經文: 「當下耶穌說：父啊！赦免他們，因為他們所作的，他們不曉得。」— [聖經·路加福音 23章34a節]
耶穌在十架上所說的這段話，顯示出耶穌有怎樣的心腸，也指示門徒們應該培養怎樣的性情。想想這句話：「父啊！赦免他們！」，這是多麼深廣的愛！
在仇敵囂鬧凱旋並將一切羞辱、苦難加諸在祂身上的時候，耶穌卻反過來為仇敵禱告，用愛去包容他們說：「父啊！赦免他們，因為他們所作的，他們不知道。」身為耶穌門徒，豈不當效法耶穌去愛我們的仇敵，為咒詛我們的祝福，為恨我們、逼迫我們的禱告？因為十字架的愛與耶穌的行事法則，正是信靠追隨祂的人的行事法則。
「婦人，看你的兒子。……看你的母親。」(約翰福音 19章26-27)，耶穌不但愛仇敵，也顧念祂的朋友家人。祂明白自己的受死，會帶給祂守寡的母親何等大的哀痛，所以祂把她交給心愛的門徒約翰照顧，並知道這對約翰而言，也是何等大的殊榮。所以，既作耶穌的門徒，不但要為仇敵禱告，也要顧念屬主耶穌的弟兄姐妹們，讓傷心的得安慰，讓孤單的得陪伴。
「今日你要同我在樂園裡了。」(路加 23章43節)，與耶穌同釘十字架的兩個強盜之一，求耶穌憐憫紀念他，耶穌毫不遲疑的首肯，讓他同享樂園的福份。耶穌不但愛仇敵、朋友，連人人厭棄的強盜惡人，祂也樂意分享祂的愛。這一切證明十字架的愛，是超過我們知識所了解，而耶穌在十架上犧牲生命，正是愛的具體表現。
想到我們本該下地獄，如今蒙受何等大的恩典，讓耶穌為我們償清罪債，使我們得與上帝和好，我們實在欠了傳福音的債；因此，我們當以耶穌的心為心，不但自己享受與天父和好的契合之愛，更要把叫世人與上帝和好的職份扛起來，無論得時不得時，總要盡力與人分享這好消息。
—《 神 的 心 意 》
[每日靈修 6月15日]
作者：慕安德烈
編輯：榮華興
『 The Love of The Cross 』
Scripture: “Then said Jesus: ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’ ” — [Luke 23:34a]
The seven words on the cross reveal what the mind of Christ is, and show the dispositions that become His disciples. Take the three first words, all the expression of His wonderful love.
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” He prays for His enemies. In the hour of their triumph over Him, and of the shame and suffering which they delight in showering on Him, He pours out His love in prayer for them. It is the call to everyone who believes in a crucified Christ, to go and do likewise, even as He has said, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you. Do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which persecute you.” The law of the Master is the law for the disciple; the love of the crucified Jesus, the only rule for those who believe in Him.
“Woman, behold thy son!” “Behold thy mother!” The love that cared for His enemies, cared too for His friends. Jesus felt what the anguish must be in the heart of His widowed mother, and commits her to the care of the beloved disciple. He knew that for John there could be no higher privilege, and no more blessed service, than that of taking His place in the care of Mary. Even so we who are the disciples of Christ must not only pray for His enemies, but prove our love to Him, and to all who belong to Him, by seeing to it that every solitary one is comforted, and that every loving heart has some work to do in caring for those who belong to the blessed Master.
“Verily I say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.” The penitent thief had appealed to Christ’s mercy to remember him. With what readiness of joy and love Christ gives the immediate answer to his prayer! Whether it was the love that prayed for His enemies, or the love that cared for His friends, or the love that rejoices over the penitent sinner who was bein? cast out by man, — in all Christ proves that the cross is a cross of love, that the Crucified One is the embodiment of a love that passeth knowledge.
With every thought of what we owe to that love, with every act of faith in which we rejoice in its redemption, let us prove that the mind of the crucified Christ is our mind, and that His love is not only what we trust in for ourselves, but what guides us in our loving intercourse with the world around us.
— God’s Best Secrets by Andrew Murray
「 15 June 」
