你喂养我的羊。(约二十一17)
这是爱的模造。神的爱不是被造的,乃是他的本性。我们一接受了圣灵,他就使我们与神联合,神的爱就藉我们彰显出来。人的心灵藉着圣灵的内住与神联合,并不就完事;我们是要与父合一,正如耶稣与父合一一样。耶稣与父的合一是怎样的呢?就是父差他到世间来,为我们竭尽所有。然后说:“父怎样差遣了我,我也照样差遣他们。”
彼得这时被主刺心的问话启示,体会自己真的爱主;接着就是将自己耗尽。主对他说:“你不必见证你怎样爱我,也不必宣告你所得的超奇启示,只要喂养我的羊。”耶稣有许多奇特古怪的羊,有肮脏的羊,有粗鲁好斗的羊,还有迷路的羊!神的爱从不会枯干,人的爱若从同一源泉发出,也就同样的不会枯干。神的爱是不理会那个性中的差异。我若爱主,就不该受天然性情所左右;我必须喂养他的羊。这使命是不容间断的。但当心不可依照人天然的同情心去假冒神的爱,否则就是亵渎神的爱。
祈祷◆噢,主啊,但愿我所有的思想、情感和话语,都蕴含着爱——对你的完全之爱,并透过它来与人接触。
March 3rd The Unrelieved Quest
“Feed My sheep.” John 21:17
This is love in the making. The love of God is un-made, it is God's nature. When we receive the Holy Spirit He unites us with God so that His love is manifested in us. When the soul is united to God by the indwelling Holy Spirit, that is not the end; the end is that we may be one with the Father as Jesus was. What kind of oneness had Jesus Christ with the Father? Such a oneness that the Father sent Him down here to be spent for us, and He says – “As the Father hath sent Me, even so send I you.”
Peter realizes now with the revelation of the Lord's hurting question that he does love Him; then comes the point – “Spend it out.” Don't testify how much you love Me, don't profess about the marvellous revelation you have had, but – “Feed My sheep.” And Jesus has some extraordinarily funny sheep, some bedraggled, dirty sheep, some awkward, butting sheep, some sheep that have gone astray! It is impossible to weary God's love, and it is impossible to weary that love in me if it springs from the one centre. The love of God pays no attention to the distinctions made by natural individuality. If I love my Lord I have no business to be guided by natural temperament; I have to feed His sheep. There is no relief and no release from this commission. Beware of counterfeiting the love of God by working along the line of natural human sympathy, because that will end in blaspheming the love of God.