10月2日 谦卑的领域

你若能作什么,求你怜悯我们,帮助我们。(可九22)

每次高峰经历之后,神会突然把我们带下山去,面对既不美丽,也不诗意,更无兴奋可言的现实。山峰的高度是以山谷中单调的生活来量度的,但正是这山谷的生活,才是荣耀神的生活。我们在山顶上看见神的荣耀,但却永不会在那里为荣耀他而活。在谦卑低微的境地中,才真正显露我们对神的价值,显出我们的忠贞。在英雄的高台上,多半人都可以大显身手,因为我们心中有自私的天性;但神却要我们处身在枯燥平凡的境地,要我们在山谷中,单凭与他的关系而活。彼得以为留在山上最好不过,可是主耶稣却把门徒从山上带下山谷,在那里,山上的异象才得以启露。

“你若能作什么……”在山谷的卑微中,才能把我们多疑的根拔掉。试回想你的经历,在你认识主耶稣是谁以前,你是一个奸狡的不信者。在山上的时候,你什么都相信,可是在山谷中面对现实时又如何呢?你大可以作见证,说成圣之道,可是对那如今令你屈辱的事,你如何处理?上一次你与神在山上,看见天上地下权柄都在耶稣手中;如今在卑下的山谷中,你有没有疑惑?

祈祷◆主啊,昔日我在你面前的生活,仿如四处漂流、黯淡无光,直至你在我里面出现。因着我相信你大能的救赎,我称颂你,可是,噢,能察觉你的感动竟然会带来如此的分别!

October 2 The Sphere Of Humiliation

“If Thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.” Mark 9:22

After every time of exaltation we are brought down with a sudden rush into things as they are where it is neither beautiful nor poetic nor thrilling. The height of the mountain top is measured by the drab drudgery of the valley; but it is in the valley that we have to live for the glory of God. We see His glory on the mount, but we never live for His glory there. It is in the sphere of humiliation that we find our true worth to God, that is where our faithfulness is revealed. Most of us can do things if we are always at the heroic pitch because of the natural selfishness of our hearts, but God wants us at the drab commonplace pitch, where we live in the valley according to our personal relationship to Him. Peter thought it would be a fine thing for them to remain on the mount, but Jesus Christ took the disciples down from the mount into the valley, the place where the meaning of the vision is explained.

“If Thou canst do any thing . . .” It takes the valley of humiliation to root the scepticism out of us. Look back at your own experience, and you will find that until you learned Who Jesus was, you were a cunning sceptic about His power. When you were on the mount, you could believe anything, but what about the time when you were up against facts in the valley? You may be able to give a testimony to sanctification, but what about the thing that is a humiliation to you just now? The last time you were on the mount with God, you saw that all power in heaven and in earth belonged to Jesus – will you be sceptical now in the valley of humiliation?