經文: 「那差我來的，是與我同在，祂沒有撇下我獨自在這裡，因為我常作祂所喜悅的事。」— [聖經·約翰福音 8章29節]
在這段話中，耶穌不僅告訴我們祂與天父的關係，也顯示與上帝溝通來往的準則-單純地信靠順服。
在最後的晚餐席上，祂特別強調這點，曾三次提到：「人若愛我，就必遵守我的道；我父也必愛他，並且我們要到他那裡去，與他同住。」(約翰福音 十四23)。另外在約翰福音第十五章，祂又三次說到：「你們若常在我裡面，我的話也常在你們裡面，凡你們所願意的，祈求就給你們成就。」(約翰福音 十五7)，「你們若遵守我的命令，就常在我的愛裡；正如我遵守了我父的命令，常在祂的愛裡。」(約翰福音 十五10)，「你們若遵行我所吩咐的，就是我的朋友了。」(約翰福音 十五14)。
順服遵行上帝的旨意，就是上帝的愛藉著聖靈澆灌在我們心中的彰顯和感動，與自己付上實際行動的回應。順服是來自於上帝的愛，也是對這愛的回應，以及對耶穌內住更深的經歷；耶穌更應允我們，要將我們心裡所願的賜給我們。耶穌又稱我們為祂的朋友，這不但是祂慈愛的表現，更是我們信心的仰賴，經上說：「我們一切所求的，就從祂得著，因為我們遵守祂的命令、行祂所喜悅的事。」(約翰壹書 三22)。
為要讓耶穌內住我們心中，單純並全然地順服是不可或缺的條件，誠如舊約所載：「我要將我的律法……寫在他們心上，我要作他們的上帝，他們要作我的子民。」(耶立米書 卅一33)。是的，只要絕對順服，就能經歷到祂時時刻刻的同在，這並不是不可能的，因為耶穌說藉著聖靈的大能，在祂沒有難成的事；我們要緊緊抓住這真理，很有信心地期盼這經驗，耶穌對那些順服遵行祂旨意的人說：「我必與你同在。」(出埃及記 三12)，那些順服遵行祂旨意的人，也必明白這真理所啟示的真義。
[圖片版權屬「中國浸信會神學院」所有，在此僅供分享福音用途。]
—《 神 的 心 意 》
[每日靈修 7月22日]
作者：慕安德烈
編輯：榮華興
『 The Power of Obedience 』
Scripture: “Pie that hath sent me is with me; He hath not left me alone; for I do always the things that are pleasing to Him.” — [John 8:29]
In these words Christ not only tells what His life with the Father was, but reveals at the same time the law of all intercourse with God-simple obedience.
How strongly He insisted upon it we see in the Farewell Discourse. In chap. xiv. He says three times: “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And then I will pray the Father, and He will give you the Holy Spirit, and the Father will love you, and I will love you and manifest myself to you, and then we will make Our abode with you.” And so three times over in chap. xv.: “If my words abide with you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you”; “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I kept my Father’s commandments and abide in His love”; “Ye are my friends, if ye do the things which I command you.”
Obedience is the proof and the exercise of the love of God that has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. It comes from love and leads to love, a deeper and a fuller experience of God’s love and indwelling. It assures us that what we ask will be given us. It assures us that we are abiding in the love of Christ. It seals our claim to be called the friends of Christ. And so it is not only a proof of love but of faith too, as assuring us that we “ask and receive because we keep His commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.”
For the abiding enjoyment of the Holy Presence, simple, full obedience is necessary. The New Covenant has made full provision for this: “I will write my law in their hearts; I will put my fear in their heart, that they may not depart from me”; “I will cause them to walk in my statutes and to keep them.”
Blessed obedience, that enables us to abide in His love and gives the full experience of His unbroken presence. Christ did not speak of an impossibility; He saw what in the power of the Spirit we might confidently expect. Let the thought take deep hold of us, It is to the obedient that the word comes, “Lo, I am with you alway,” and to whom all the fullness of its meaning will be revealed.
— God’s Best Secrets by Andrew Murray
「 22 July 」
