二月十三日

你看父賜給我們是何等的慈愛，使我們得稱為神的兒女；我們也真是他的兒女。世人所以不認識我們，是因未曾認識他。親愛的弟兄啊，我們現在是神的兒女……（約一3:1/2）

“你看父賜給我們是何等的慈愛”，想想我們是誰，再想想敗壞在我們裡面得勢時，我們有何感想，你必因此奇異我們怎會成為神的兒女。但我們仍被“稱為神的兒女”。兒子與父親的關係是多麼密切，有了這名份就可享受各種權益！兒子怎樣期待父親的看顧、撫育，父親對兒子是怎樣的親愛、慈祥呀！但這一些，其實還不只這一些，我們現在都可因基督得到了。現在我們懷著光榮的心情與兄長一同忍受至暫至輕的苦。“世人所以不認識我們，是因未曾認識他。”我們與主一樣存著謙卑的心，甘願和他一同不被人所認識，因為我們必與他一同被高舉。“親愛的弟兄啊，我們現在是神的兒女”，這話念起來很容易，但想起來卻不簡單。今天早晨你的心怎樣感覺？你是否落到悲傷的深谷之中？敗壞是否在你的心靈之中發生？恩典是否像一星殘餘的火花踏在你的腳下？你的信是否幾乎失去了功效呢？不要怕，你活著並不是靠你自己的善功或感覺！你必須單單信靠基督。現在，我們雖有這些挫折，墮在愁苦的泥淖中，無論我們在什麼地方——現在，谷中和山上一樣，“親愛的弟兄啊，我們現在是神的兒女。”你說：“唉！你看我現在是一種什麼樣子！既無堂皇的功德，也無榮顯的義行。”但你再念下去：“我們現在是神的兒女，將來如何，還未顯明；但我們知道，主若顯現，我們必要像他。”聖靈必潔淨我們的心，神的能力必改變我們的身體，那時我們就“必得見他的真體”。

February 13

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God." --1 John 3:1, 2

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us. Consider who we were, and what we feel ourselves to be even now when corruption is powerful in us, and you will wonder at our adoption. Yet we are called "the sons of God." What a high relationship is that of a son, and what privileges it brings! What care and tenderness the son expects from his father, and what love the father feels towards the son! But all that, and more than that, we now have through Christ. As for the temporary drawback of suffering with the elder brother, this we accept as an honour: "Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not." We are content to be unknown with Him in His humiliation, for we are to be exalted with Him. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God." That is easy to read, but it is not so easy to feel. How is it with your heart this morning? Are you in the lowest depths of sorrow? Does corruption rise within your spirit, and grace seem like a poor spark trampled under foot? Does your faith almost fail you? Fear not, it is neither your graces nor feelings on which you are to live: you must live simply by faith on Christ. With all these things against us, now--in the very depths of our sorrow, wherever we may be-- now, as much in the valley as on the mountain, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God." "Ah, but," you say, "see how I am arrayed! my graces are not bright; my righteousness does not shine with apparent glory." But read the next: "It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him." The Holy Spirit shall purify our minds, and divine power shall refine our bodies, then shall we see Him as He is.