五月十九日

我見過僕人騎馬，王子像僕人在地上步行。（傳10：7）

暴發者常僭居高位，而真正偉大的器材反而默默無聞。這一個謎一旦被神解開之後，正直人的心必然歡暢，但這是一件極普通的事，若這事輪到我們身上，我們也不當抱怨。當我們的主在世時，雖然他是萬君之君、萬主之主，但他行走疲倦辛勞的路程，像眾僕之僕一樣服侍人，那末那跟從他的人——君王的後代，處卑賤、被輕看，又有什麼奇怪呢?這個世界本是顛倒反常的，因此，首即尾，尾即首，在上即在下，在下即在上。你看撒但的徒子徒孫們在地上是多麼耀武揚威，多麼得勢呀！他們騎的馬是多麼高大！哈曼倨居王宮，而末底改卻跼處朝門；大衛逃亡荒山，而掃羅卻統轄全國；以利亞在山洞中發怨言，而耶西別卻在宮中說大話；但誰願站罪人的道路。坐褻慢人的座位呢?另一方面，誰不羡慕那被輕視的聖徒呢?當巨輪旋轉，那卑微的就興起，高傲的就降低。信徒呀！要忍耐，永恆必糾正時序的錯誤。

讓我們不要走錯了路，不要使我們貪婪世俗的心闊步前行，而反讓高尚的意志抱羞蒙塵。恩典必掌王權，使全身的肢體作義的器具。聖靈喜歡次序，因此他把我們的能力和才賦安放在合適的地方，把我們與大君王聯繫起來的屬靈的才能放在最高的地位，讓我們不要擾亂神的安排，而要求神賜恩典使我們制服身體，使身體順服。我們被新造並非叫我們的情欲管制我們，而我們要像君王一樣，在基督耶穌裡面治理我們靈、魂、體的國度，歸榮耀于父神。

May 19

"I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth." -- Ecclesiastes 10:7

Upstarts frequently usurp the highest places, while the truly great pine in obscurity. This is a riddle in providence whose solution will one day gladden the hearts of the upright; but it is so common a fact, that none of us should murmur if it should fall to our own lot. When our Lord was upon earth, although He is the Prince of the kings of the earth, yet He walked the footpath of weariness and service as the Servant of servants: what wonder is it if His followers, who are princes of the blood, should also be looked down upon as inferior and contemptible persons? The world is upside down, and therefore, the first are last and the last first. See how the servile sons of Satan lord it in the earth! What a high horse they ride! How they lift up their horn on high! Haman is in the court, while Mordecai sits in the gate; David wanders on the mountains, while Saul reigns in state; Elijah is complaining in the cave while Jezebel is boasting in the palace; yet who would wish to take the places of the proud rebels? and who, on the other hand, might not envy the despised saints? When the wheel turns, those who are lowest rise, and the highest sink. Patience, then, believer, eternity will right the wrongs of time.

Let us not fall into the error of letting our passions and carnal appetites ride in triumph, while our nobler powers walk in the dust. Grace must reign as a prince, and make the members of the body instruments of righteousness. The Holy Spirit loves order, and He therefore sets our powers and faculties in due rank and place, giving the highest room to those spiritual faculties which link us with the great King; let us not disturb the divine arrangement, but ask for grace that we may keep under our body and bring it into subjection. We were not new created to allow our passions to rule over us, but that we, as kings, may reign in Christ Jesus over the triple kingdom of spirit, soul, and body, to the glory of God the Father.