3月18日 鎮靜




經文:「耶穌仍不回答。」(可15:5)

聖經中令人驚奇的一幕,就是創造天地的主,一聲不響地站在毀謗祂的人面前受冤屈。祂本可以施展能力向那些人一看,或者道出一聲責備,就使他們倒在祂的腳前。但是祂不動聲色,任憑他們作惡妄為。祂的堅立是彰顯神的鎮靜大能;做神無聲的羔羊。

我們應該也有這樣的鎮靜,因為這樣的鎮靜可以讓神有機會替我們工作,為我們成就;這樣的鎮靜就是停止自己的謀劃和活動,摒除自己的智慧和成見,讓神單獨去對付人們的攻擊。

許多時候我們失敗,就是因為沒有倚靠神的鎮靜。我們太會倚靠自己的智慧和力量來自衛,太不會藉著鎮靜來得勝。因而失去神的愛的力量,落入人的急躁慌亂。需知唯有鎮靜才是神所賜的緘默和自制力。

當塵世的擾攘過去之後,人們將懷念我們,好像我們懷念露珠、曙光和太陽,晚風和各各他的羔羊,和那至善至尊至福的天堂。所以神啊,請賜給我們祢的鎮靜吧!--信宣 A. B. Simpson

明尼蘇達州的威波主教,衆人都稱他爲印地安人的使徒。我記得他曾說過這樣一句動人的話:「三十年來,當我與人齟齬不合的時候,我總是刻意從對方的臉上想像出基督的聖容。」

假若我們也被這種美德所感動,我們就能立刻化偏狹爲謙容,不至產生報復的衝動,因而虧損了我們爲主作見證的立場。因爲祂來到世上,不是要毀滅生命,乃是要拯救生命. --W. H. Griffith Thomas
新譯|荒漠甘泉讀書會

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He Answered Nothing

Scripture: "He answered nothing" (Mark 15:3).

There is no spectacle in all the Bible so sublime as the silent Savior answering not a word to the men who were maligning Him, and whom He could have laid prostrate at His feet by one look of Divine power, or one word of fiery rebuke. But He let them say and do their worst, and He stood in THE POWER OF STILLNESS--God's holy silent Lamb.

There is a stillness that lets God work for us, and holds our peace; the stillness that ceases from its contriving and its self-vindication, and its expedients of wisdom and forethought, and lets God provide and answer the cruel blow, in His own unfailing, faithful love.

How often we lose God's interposition by taking up our own cause, and striking for our defense. God give to us this silent power, this conquered spirit! And after the heat and strife of earth are over, men will remember us as we remember the morning dew, the gentle light and sunshine, the evening breeze, the Lamb of Calvary, and the gentle, holy heavenly Dove. --A. B. Simpson

I remember once hearing Bishop Whipple, of Minnesota, so well known as "The Apostle of the Indians," utter these beautiful words: "For thirty years I have tried to see the face of Christ in those with whom I differed." When this spirit actuates us we shall be preserved at once from a narrow bigotry and an easy-going tolerance, from passionate vindictiveness and everything that would mar or injure our testimony for Him who came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them. --W. H. Griffith Thomas
| Mrs. Charles Cowman