十二月十六日
可以到我这里来。（太11：28）
基督教的呼声乃是一个柔和的字：“来。”犹太教的律法却是粗声厉气地说：“去，在你所行的路上要小心你的脚步。违背诫命，就必灭亡；遵守诫命。便得存活。”律法是令人惧怕的，它像一条鞭子一样地驱策人们；福音却用慈绳爱索吸引着人们。耶稣是一位走在羊群前面的好牧人，叫它们跟从他，总是用和悦的语调：“来！”引导它们向前。律法使人看出神人之间有一段距离；福音却是这一条可怕鸿沟的桥梁，使人得以渡过。
从你灵命的开头，直到你被接在荣耀里，基督总是对你说：“来，到我这里来。”母亲怎样放手叫她的小孩子学走说“来”，耶稣也是这样。他永远在你前面，叫你跟从他．像兵丁服从官长一样。他永远在你以前爲你开路、铺路，你必听到他鼓舞你的话叫你终生跟随他；在你临终的一刹那，他必柔声招你到天堂说：“你们这蒙我父赐福的，可来。”
非但这样，这不单单是基督对你的呼声，如果你是一位信徒，这也是你对基督的呼声：“来，来！”你必切慕他二次再来，你必说：“主耶稣啊！我愿你快来。”你必渴慕与他有更亲近、更密切的交通。他对你说“来”，你也要回答他说：“主啊！来，与我同住。来，占据我心中的宝座；独自执掌王权，幷把我分别爲圣，完全爲你工作。”
December 16
“Come unto me.”—Matthew 11:28
The cry of the
Christian religion is the gentle word, “Come.” The Jewish law harshly
said, “Go, take heed unto thy steps as to the path in which thou shalt
walk. Break the commandments, and thou shalt perish; keep them, and thou shalt
live.” The law was a dispensation of terror, which drove men before it as
with a scourge; the gospel draws with bands of love. Jesus is the good Shepherd
going before his sheep, bidding them follow him, and ever leading them onwards
with the sweet word, “Come.” The law repels, the gospel attracts. The
law shows the distance which there is between God and man; the gospel bridges
that awful chasm, and brings the sinner across it.
From the first moment
of your spiritual life until you are ushered into glory, the language of Christ
to you will be, “Come, come unto me.” As a mother puts out her finger
to her little child and woos it to walk by saying, “Come,” even so
does Jesus. He will always be ahead of you, bidding you follow him as the
soldier follows his captain. He will always go before you to pave your way, and
clear your path, and you shall hear his animating voice calling you after him
all through life; while in the solemn hour of death, his sweet words with which
he shall usher you into the heavenly world shall be–“Come, ye blessed of
my Father.”
Nay, further, this is not only Christ’s cry to you, but,
if you be a believer, this is your cry to Christ–“Come! come!” You
will be longing for his second advent; you will be saying, “Come quickly,
even so come Lord Jesus.” You will be panting for nearer and closer
communion with him. As his voice to you is “Come,” your response to
him will be, “Come, Lord, and abide with me. Come, and occupy alone the
throne of my heart; reign there without a rival, and consecrate me entirely to
thy service.”
