4月4日 不信的边缘

看哪，时候将到，……你们要分散。（约十六32）

耶稣不是在责备门徒，他们的信心是真实的，只不过受到困扰；以致在实际的事情临到时，信心没有发生果效。他们分散，各顾各的事，而这些事不是属基督的。我们与神有了分别为圣的关系后，就必须在实际行动上活出信心来。我们被解散，不是到工厂上去，而是到个人内心的绝境里，叫我们体会什么叫做向神的赐福死去。我们准备好吗？这不是我们所拣选的，乃是神所安排的环境，带我们进入这经历里去。

除非我们有了这样的经历，否则，我们的信心不过是建立在感觉与福气之上，为二者所支撑而已。一旦我们到了这个地步，不论神放我们在哪里，也不论落到怎样的绝境，我们仍然可以赞美神，知道一切都尽善尽美，这才是信心真实地发挥出来。

“……留下我独自一人。”我们有没有因着追逐个人的嗜欲，偏离神旨，留下耶稣独自一人？这是因为我们在所遇的环境里看不见神吗？黑暗来临，也是出于神的全能。我们预备让神照他的心意对待我们吗？就是甘愿抛弃我们能察觉的福气吗？除非等到耶稣基督作我们的主，否则我们总会去争取自己的目标；我们的信心是真实的，却仍未坚固。神从来不草率行事；只要我们等候，神必要指明。但我们所专注的不是神，而是他的赐福。只意识到神的赐福，乃是灵程的初阶。“你们可以放心，我已经胜了世界。”我们需要属灵的刚毅。

祈祷◆噢，主啊，我何等需要你！求你今天以丰盛的能力，临到我们实际的环境中。

April 4 Those Borders Of Distrust

“Behold, the hour cometh . . . that ye shall be scattered.” John 16:32

Jesus is not rebuking the disciples, their faith was real, but it was disturbed; it was not at work in actual things. The disciples were scattered to their own interests, alive to interests that never were in Jesus Christ. After we have been perfectly related to God in sanctification, our faith has to be worked out in actualities. We shall be scattered, not into work, but into inner desolations and made to know what internal death to God’s blessings means. Are we prepared for this? It is not that we choose it, but that God engineers our circumstances so that we are brought there. Until we have been through that experience, our faith is bolstered up by feelings and by blessings. When once we get there, no matter where God places us or what the inner desolations are, we can praise God that all is well. That is faith being worked out in actualities.

“. . . and shall leave Me alone.” Have we left Jesus alone by the scattering of His providence? Because we do not see God in our circumstances? Darkness comes by the sovereignty of God. Are we prepared to let God do as He likes with us – prepared to be separated from conscious blessings? Until Jesus Christ is Lord, we all have ends of our own to serve; our faith is real, but it is not permanent yet. God is never in a hurry; if we wait, we shall see that God is pointing out that we have not been interested in Himself but only in His blessings. The sense of God’s blessing is elemental.

“Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Spiritual grit is what we need.