8月4日 神与我们同行的勇气

耶稣带着十二个门徒。（路十八31）

神信任我们，这是多大的勇气！你说：“他挑选了我，实在不智，因为我一无所有，也一文不值。”这正是神拣选你的原因。你若自以为有，神就无法拣选你，因为你还有自己的目的。你若让他带你去到自满自足的尽头，他就能拣选你一同上耶路撒冷。这样，就成就他没有与你商量的计划。

我们常因一个人具有天然才干，便说他可以成为好的基督徒。其实，问题不在我们的装备，而在我们的贫穷；不在我们带什么来，而在神放什么在我们里面；不在知识、经验、天然的德行或坚强的个性－－这一切都无关重要。唯一要紧的，是我们在神的强力催策下，成为与他同行的人（比较林前一26-30）。对自认为对神有用的人，神不会做什么。作为基督徒，我们绝不是为自己的目标，而是单为神的目标。神的目标绝不同人的目标。我们不知道神怎样打算，但无论发生什么事，也必须保持与他的关系。绝不可容让任何事损害我们与神的关系，若这关系有损，就必须花时间去复原。基督教的重点不在于我们所作的工，乃在我们所持守的关系，以及因着这关系而产生的情操。神要我们看守的就是这个，而不断受到攻击的也正是这个。

祈祷◆噢，主啊，你何等清楚地向我显明，最重要的是神，惟独是神。愿我在这伟大的认知上，绝不绊跌任何人。

August 4 The Brave Comradeship Of God

“Then He took unto Him the twelve.” Luke 18:31

The bravery of God in trusting us! You say – “But He has been unwise to choose me, because there is nothing in me; I am not of any value.” That is why He chose you. As long as you think there is something in you, He cannot choose you because you have ends of your own to serve; but if you have let Him bring you to the end of your self-sufficiency then He can choose you to go with Him to Jerusalem, and that will mean the fulfilment of purposes which He does not discuss with you.

We are apt to say that because a man has natural ability, therefore he will make a good Christian. It is not a question of our equipment but of our poverty, not of what we bring with us, but of what God puts into us; not a question of natural virtues of strength of character, knowledge, and experience – all that is of no avail in this matter. The only thing that avails is that we are taken up into the big compelling of God and made His comrades (cf. 1 Cor. 1:26-30). The comradeship of God is made up out of men who know their poverty. He can do nothing with the man who thinks that he is of use to God. As Christians we are not out for our own cause at all, we are out for the cause of God, which can never be our cause. We do not know what God is after, but we have to maintain our relationship with Him whatever happens. We must never allow anything to injure our relationship with God; if it does get injured we must take time and get it put right. The main thing about Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain and the atmosphere produced by that relationship. That is all God asks us to look after, and it is the one thing that is being continually assailed.