五月二日

我不求你叫他們離開世界……（約17：15）

在神所定的時候，與耶穌一同回家，是最甜蜜、最有福的事。再過幾年為主打“那美好的仗”的兵丁，就必結束戰事，進入主的歡樂中。雖然基督為他的民祈求說，他在那裡也叫他的民在那裡，但他並不是求神叫他們立即離世升天。他願意他們在這裡。但現在疲倦了的走天路的人卻常禱告說：“願我有鴿子的翅膀！那末我好飛去得安息”；可是基督並不是那樣禱告，他把我們交在他父的手裡，直到成熟的時候，我們都必被收在主的倉裡。耶穌並不祈求叫我們藉著死馬上離開世界，因為我們住在肉體之中雖於己無益，但為別人也當活著。他求神保守我們，但他卻並不求神叫我們未到時候就去承受榮耀。基督徒每當遇見難處的時候就想一死了之，如果問他們為什麼，他們就回答說：“因為我們願意離世與基督同在。”我們恐怕他們並非真正切慕與主同在，而是為了要脫離他們的難處；不然的話，當他們沒有患難壓迫的時候也該有同樣的死的願望。他們願意回家，其實願意與救主同在的成分，並不如願意得安息的成分多。若我們的心能像保羅一樣，那末我們才可有離世的心願，因為與基督同在是好得無比的一件事，但如果是為了逃避困難那就是自私了。我們乃要按著神所喜歡的甘心願意在這裡藉著我們的生活榮耀神，就是在勞苦、爭戰和苦難當中，也要耐心等候，讓他說：“已經夠了。”

May 2

"I pray not that Thou shouldst take them out of the world." -- John 17:15

It is a sweet and blessed event which will occur to all believers in God's own time--the going home to be with Jesus. In a few more years the Lord's soldiers, who are now fighting "the good fight of faith" will have done with conflict, and have entered into the joy of their Lord. But although Christ prays that His people may eventually be with Him where He is, He does not ask that they may be taken at once away from this world to heaven. He wishes them to stay here. Yet how frequently does the wearied pilgrim put up the prayer, "O that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away and be at rest;" but Christ does not pray like that, He leaves us in His Father's hands, until, like shocks of corn fully ripe, we shall each be gathered into our Master's garner. Jesus does not plead for our instant removal by death, for to abide in the flesh is needful for others if not profitable for ourselves. He asks that we may be kept from evil, but He never asks for us to be admitted to the inheritance in glory till we are of full age. Christians often want to die when they have any trouble. Ask them why, and they tell you, "Because we would be with the Lord." We fear it is not so much because they are longing to be with the Lord, as because they desire to get rid of their troubles; else they would feel the same wish to die at other times when not under the pressure of trial. They want to go home, not so much for the Saviour's company, as to be at rest. Now it is quite right to desire to depart if we can do it in the same spirit that Paul did, because to be with Christ is far better, but the wish to escape from trouble is a selfish one. Rather let your care and wish be to glorify God by your life here as long as He pleases, even though it be in the midst of toil, and conflict, and suffering, and leave Him to say when "it is enough."