五月十九日
我见过仆人骑马，王子像仆人在地上步行。（传10：7）
暴发者常僭居高位，而真正伟大的器材反而默默无闻。这一个谜一旦被神解开之后，正直人的心必然欢畅，但这是一件极普通的事，若这事轮到我们身上，我们也不当抱怨。当我们的主在世时，虽然他是万君之君、万主之主，但他行走疲倦辛劳的路程，像众仆之仆一样服侍人，那末那跟从他的人——君王的后代，处卑贱、被轻看，又有什么奇怪呢?这个世界本是颠倒反常的，因此，首即尾，尾即首，在上即在下，在下即在上。你看撒但的徒子徒孙们在地上是多么耀武扬威，多么得势呀！他们骑的马是多么高大！哈曼倨居王宫，而末底改却跼处朝门；大卫逃亡荒山，而扫罗却统辖全国；以利亚在山洞中发怨言，而耶西别却在宫中说大话；但谁愿站罪人的道路。坐亵慢人的座位呢?另一方面，谁不羡慕那被轻视的圣徒呢?当巨轮旋转，那卑微的就兴起，高傲的就降低。信徒呀！要忍耐，永恒必纠正时序的错误。
让我们不要走错了路，不要使我们贪婪世俗的心阔步前行，而反让高尚的意志抱羞蒙尘。恩典必掌王权，使全身的肢体作义的器具。圣灵喜欢次序，因此他把我们的能力和才赋安放在合适的地方，把我们与大君王联系起来的属灵的才能放在最高的地位，让我们不要扰乱神的安排，而要求神赐恩典使我们制服身体，使身体顺服。我们被新造并非叫我们的情欲管制我们，而我们要像君王一样，在基督耶稣里面治理我们灵、魂、体的国度，归荣耀于父神。
May 19
“I have seen servants
upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.” —
Ecclesiastes 10:7
Upstarts
frequently usurp the highest places, while the truly great pine in obscurity.
This is a riddle in providence whose solution will one day gladden the hearts
of the upright; but it is so common a fact, that none of us should murmur if it
should fall to our own lot. When our Lord was upon earth, although He is the
Prince of the kings of the earth, yet He walked the footpath of weariness and
service as the Servant of servants: what wonder is it if His followers, who are
princes of the blood, should also be looked down upon as inferior and
contemptible persons? The world is upside down, and therefore, the first are
last and the last first. See how the servile sons of Satan lord it in the
earth! What a high horse they ride! How they lift up their horn on high! Haman
is in the court, while Mordecai sits in the gate; David wanders on the
mountains, while Saul reigns in state; Elijah is complaining in the cave while
Jezebel is boasting in the palace; yet who would wish to take the places of the
proud rebels? and who, on the other hand, might not envy the despised saints?
When the wheel turns, those who are lowest rise, and the highest sink.
Patience, then, believer, eternity will right the wrongs of time.
Let us not fall
into the error of letting our passions and carnal appetites ride in triumph,
while our nobler powers walk in the dust. Grace must reign as a prince, and
make the members of the body instruments of righteousness. The Holy Spirit
loves order, and He therefore sets our powers and faculties in due rank and
place, giving the highest room to those spiritual faculties which link us with
the great King; let us not disturb the divine arrangement, but ask for grace
that we may keep under our body and bring it into subjection. We were not new
created to allow our passions to rule over us, but that we, as kings, may reign
in Christ Jesus over the triple kingdom of spirit, soul, and body, to the glory
of God the Father.
