5月19日

標　　題：有必要地調整自己

經　　節：但願我的頭為水，我的眼為淚的泉源，我好為我百姓中被殺的人晝夜哭泣。（耶利米書九章1節）

神呼召耶利米作哭泣的先知。他正處於一個動盪苦悶的時代，當時他所屬的社會普遍地靈性與道德低落。猶太國已經遠遠地離棄神，很快就要面對祂可懼的審判。這不是狂歡作樂的時候，是該悲哀哭泣的時候。在這個悽楚的時代，神在尋找某個人，願意讓祂磨塑成合用的先知。祂查找了耶利米。耶利米付出極重的代價，為了傳達神的信息，他犧牲年輕時代許多的自由。他的家庭與名譽被剝奪，忍受人們的誤解、辱駡與迫害。他被關進監獄，遭受人們的嘲笑，因為他向他們警告神將要來到的審判。

撒但會想盡辦法，令你相信順服的代價太高。然而，牠卻從不告訴你違背神的代價。倘若你想被神使用，你要心裡有數，得調整自己的生活。你能否衡量天堂宏偉的寶座，與伯利恒簡陋的馬槽之間有何差異？創造宇宙之主的身分與十字架的距離，有多麼遠呢？不要以為順服是不用付出代價的。

神要你作怎樣的自我調整呢？當你密切配合神的旨意時，是否會遇見反對勢力與艱難？耶利米深深滿足于成為神深愛忠誠的僕人。當你不管得付上多少代價，仍然願意完全順服神的時候，你的回報與耶利米是一樣的。

Making Necessary Adjustments

Oh, that my head were waters, And my eyes a fountain of tears, That I might weep day and night For the slain of the daughter of my people! (Jeremiah 9:1)

Jeremiah was invited by God to be a weeping prophet. His call came during turbulent, agonizing times as his society suffered from pervasive moral and spiritual decay. The nation of Judah had turned so far from God that it was soon to face His fierce judgment. This was not a time for merrymaking but for weeping. God looked for someone He could mold into the kind of prophet needed for such a bleak time. He found Jeremiah. The cost to Jeremiah was intense; he sacrificed much of the freedom of his youth in order to be God’s messenger. He forfeited family and reputation. He endured misunderstanding, ridicule, and persecution. He was imprisoned and mocked by those to whom he had come to warn of God’s impending judgment.

Satan will try to convince you that obedience carries much too high a price, but he will never tell you the cost of not obeying God. If you are to be used in God’s service you must expect to make adjustments in your life. Can you measure the distance between the throne room of heaven and a cattle shed in Bethlehem? How far is it from the Lordship of the universe to the cross? Don’t be deceived into thinking there is no cost involved in obedience.

What adjustments is God asking you to make? Will you face the hardships and opposition that will come when you align your life with God’s will? Jeremiah had the deep satisfaction of knowing he was a faithful and beloved servant of God. Your reward will be the same when you choose to fully obey Christ, regardless of the cost.