十二月十五日

俄珥巴與婆婆親嘴而別，只是路得捨不得拿俄米。（得1：14）

她們二位都很愛拿俄米，所以當她起身回猶大地的時候她們也與她同去。但是試驗的關頭來到了，拿俄米毫不自私地把這試驗擺在她們的面前，囑咐她們，爲她們的幸福和安逸計還是回到摩押地的親友那裏。起初二人都堅决地說與她一同回她的本國去，她們情願與耶和華的民同處；但是經過再一次的考慮，俄珥巴便憂傷痛哭地與婆婆親嘴，于是便離開了她、她的國和她的神，回到拜偶像的親友那裏去了；而路得却定意跟隨她的婆婆。在萬事順適亨通的時候愛神和在困難無望中愛神是不可同日而語的兩件事。外表承認的親嘴是很便當、很輕易的事，而實際歸服神，則必須爲保持真理和聖潔的緣故下一番决心，這却不是一件非同小可的事。

我們的情形怎樣？我們的心是否專注于耶穌？祭牲是否已經用繩索綁在壇角上？我們曾計算過所付出的代價嗎？我們肯爲主的緣故，甘心在世事上受虧損嗎？後來所得的賞賜足能抵補我們過去所受的損失，因爲埃及的財寶絕不能與將來所顯于我們的榮耀相比。俄珥巴的事從此再也沒有聽到，她在拜偶像的環境中苟安貪歡直到默默無聞地死去；但路得却傳諸史乘，存于天堂，因蒙特恩萬王之王便出于她的世系。因著基督的緣故她便成了蒙福的女子，爲衆人所傳頌；但是最不配被人記念的乃是當受試探的時候，背著良心又回到世界中的人。今晨願我們切莫滿意自己靈修的方式，或許我們連俄珥巴的親嘴也不如。但願聖靈在我們裏面動工，使我們整個的心都貼近我們的主耶穌。

December 15

"Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her."—Ruth 1:14

Both of them had an affection for Naomi, and therefore set out with her upon her return to the land of Judah. But the hour of test came; Naomi most unselfishly set before each of them the trials which awaited them, and bade them if they cared for ease and comfort to return to their Moabitish friends. At first both of them declared that they would cast in their lot with the Lord's people; but upon still further consideration Orpah with much grief and a respectful kiss left her mother in law, and her people, and her God, and went back to her idolatrous friends, while Ruth with all her heart gave herself up to the God of her mother in law. It is one thing to love the ways of the Lord when all is fair, and quite another to cleave to them under all discouragements and difficulties. The kiss of outward profession is very cheap and easy, but the practical cleaving to the Lord, which must show itself in holy decision for truth and holiness, is not so small a matter. How stands the case with us, is our heart fixed upon Jesus, is the sacrifice bound with cords to the horns of the altar? Have we counted the cost, and are we solemnly ready to suffer all worldly loss for the Master's sake? The after gain will be an abundant recompense, for Egypt's treasures are not to be compared with the glory to be revealed. Orpah is heard of no more; in glorious ease and idolatrous pleasure her life melts into the gloom of death; but Ruth lives in history and in heaven, for grace has placed her in the noble line whence sprung the King of kings. Blessed among women shall those be who for Christ's sake can renounce all; but forgotten and worse than forgotten shall those be who in the hour of temptation do violence to conscience and turn back unto the world. O that this morning we may not be content with the form of devotion, which may be no better than Orpah's kiss, but may the Holy Spirit work in us a cleaving of our whole heart to our Lord Jesus.