十月八日
把船开到水深之处，下网打鱼。（路5：4）
我们从这一段事知道人的工作也是需要的，这一次的打鱼是一件神迹，但是也幷未忽视渔夫、船和网；这一切都是用以打鱼的。所以神在就灵魂的工作上也用人的方法；恩典的法度虽然屹立不变，但拙劣的讲道如能救信的人，也能使神喜悦。当神不用工具而工作的时候，当然他能得荣耀；但他也借助于某种计划使他在地上大得赞美。光靠这些是完全无用的、“我们整夜劳力，幷没有打着什麽。”这是什麽缘故呢？他们不是些老练的渔夫吗？当然，他们不是外行；他们对于打鱼的技术都很精通。他们是随随便便地劳力吗？他们不殷勤吗？不，他们很劳力。他们没有恒心吗？不，他们已经整夜劳力。海里没有鱼吗？当然不是的，因爲当主来到，他们就得了许多鱼，甚至网险些裂开。
那末，这是什麽缘故呢？这不是因爲他们离了主什麽方法也没有用吗！“离了他，我们就不能作什麽。”但有了基督，我们什麽都能作了。有基督同在才能成功。耶稣坐在彼得的船上，他能用他奇妙的大能使鱼进入网中。当耶稣在他的教会中被高举之后，他的同在便是教会的能力——君王在他里面发号施令。“我若从地上被举起来，就要吸引万人来归我。”今晨我们要去作打灵魂的工作，要凭信心仰望神，幷爲周围环绕我们的人发热心。让我们劳力工作直到晚上，我们的工作必不徒然，因爲主吩咐我们下网，我们就能打满了鱼。
October
8
“Launch
out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.”–Luke 5:4
We learn from this narrative, the
necessity of human agency. The draught of fishes was miraculous, yet neither
the fisherman nor his boat, nor his fishing tackle were ignored; but all were
used to take the fishes. So in the saving of souls, God worketh by means; and
while the present economy of grace shall stand, God will be pleased by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. When God worketh without
instruments, doubtless he is glorified; but he hath himself selected the plan
of instrumentality as being that by which he is most magnified in the earth.
Means of themselves are utterly unavailing. “Master, we have toiled all
the night and have taken nothing.” What was the reason of this? Were they
not fishermen plying their special calling? Verily, they were no raw hands;
they understood the work. Had they gone about the toil unskilfully? No. Had
they lacked industry? No, they had toiled. Had they lacked perseverance? No,
they had toiled all the night. Was there a deficiency of fish in the sea? Certainly
not, for as soon as the Master came, they swam to the net in shoals. What,
then, is the reason? Is it because there is no power in the means of themselves
apart from the presence of Jesus? “Without him we can do nothing.”
But with Christ we can do all things. Christ’s presence confers success. Jesus
sat in Peter’s boat, and his will, by a mysterious influence, drew the fish to
the net. When Jesus is lifted up in his Church, his presence is the Church’s
power–the shout of a king is in the midst of her. “I, if I be lifted up,
will draw all men unto me.” Let us go out this morning on our work of soul
fishing, looking up in faith, and around us in solemn anxiety. Let us toil till
night comes, and we shall not labour in vain, for he who bids us let down the
net, will fill it with fishes.
