弟兄们,我们既因耶稣的血,得以坦然进入至圣所。(来十19)
当心别以为代求是把自己的同情心带到神面前,然后要求他照我们所求的成就。我们能亲近神,完全是由于主耶稣作成这赎罪的工作。我们是“因耶稣的血,坦然进入至圣所”。
属灵的固执是代求中最大的障碍。因为同情心的根据,是我们里面和别人里面那些自以为不必用血来救赎的部分。我们以为还有些好处与德行,是不必用血来救赎的。这观念所产生的障碍,叫我们无法代求。我们没有与神爱人的心合一,我们生神的气;我们总有自己的主意,代求就成为天然同情心的自我吹擂。耶稣自己成为罪,就把人所有的同情心彻底地改变了。替代式的代求,就是立志把我们对人的天然同情心,换上神对人爱顾的心。
我是固执的还是被神的心替代了?与神的关系是失调还是和谐?在闹意气还是属灵?偏行己路还是与神同心?
祈祷◆主啊,你最明白在展开未来之前那种奇异的感觉。此刻极之需要提升我的情绪、思想和心态。求你确证我的思想。
May 4 Vicarious Intercession
“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.” Hebrews 10:19
Beware of imagining that intercession means bringing our personal sympathies into the presence of God and demanding that He does what we ask. Our approach to God is due entirely to the vicarious identification of our Lord with sin. We have “boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.”
Spiritual stubbornness is the most effectual hindrance to intercession, because it is based on sympathy with that in ourselves and in others that we do not think needs atoning for. We have the notion that there are certain right and virtuous things in us which do not need to be based on the Atonement, and just in the domain of “stodge” that is produced by this idea we cannot intercede. We do not identify ourselves with God's interests in others, we get petulant with God; we are always ready with our own ideas, and intercession becomes the glorification of our own natural sympathies. We have to realize that the identification of Jesus with sin means the radical alteration of all our sympathies. Vicarious intercession means that we deliberately substitute God's interests in others for our natural sympathy with them.
Am I stubborn or substituted? Petted or perfect in my relationship to God? Sulky or spiritual? Determined to have my own way or determined to be identified with Him?