8月4日 神與我們同行的勇氣
耶穌帶著十二個門徒。（路十八31）
神信任我們，這是多大的勇氣！你說：“他挑選了我，實在不智，因為我一無所有，也一文不值。”這正是神揀選你的原因。你若自以為有，神就無法揀選你，因為你還有自己的目的。你若讓他帶你去到自滿自足的盡頭，他就能揀選你一同上耶路撒冷。這樣，就成就他沒有與你商量的計劃。
我們常因一個人具有天然才幹，便說他可以成為好的基督徒。其實，問題不在我們的裝備，而在我們的貧窮；不在我們帶什麼來，而在神放什麼在我們裡面；不在知識、經驗、天然的德行或堅強的個性－－這一切都無關重要。唯一要緊的，是我們在神的強力催策下，成為與他同行的人（比較林前一26-30）。對自認為對神有用的人，神不會做什麼。作為基督徒，我們絕不是為自己的目標，而是單為神的目標。神的目標絕不同人的目標。我們不知道神怎樣打算，但無論發生什麼事，也必須保持與他的關係。絕不可容讓任何事損害我們與神的關係，若這關係有損，就必須花時間去復原。基督教的重點不在於我們所作的工，乃在我們所持守的關係，以及因著這關係而產生的情操。神要我們看守的就是這個，而不斷受到攻擊的也正是這個。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，你何等清楚地向我顯明，最重要的是神，惟獨是神。願我在這偉大的認知上，絕不絆跌任何人。
August 4 The Brave Comradeship Of God
“Then He took unto Him the twelve.” Luke 18:31
The bravery of God in trusting us! You say – “But He has been unwise to
choose me, because there is nothing in me; I am not of any value.” That is why
He chose you. As long as you think there is something in you, He cannot choose
you because you have ends of your own to serve; but if you have let Him bring
you to the end of your self-sufficiency then He can choose you to go with Him
to Jerusalem, and that will mean the fulfilment of purposes which He does not
discuss with you.
We are apt to say that because a man has natural ability, therefore he
will make a good Christian. It is not a question of our equipment but of our
poverty, not of what we bring with us, but of what God puts into us; not a
question of natural virtues of strength of character, knowledge, and experience
– all that is of no avail in this matter. The only thing that avails is that we
are taken up into the big compelling of God and made His comrades (cf. 1 Cor.
1:26-30). The comradeship of God is made up out of men who know their poverty.
He can do nothing with the man who thinks that he is of use to God. As
Christians we are not out for our own cause at all, we are out for the cause of
God, which can never be our cause. We do not know what God is after, but we
have to maintain our relationship with Him whatever happens. We must never allow
anything to injure our relationship with God; if it does get injured we must
take time and get it put right. The main thing about Christianity is not the
work we do, but the relationship we maintain and the atmosphere produced by
that relationship. That is all God asks us to look after, and it is the one
thing that is being continually assailed.
