1月25日

標題：天父吸引你

經節：耶穌又說：「所以我對你們說過，若不是蒙我父的恩賜，沒有人能到我這裏來。」（約翰福音六章65節）

耶穌在地上從不被人群脅迫。祂注視群眾，專注於天父所賜給祂的人。耶穌知道因為罪的緣故，沒有人是天生就尋求神的。人類罪的傾向是逃避神，而非親近神（創世記三：8；詩篇十四：1～3）。因此，不論甚麼時候，耶穌只要看到天父正吸引一個人親近祂，祂馬上與那人創建關係。

耶穌遠遠地觀察那被鄙視的稅吏撒該消失在擁擠的人群中，為要能夠清楚看到耶穌經過。耶穌立刻離開人群，花時間與這位明顯被天父所吸引的人在一起（路加福音十九：1～10）。當耶穌注意到有人跟隨祂，就對他說：「你們來看！」（約翰福音一：39）每回門徒對神的真理有新的洞見，耶穌就認出這是天父在他們生命中的作為（馬太福音十六：17）。

當群眾圍繞耶穌，祂說了一些令人難以理解的真理（約翰福音六：60）。祂的話太富挑戰性，以致祂的聽眾多有退去。但耶穌沒有因此而灰心。祂看到神在門徒的生命作工，所以祂投資時間在他們的身上。

當你渴望花時間親近耶穌，要瞭解這是天父自己吸引你親近祂的愛子。你不用尋找與神安靜的時刻，好經歷神。事實上，祂已經帶領你單獨與祂相親，因為你早已感受祂的作為。當你讀經禱告，神必因你對祂的回應為榮，教導你更深地認識祂。

The Father Draws You

And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father." (John 6:65)

Throughout Jesus’ ministry on earth, He never seemed intimidated by the crowds. Instead, He looked into the multitudes and focused on those whom His Father was sending to Him. Jesus knew that because of sin, no one naturally seeks after God. Sinful man’s inclination is to hide from God, rather than to come to Him (Gen. 3:8; Ps. 14:1–3). Therefore, whenever Jesus saw that the Father was drawing a person to Himself, Jesus immediately began relating to that person.

Jesus observed the great lengths to which the despised tax collector, Zacchaeus, had gone in order to see Him pass by. In response, Jesus immediately left the crowd and spent time with this man in whom the Father was obviously working (Luke 19:1–10). When Jesus noticed a man following after Him, Jesus spoke to Andrew, “Come!” (John 1:39). Every time the disciples experienced a new insight into the truths of God, Jesus recognized that it was the Father who had been at work in their lives (Matt. 16:17).

As the multitudes gathered around Jesus, He spoke some truths that were difficult for the people to grasp (John 6:60). So challenging were His words that many of His listeners departed, but Jesus did not become discouraged. He saw that the Father was working in the lives of His disciples, and that is where Jesus invested His time. As you desire to spend time alone with Jesus, recognize that this is the Father drawing you to His Son. You do not seek quiet times with God in order to experience Him. The fact that He has brought you to a place of fellowship with Him is evidence that you are already sensing His activity. As you read the Scriptures and pray, trust that God will honor your response to His leading by teaching you more about Himself.