十月二十一日
原来基督的爱激励我们。（林后5：14）
你亏欠我主有多少呢？他不曾爲你作过什麽吗？他曾赦免你的罪吗？他曾把义袍披在你的身上吗？他曾安排你的路吗？他曾爲你在天堂上预备了地方吗？他曾把你的名写在生命册上吗？他曾赐你无数的福分吗？他曾爲你存留你了你眼所末见、耳所未闻的丰盛的恩典吗？那末你当怎样报答耶稣的爱呢？不要空口白话地用言语来报答爲你钉死的救主。当主来时，你不能不承认你什麽也没有爲他作过，而是把你的爱封闭起来，像一个死水池子一样，绝不向属他的穷人、或是他的工作流露出来，你会作何感想呢？
人们对于从未付诸行动的爱有何看法呢？他们说：“当面的责备，强如背地的爱情。”谁肯接受你没有一点舍己、宽宏、好义或热诚的表现的爱呢！你想想看，他怎样爱你、爲你舍己呢？你知道那种爱的力量吗？要叫它在你的心灵中成爲大风吹去你世俗的乌云，廓清你罪恶的迷雾。甚愿”爲基督的缘故“成爲火舌落在你的头上；也愿“爲基督的缘故”成爲属神的快乐；成爲灵风把你从地上吹起来；成爲神的灵使你在服侍主的事上勇敢像狮子、快速像鹰。爱必爲服侍主的脚添上双翼，幷加力量给爲主劳苦的双臂。使我们爱神的心永远坚定不移，使我们尊崇他永不偏离、奋勇向前永不疲倦。让我们永远表现我们爱耶稣的心。愿神的磁石吸引我们向天就他！
“不爱已专爱耶稣，不爱已专爱耶稣……”
October
21
“The
love of Christ constraineth us.”–2 Corinthians 5:14
How much owest thou unto my Lord? Has he
ever done anything for thee? Has he forgiven thy sins? Has he covered thee with
a robe of righteousness? Has he set thy feet upon a rock? Has he established
thy goings? Has he prepared heaven for thee? Has he prepared thee for heaven?
Has he written thy name in his book of life? Has he given thee countless
blessings? Has he laid up for thee a store of mercies, which eye hath not seen
nor ear heard? Then do something for Jesus worthy of his love. Give not a mere
wordy offering to a dying Redeemer. How will you feel when your Master comes,
if you have to confess that you did nothing for him, but kept your love shut
up, like a stagnant pool, neither flowing forth to his poor or to his work. Out
on such love as that! What do men think of a love which never shows itself in
action? Why, they say, “Open rebuke is better than secret love.” Who
will accept a love so weak that it does not actuate you to a single deed of
self-denial, of generosity, of heroism, or zeal! Think how he has loved you,
and given himself for you! Do you know the power of that love? Then let it be
like a rushing mighty wind to your soul to sweep out the clouds of your
worldliness, and clear away the mists of sin. “For Christ’s sake” be
this the tongue of fire that shall sit upon you: “for Christ’s sake”
be this the divine rapture, the heavenly afflatus to bear you aloft from earth,
the divine spirit that shall make you bold as lions and swift as eagles in your
Lord’s service. Love should give wings to the feet of service, and strength to
the arms of labour. Fixed on God with a constancy that is not to be shaken,
resolute to honour him with a determination that is not to be turned aside, and
pressing on with an ardour never to be wearied, let us manifest the constraints
of love to Jesus. May the divine loadstone draw us heavenward towards itself.
