十一月十七日

願榮耀歸給他，直到永遠。阿們！（羅11：36）

“願榮耀歸給他，直到永遠。”這應當是基督徒惟一的心願。其他一切願望都應當爲了幷屬這一個願望。基督徒很可以求事業的發達，但目的也是爲此——“願榮耀歸給他，直到永遠。”他或願多得些恩賜和恩典，但也只應爲了“願榮耀歸給他，直到永遠。”若你所作的事含著其他動機，而非專注于神的榮耀，那末你就不當做。你既是一個基督徒就“本于他，倚靠他”，幷且也當“歸于他”。願你的心永遠爲了愛他而大大跳動不息。願這一個願望燃起你的心靈，願這一個願望作你一切事業的基礎；幷且當你冷淡起來的時候，願這一個願望作爲扶持你的動機，使神作你惟一的目標。

我們要以此爲依皈，什麽時候有自己，什麽時候就有悲傷；但若神是我們的至大的快樂和惟一的目標，“只要神所命定的，或生或死，或樂或苦，在我都是一樣。”願你榮耀神的心願日漸增長，你年輕的時候曾稱頌他，現在你就不能以那時的頌贊爲滿足了。神曾使你的事業發達興隆嗎？他既多給你恩典，你就當多給他頌贊。

神曾賜你經驗嗎？你要用起初所沒有的大信心來頌贊他。你的知識增加了嗎？那末就當用妙歌多多歌頌他。你的福樂加增，你的病得痊愈，你的憂傷變爲平安和快樂嗎？那末要多多稱揚他，要把你稱贊的香爐中多添一些炭火和香料。要在你的生活上實際尊崇他，在歌頌你偉大慈神的時候，末了要用你的工作和聖潔作爲“阿們”。

November 17

"To whom be glory forever. Amen"--Romans 11:36

"To whom be glory forever." This should be the single desire of the Christian. All other wishes must be subservient and tributary to this one. The Christian may wish for prosperity in his business, but only so far as it may help him to promote this--"To him be glory forever." He may desire to attain more gifts and more graces, but it should only be that "To him may be glory forever." You are not acting as you ought to do when you are moved by any other motive than a single eye to your Lord's glory. As a Christian, you are "of God, and through God," then live "to God." Let nothing ever set your heart beating so mightily as love to him. Let this ambition fire your soul; be this the foundation of every enterprise upon which you enter, and this your sustaining motive whenever your zeal would grow chill; make God your only object. Depend upon it, where self begins sorrow begins; but if God be my supreme delight and only object,

"To me 'tis equal whether love ordain

My life or death--appoint me ease or pain."

Let your desire for God's glory be a growing desire. You blessed him in your youth, do not be content with such praises as you gave him then. Has God prospered you in business? Give him more as he has given you more. Has God given you experience? Praise him by stronger faith than you exercised at first. Does your knowledge grow? Then sing more sweetly. Do you enjoy happier times than you once had? Have you been restored from sickness, and has your sorrow been turned into peace and joy? Then give him more music; put more coals and more sweet frankincense into the censer of your praise. Practically in your life give him honour, putting the "Amen" to this doxology to your great and gracious Lord, by your own individual service and increasing holiness.