5月25日 自利的考验

你向左，我就向右；你向右，我就向左。（创十三9）

你一开始过信靠神的生活，就会有许多满有吸引和有利的机会出现在你面前，而这些都是你理所应得的。可是你若凭信心生活，就会主动放弃这些权益，让神替你选择。神有时让你置身于试验之中，若你不是凭信而活，图谋切身的福利并不算错。但你既然信靠神，就当快快乐乐地放下自己的权利，让神替你去选择。这个操练，是藉着对神话语的顺服，使人天然的本质改造成属灵的样式。

人生若以权利来做指南，就会把属灵的生命窒息了。在信靠神的生活中，最大的敌人并不是罪，而是不及标准的善良。善良永远是至善的仇敌。亚伯拉罕易地而居，本是世间最明智之举，因他有主权。但他不作选择，以致周遭的人都视他为愚妄。我们许多人灵性不长进，是因为要自己选择自以为好的，不信靠神去替我们选择。我们要学习注目在神的标准上生活。“你当在我面前。”

祈祷◆主啊，你的道路就像你那般完美；而我的道路就像我自己那样不完全。感动我，让我今天能有效地认同你的感觉和你的道路。

May 25 The Test Of Self-Interest

“If thou will take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.” Genesis 13:9

As soon as you begin to live the life of faith in God, fascinating and luxurious prospects will open up before you, and these things are yours by right; but if you are living the life of faith you will exercise your right to waive your rights, and let God choose for you. God sometimes allows you to get into a place of testing where your own welfare would be the right and proper thing to consider if you were not living a life of faith; but if you are, you will joyfully waive your right and leave God to choose for you. This is the discipline by means of which the natural is transformed into the spiritual by obedience to the voice of God.

Whenever right is made the guidance in the life, it will blunt the spiritual insight. The great enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but the good which is not good enough. The good is always the enemy of the best. It would seem the wisest thing in the world for Abraham to choose, it was his right, and the people around would consider him a fool for not choosing. Many of us do not go on spiritually because we prefer to choose what is right instead of relying on God to choose for us. We have to learn to walk according to the standard which has its eye on God. “Walk before Me.”