering for sin. Sin mingles even with our holy things, and our best repentance, faith, prayer, and thanksgiving could not be received of God were it not for the merit of the atoning sacrifice. Many sneer at “the blood”; but to us it is the foundation of comfort and hope. That which is on the horns of the altar is meant to be prominently before our eyes when we draw near to God. The blood gives strength to prayer, and hence it is on the altar’s horns. It is “before the LORD,” and therefore it ought to be before us. It is on the altar before we bring the incense; it is there to sanctify our offerings and gifts. Come, let us pray with confidence, since the Victim is offered, the merit has been pleaded, the blood is within the veil, and the prayers of believers must be sweet unto the LORD.

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永不孤單 Never Alone

經文: 「你必不再稱為『撇棄的』。」（以賽亞書六十二︰4）

「被拋棄」是多麼悽慘的字！聽起來像是一場悲劇。那是一種椎心刺骨的傷痛，是一種痛徹心肺的哀絕，那是一種說不出來的心結糾纏。你曾被父母親遺棄？你曾被海誓山盟的情人甩掉？你曾被至友出賣？或是被你的親人欺騙？這的確是令人哀痛欲絕的不幸遭遇，但上帝若醫治我們，這樣的傷痛，隨著時間的沖淡，還是可慢慢痊癒。 然而，若上帝拋棄你，那又是怎樣的光景？請聽耶穌在十字架上慘絕人寰的哀鳴︰「上帝哪，上帝哪，祢為什麼拋棄我？」我們可曾飽受凌遲酷刑的折磨？可曾親嚐這種備極羞辱的滋味？若有，求上帝為我們把這一切挪開，不要讓這樣的苦況重現。惡人常指著受苦的聖人說︰「你的上帝已經拋棄你，所以祂使你吃苦受罪。」不，這完全錯了。上帝純全的大愛要覆庇我們，要逼著仇敵收回他的話，至少要封住他的舌頭。 相反地，上帝說︰「我喜悅你。」，我們的哭泣要轉為歡欣。讓那些以為被拋棄的人，聽到主的聲音︰「我必不離開你，也不撇棄你。」  Scripture: “Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken” (Isaiah 62:4). “Forsaken” is a dreary word. It sounds like a knell. It is the record of sharpest sorrows and the prophecy of direst ills. An abyss of misery yawns in that word forsaken. Forsaken by one who pledges his honor! Forsaken by a friend so long tried and trusted! Forsaken by a dear relative! Forsaken by father and mother! Forsaken by all! This is woe indeed, and yet it may be patiently born if the LORD will take us up.  But what must it be to feel forsaken of God? Think of that bitterest of cries, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Have we ever in any degree tasted the wormwood and the gall of “forsaken” in that sense? If so, let us beseech our LORD to save us from any repetition of so unspeakable a sorrow. Oh, that such darkness may never return! Men in malice said of a saint, “God hath forsaken him; persecute and take him.” But it was always false. The LORD’s loving favor shall compel our cruel foes to eat their own words or, at least, to hold their tongues. The reverse of all this is that superlative word Hephzibah “the LORD delighteth in thee.” This turns weeping into dancing. Let those who dreamed that they were forsaken hear the LORD say, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.”

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先他們而去 Always First in Fellowship

經文: 「祂在你們以先往加利利去。在那裡你們要見祂，正如祂從前所告訴你們的。」（馬可福音十六︰7）

耶穌和門徒講好在那兒碰面，祂必準時出現，祂永不食言。耶穌若講好可在祂的寶座前，或聚會崇拜中得以見到祂，祂必說話算話。有時我們會有意無意地迴避聚會，但耶穌絕不會這樣做。祂說︰「若兩三人奉我的名聚會，我就在他們當中。」祂說：「我就在」，而非「我將在」。 耶穌總是第一個到場，因她先我們而去。祂的心總是繫掛在我們身上，祂總是惦記著我們，急於想見到我們，所以祂總是先我們而去。 但祂只向那跟隨祂的人顯現。「在那裡你們要見祂」多麼令人高興的場面！我們不在意見到世上的大人物，但卻很關心是否看到耶穌，因祂的笑臉是我們最大的滿足，祂也應許我們，要向那信靠祂的人顯現。讓我們安心地站在祂的應許上，因為上帝一向說話算話。祂既然開出這樣的支票，我們就緊緊地抓住這應許，等待祂的語言兌現。

Scripture: “He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him, as He said unto you” (Mark 16:7).

Where He appointed to meet His disciples, there He would be in due time. Jesus keeps His trust. If He promises to meet us at the mercy seat, or in public worship, or in the ordinances, we may depend upon it that He will be there. We may wickedly stay away from the appointed meeting place, but He never does. He says, “Where two or three are met together in my name, there am I”; He says not, “There will I be,” but, “I am there already.” Jesus is always first in fellowship: “He goeth before you.” His heart is with His people, His delight is in them, He is never slow to meet them. In all fellowship He goeth before us. But He reveals Himself to those who come after Him: “There shall ye see him.” Joyful sight! We care not to see the greatest of mere men, but to see Him is to be filled with joy and peace. And we shall see Him, for He promises Himself to them. Rest assured that it will be so, for He does everything according to His word of promise: “As he said unto you.” Catch at those last words, and be assured that to the end He will do for you “as he said unto you.”

 

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