四月三十日

以色列眾人向摩西、亞倫發怨言……（民14:2）

現在基督徒當中也有很多發怨言的人，像古時的以色列人一樣。有很多人當刑杖落到他們身上時，便抱怨起來，以為是被苦待了。他們說：“為什麼我受這樣的苦呢？我作過什麼事才受這樣的管教呢？”發怨言的人哪！讓我對你說一句話。為什麼你怨天父這樣的安排呢？他待你曾過於你所應當得的嗎？你想想你過去怎樣的背叛神，但他卻饒恕了你！若智慧的神認為現在管教你是合適的時候，那末你就不應當怨尤。總之，你覺得你所受的擊打超過你的罪所當得的嗎？你把你內心一切的敗壞查看一下，你不覺得你極需刑杖來把它打出去嗎？稱稱你自己，看看你的金子裡有多少渣滓；烈火煉去你的很多渣滓時，你感到熾熱難熬嗎？你的驕傲悖逆不證明你的心還未完全成聖嗎？那些怨尤的話不是與神子民的順服的聖潔性情相違背嗎？你不需要糾正嗎？若你為所受的管教發怨言，要留意，發怨言的人所受的管教必更嚴厲。神常把他的孩子們管教兩次，若他們第一次不耐心地忍受責打的話。但要知道一件事：他並不甘心使人受苦，使人憂愁。他一切改正你的方法都是以愛為出發，為要潔淨你，吸引你親近他。若你承認你父的手有權柄，就必須以順服的心忍受他的管教。因為：“主所愛的，他必管教，又鞭打凡所收納的兒子。你們所忍受的，是神管教你們，待你們如同待兒子。”“你們也不要發怨言，像他們有發怨言的，就被滅命的所滅。”

April 30

"And all the children of Israel murmured." --Numbers 14:2

There are murmurers amongst Christians now, as there were in the camp of Israel of old. There are those who, when the rod falls, cry out against the afflictive dispensation. They ask, "Why am I thus afflicted? What have I done to be chastened in this manner?" A word with thee, O murmurer! Why shouldst thou murmur against the dispensations of thy heavenly Father? Can He treat thee more hardly than thou deservest? Consider what a rebel thou wast once, but He has pardoned thee! Surely, if He in His wisdom sees fit now to chasten thee, thou shouldst not complain. After all, art thou smitten as hardly as thy sins deserve? Consider the corruption which is in thy breast, and then wilt thou wonder that there needs so much of the rod to fetch it out? Weigh thyself, and discern how much dross is mingled with thy gold; and dost thou think the fire too hot to purge away so much dross as thou hast? Does not that proud rebellious spirit of thine prove that thy heart is not thoroughly sanctified? Are not those murmuring words contrary to the holy submissive nature of God's children? Is not the correction needed? But if thou wilt murmur against the chastening, take heed, for it will go hard with murmurers. God always chastises His children twice, if they do not bear the first stroke patiently. But know one thing--"He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men." All His corrections are sent in love, to purify thee, and to draw thee nearer to Himself. Surely it must help thee to bear the chastening with resignation if thou art able to recognize thy Father's hand. For "whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons." "Murmur not as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer."