3月19日 亞伯拉罕信心之道
出去的時候,還不知往哪裡去。(來十一8)
在舊約時代,個人與神的關係,是在“分離”上顯出來。這可從亞伯拉罕離開本地本族本家的生平中看出來。在今日,這“分離”卻側重在心思道德方面的意義。我們所親愛的人若與神沒有個人關係,我們對事物的看法就與他們不同了。耶穌基督也強調這一點(路十四26)。
信心是從來不知道要往哪裡去,卻知道且深愛領路的那一位。我們的生活是信心的生活,不是理智理性的生活,因為知道誰叫我們“去”。信心的根源是出於對神的認識。但有一個最大的陷阱,是我們以為神一定領我們成功順利。
信心生活的最終階段,是性格的完成。人個性的改變,有不少是短暫的。我們禱告時,感到神的祝福包圍著我們,那時確有了改變。過後回到日常生活中,又依然故我,而那榮光也就消失了。信心的生活不是展翅上騰的生活,乃是腳踏實地的行走而不頹廢。這不是成聖的問題;是比成聖更進一步,是經過考驗而證實及格的。亞伯拉罕不是成聖的模式,乃是信心生活的模範。他的信心是經過誓言,是建立在真神上。“亞伯拉罕信神”。
祈禱◆噢,主啊,願今天因著你的同在和祝福,而充滿榮耀。願我們看見你使你所站的地方成為榮耀之處。
March 19 The Way Of Abraham In Faith
“He went out, not knowing whither he went.” Hebrews
11:8
In the Old
Testament, personal relationship with God showed itself in separation, and this
is symbolized in the life of Abraham by his separation from his country and
from his kith and kin. To day the separation is more of a mental and moral
separation from the way that those who are dearest to us look at things, that
is, if they have not a personal relationship with God. Jesus Christ emphasized
this (see Luke 14:26).
Faith never knows
where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One Who is leading. It is a
life of Faith, not of intellect and reason, but a life of knowing Who makes us
“go.” The root of faith is the knowledge of a Person, and one of the biggest
snares is the idea that God is sure to lead us to success.
The final stage in
the life of faith is attainment of character. There are many passing
transfigurations of character; when we pray we feel the blessing of God
enwrapping us and for the time being we are changed, then we get back to the
ordinary days and ways and the glory vanishes. The life of faith is not a life
of mounting up with wings, but a life of walking and not fainting. It is not a
question of sanctification; but of something infinitely further on than
sanctification, of faith that has been tried and proved and has stood the test.
Abraham is not a type of sanctification, but a type of the life of faith, a
tried faith built on a real God. “Abraham believed God.”