3月17日 工人專一的情志

我們立了志向，要得主的喜悅。（林後五9）

“立了志向（英文有勞苦作工的意思）……”乃是盡心竭力，把最大的願望擺在首位。意即由年首至歲終，持守著最高的理想。這種理想，並不是熱心去得人靈魂，或者建立教會、舉辦奮興會，而是熱衷於“得主的喜悅”。我們的失敗，並非由於缺乏屬靈的經歷，而是沒有竭力持定那理想的標竿。每一個禮拜，至少要在神面前結算一次，看看你的生命是否夠得上他所要求的水平。

保羅好像一個音樂家，他不管聽眾讚賞不讚賞，只要獲得主人的青睞，就已心滿意足了。任何野心只要稍微偏差，不指向“得主喜悅”的目標，就會叫我們成為被棄絕的人。要學習分辨心志的方向，你就會明白為什麼要向著主耶穌而活。保羅說：“我怕我的身體會領我走入歧途，因此我不斷地提高警覺，攻克己身，叫身服我。”（林前九27）

我必須學習把一切所做的連接在這首要的心志上，同時保守它不間斷。在公眾面前我在身心裡有多少價值，是視乎我私下裡的為人。我最高的心志是要討神喜悅，還是為了次一等看來很高貴的目標？

祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著今早的經文，我感謝你——“所以你當歸向你的神，謹守仁愛、公平，常常等候你的神。”願你榮耀的同在充滿這廣大的營地；阻止罪惡，激發敬虔。

March 17 The Worker’s Ruling Passion

“Wherefore we labour that . . we may be accepted of Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:9

“Wherefore we labour . . . .” It is arduous work to keep the master ambition in front. It means holding one’s self to the high ideal year in and year out, not being ambitious to win souls or to establish churches or to have revivals, but being ambitious only to be “accepted of Him.” It is not lack of spiritual experience that leads to failure, but lack of labouring to keep the ideal right. Once a week at least take stock before God and see whether you are keeping your life up to the standard He wishes. Paul is like a musician who does not heed the approval of the audience if he can catch the look of approval from his Master.

Any ambition which is in the tiniest degree away from this central one of being “approved unto God” may end in our being castaways. Learn to discern where the ambition leads, and you will see why it is so necessary to live facing the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul says – “Lest my body should make me take another line, I am constantly watching so that I may bring it into subjection and keep it under.” （1 Cor. 9:27.）

I have to learn to relate everything to the master ambition, and to maintain it without any cessation. My worth to God in public is what I am in private. Is my master ambition to please Him and be acceptable to Him, or is it something less, no matter how noble?