十月五日

他就起來吃了喝了，仗著這飲食的力，走了四十晝夜。（王上19：8）

恩慈的神賜給我們力量，是叫我們服侍他，幷非叫我們浪費或是炫耀。當以利亞躺在羅騰樹下時，在頭旁發現炭火燒得餅和一瓶水，但那美食幷非叫他吃了之後仍舊躺在那裏伸伸懶腰；而是叫他靠那飲食的力走四十晝夜，往神的山，就是和烈山去。主耶穌叫門徒“來吃早飯”，飯後叫彼得“喂養我的羊”，以後又說：“你跟從我吧！”我們也是一樣，我們吃天糧，爲的是叫我們有力量服侍主；我們吃逾越節的羔羊當腰間束帶，手中拿杖，好當吃飽之後立即開拔。有一些基督徒乃是靠基督而活，幷不計議當爲基督而活。在地之時必須爲天堂多作準備；天堂是聖徒常坐席、多作工的地方。他們與主一同坐席，他們晝夜在他的殿中服侍他。他們吃天糧完全爲了服侍他。信徒啊！當用你天天從基督所得的力量爲他殷勤工作。我們還得多明白主賜我們恩典的用意是什麽。我們不當把真道的珍貴穀粒囤積起來像埃及與木乃伊（乾尸）同藏的麥粒一樣，經過許多年代仍然沒有生長的機會：我們必須撒播幷澆灌。神爲什麽把雨賜給乾旱的地呢？爲什麽賜暖和的陽光呢？這些不都是叫地上的五穀百果及時結實好養活人類嗎？神喂養振奮我們的靈魂，爲了叫我們用所得的力量來增加他的榮耀。

往前走，往前走！耶穌的軍兵要往前走，打敗魔鬼不能退後；耶穌的軍兵要往前走。

October 5

"He arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights."--1 Kings 19:8

All the strength supplied to us by our gracious God is meant for service, not for wantonness or boasting. When the prophet Elijah found the cake baked on the coals, and the cruse of water placed at his head, as he lay under the juniper tree, he was no gentleman to be gratified with dainty fare that he might stretch himself at his ease; far otherwise, he was commissioned to go forty days and forty nights in the strength of it, journeying towards Horeb, the mount of God. When the Master invited the disciples to "Come and dine" with him, after the feast was concluded he said to Peter, "Feed my sheep"; further adding, "Follow me." Even thus it is with us; we eat the bread of heaven, that we may expend our strength in the Master's service. We come to the passover, and eat of the paschal lamb with loins girt, and staff in hand, so as to start off at once when we have satisfied our hunger. Some Christians are for living on Christ, but are not so anxious to live for Christ. Earth should be a preparation for heaven; and heaven is the place where saints feast most and work most. They sit down at the table of our Lord, and they serve him day and night in his temple. They eat of heavenly food and render perfect service. Believer, in the strength you daily gain from Christ labour for him. Some of us have yet to learn much concerning the design of our Lord in giving us his grace. We are not to retain the precious grains of truth as the Egyptian mummy held the wheat for ages, without giving it an opportunity to grow: we must sow it and water it. Why does the Lord send down the rain upon the thirsty earth, and give the genial sunshine? Is it not that these may all help the fruits of the earth to yield food for man? Even so the Lord feeds and refreshes our souls that we may afterwards use our renewed strength in the promotion of his glory.