二月十日

我……知道怎樣處豐富……（腓4:12）

有很多人知道“怎樣處卑賤”，可是沒有學會“怎樣處豐富”。當他們上到崇高的山頂時，他們就頭暈起來，像要傾跌得樣子。基督徒常在興盛時羞辱他的身份，而非在禍患之時。興盛富裕真是一件危險的事。基督徒能經得起患難的煎熬，但卻受不了興盛的鍛煉。唉！神的許多恩憐和豐富常常使一個人的靈命瘦削起來，並且忽略屬靈的事！但這並非必須如此，使徒保羅告訴我們，他知道怎樣處豐富。當他富裕時，他知道怎樣使用；豐盛的恩典使他當得起豐盛的富裕。當他滿載的時候，便把帆完全張開，好平穩地航行；當屬靈的福樂漲滿到了杯子的邊緣時，必須用一隻堅定的手來把持，這是人力所難能的，但保羅卻學會了這技巧。他說：“或飽足、或饑餓……隨事隨在，我都得了秘訣。”飽足是我們該學得一個屬靈的功課，因為以色列人曾飽足過，但他們吃的肉還在口中時，神的烈怒就臨到了他們。有很多人求神的恩憐為的是要滿足他們心中的肉欲。所以食欲飽足常想靠自己的血氣，並使靈命凋敝。當我們在物質方面多得神的恩憐時，常是在屬靈方面少得神的恩典，並且為我們得的豐富所存的感激心也是很小的。我們得了豐滿，卻是忘了神：屬世的方面得了滿足，以為沒有天堂也行。知道怎樣處飽足比知道怎樣處饑餓還難。人的天性是很容易驕傲並忘記神的。在你禱告的時候要求神指教你“怎樣處豐富”。“願你愛的恩賜，使我們不遠離你。”

February 10

"I know how to abound." --Philippians 4:12

There are many who know "how to be abased" who have not learned "how to abound." When they are set upon the top of a pinnacle their heads grow dizzy, and they are ready to fall. The Christian far oftener disgraces his profession in prosperity than in adversity. It is a dangerous thing to be prosperous. The crucible of adversity is a less severe trial to the Christian than the fining-pot of prosperity. Oh, what leanness of soul and neglect of spiritual things have been brought on through the very mercies and bounties of God! Yet this is not a matter of necessity, for the apostle tells us that he knew how to abound. When he had much he knew how to use it. Abundant grace enabled him to bear abundant prosperity. When he had a full sail he was loaded with much ballast, and so floated safely. It needs more than human skill to carry the brimming cup of mortal joy with a steady hand, yet Paul had learned that skill, for he declares, "In all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry." It is a divine lesson to know how to be full, for the Israelites were full once, but while the flesh was yet in their mouth, the wrath of God came upon them. Many have asked for mercies that they might satisfy their own hearts' lust. Fulness of bread has often made fulness of blood, and that has brought on wantonness of spirit. When we have much of God's providential mercies, it often happens that we have but little of God's grace, and little gratitude for the bounties we have received. We are full and we forget God: satisfied with earth, we are content to do without heaven. Rest assured it is harder to know how to be full than it is to know how to be hungry--so desperate is the tendency of human nature to pride and forgetfulness of God. Take care that you ask in your prayers that God would teach you "how to be full."

" Let not the gifts Thy love bestows

Estrange our hearts from Thee."