7月18日竭誠為主

7月18日信的奧秘

他說，主啊，你是誰？（徒九5）

救贖的奇跡，使大數的掃羅由一個認真、意志堅強的法利賽人，一刻之間變成主耶穌謙卑的忠僕。

可以解釋的事根本就無奇妙可言。可以解釋的事便能控制，所以我們要求解釋是極自然的。順服並非自然的事；不順服也並不一定有罪。除非我承認有一更高的權威指揮一切，否則順服不算甚麼德行。對別人而言，不順服可能是一種解放。一個人若對另一個人說：“你一定要這樣。”他就傷害了那人的靈，這樣的靈並不合神用。順服的背後必須承認有一位聖潔的神，否則，只淪為順服的奴隸。許多人要擺脫宗教的外殼，才能真正來到神面前。因為心裡只有一位主人，這不是宗教，而是耶穌基督。倘若我見他，卻對他說：“我不肯。”我就有禍了。他不會強求，但我已在心裡神兒子的死亡證上簽了字。我面對主耶穌，卻對他說：“我不願意。”他斷不會堅持，但這樣我就從救恩的再造大能中退後了。我若肯來就光，不管我怎樣可惡，神的恩典總不會計較；我若不肯來到光中，就有禍了（參約三19-21）。

祈禱◆ “看啊！這些不過是他的道路顯而易見的部分，至於他能力的響聲誰能明白呢？”那許多無根的思緒在我的腦海中浮過，除非我的黑暗蒙你光照，否則對於屬你的東西，我全無智慧和知識。

July 18 The Mystery of Believing

He said, "Who are You, Lord?" —Acts 9:5

Through the miracle of redemption, Saul of Tarsus was instantly changed from a strong-willed and forceful Pharisee into a humble and devoted bondservant of the Lord Jesus.

There is nothing miraculous or mysterious about the things we can explain. We control what we are able to explain, consequently it is only natural to seek an explanation for everything. It is not natural to obey, yet it is not necessarily sinful to disobey. There can be no real disobedience, nor any moral virtue in obedience, unless a person recognizes the higher authority of the one giving the orders. If this recognition does not exist, even the one giving the orders may view the other person’s disobedience as freedom. If one rules another by saying, “You must do this,” and, “You will do that,” he breaks the human spirit, making it unfit for God. A person is simply a slave for obeying, unless behind his obedience is the recognition of a holy God.

Many people begin coming to God once they stop being religious, because there is only one master of the human heart— Jesus Christ, not religion. But “Woe is me” if after seeing Him I still will not obey (Isaiah 6:5 , also see Isaiah 6:1). Jesus will never insist that I obey, but if I don’t,I have already begun to sign the death certificate of the Son of God in my soul. When I stand face to face with Jesus Christ and say, “I will not obey,” He will never insist. But when I do this, I am backing away from the recreating power of His redemption. It makes no difference to God’s grace what an abomination I am, if I will only come to the light. But “Woe is me” if I refuse the light (see John 3:19-21).