三月十五日
你要在基督耶穌的恩典上剛強起來。(提後2:1)
耶穌的恩典是沒有限量的,但他並非據為己有。蓄水池怎麼傾入水管,基督的恩典也照樣傾倒給他的子民。“從他豐滿的恩典裡,我們都領受了,而且恩上加恩。”似乎他的恩典只是為了賜給我們。他像一口泉源一樣,長流不息,但卻只能滿足空瓶和就近他的口渴的人。他像一棵結好果子的樹,並非為了掛在樹枝上好看,而是要叫需要的人來摘食。恩典的工作,不論是赦罪、潔淨、保守、扶持、光照、滋潤或振興,都可以隨時白白地從他那裡取得,他為他的民所貯存的恩典樣樣都齊備。他的血雖然從心裡流出,但這血是屬身體各部的,所以每一個與羔羊有肢體關係的聖徒都能承受恩典之流;在此基督與他的教會有一種親密的交通,他們都因此領受同等的恩典。基督是頭,膏油先倒在頭上,這膏油再流到衣邊,所以最卑微的聖徒也能發出自頭下滴的膏油的同一香氣。恩典的汁水自幹輸入枝上,並且得明瞭是幹把營養供給枝。我們天天領受耶穌的恩典,常承認這恩是從他而來,我們就必得與他相交,並且得享與他相交之樂。讓我們天天使用我們的豐富恩典,並且時時求那與我們立約的主來補充我們,我們要大膽地從他那裡得到我們一切所需用的,正像一個人毫無顧忌地從自己的荷包中拿出錢來使用一樣。
March 15
“Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” –2 Timothy
2:1
Christ has grace without measure in Himself, but He hath not retained it
for Himself. As the reservoir empties itself into the pipes, so hath Christ
emptied out His grace for His people. “Of His fulness have all we
received, and grace for grace.” He seems only to have in order to dispense
to us. He stands like the fountain, always flowing, but only running in order
to supply the empty pitchers and the thirsty lips which draw nigh unto it. Like
a tree, He bears sweet fruit, not to hang on boughs, but to be gathered by
those who need. Grace, whether its work be to pardon, to cleanse, to preserve,
to strengthen, to enlighten, to quicken, or to restore, is ever to be had from
Him freely and without price; nor is there one form of the work of grace which
He has not bestowed upon His people. As the blood of the body, though flowing
from the heart, belongs equally to every member, so the influences of grace are
the inheritance of every saint united to the Lamb; and herein there is a sweet
communion between Christ and His Church, inasmuch as they both receive the same
grace. Christ is the head upon which the oil is first poured; but the same oil
runs to the very skirts of the garments, so that the meanest saint has an
unction of the same costly moisture as that which fell upon the head. This is
true communion when the sap of grace flows from the stem to the branch, and
when it is perceived that the stem itself is sustained by the very nourishment
which feeds the branch. As we day by day receive grace from Jesus, and more
constantly recognize it as coming from Him, we shall behold Him in communion
with us, and enjoy the felicity of communion with Him. Let us make daily use of
our riches, and ever repair to Him as to our own Lord in covenant, taking from
Him the supply of all we need with as much boldness as men take money from
their own purse.