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經文：「用繩索把祭牲栓住，牽到壇角那裡。」（詩118:27） 親愛的讀者，祭壇不是在呼召我們嗎？我們不是要請求用繩索把自己栓在祭壇上，使我們永遠不能把自己的奉獻拿回來嗎？因為人常常只有在生活幸福如充滿玫瑰色彩的時候，才會樂意選擇十字架；一旦天色灰暗的時候，就退縮了。所以若是能用繩索把我們栓住的話，多好！ 聖靈阿，求祢把我們栓住，栓在十字架上，使我們永遠不會離開它。求祢用救恩的紅繩、愛的金繩、望的銀繩，把我們栓住，叫我們不能逃回過去的舊路，也叫我們不去羨慕別人的命運，只羨慕作基督在痛苦傷心時卑微的同伴！ 信徒阿，祭壇在呼召你了，你願意跟隨嗎？願不願意永遠住在謙卑順從的靈裡，把自己完全奉獻給主呢？--選 在某次特會裡，有位弟兄決意將自己獻給神；他每晚在聚會中奉獻委身，但在離開聚會之前，魔鬼就來使他相信：他與之前並沒有甚麼不同，一定是神沒有接受他的獻上。 他一次又一次地被仇敵勸退，直到最後一晚，他帶了斧槌和一根長木樁來聚會。這一次在他將自己奉獻以後，就將木樁釘入他所跪的那塊地上。當他走出會場時，魔鬼又來引誘想要使他相信這一切都不過是一齣鬧劇罷了。這時他立刻回到木樁那指著說：「魔鬼先生，你看見那根木樁了嗎？那個就是我的見證；見證神已經永遠接受我了。」；於是魔鬼立刻遠離，從此他對於自己的決志，就再也沒有疑惑。--微小的聲音 The Still Small Voice 各位讀者，如果你也受到誘惑，懷疑自己的奉獻時，也可以找一處地方釘下一根木樁，讓它在神前，與魔鬼前，做一個見證，證明你已經永遠解決了這個問題。 新譯｜荒漠甘泉讀書會
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Scripture: "Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar" (Ps. 118:27). Is not this altar inviting thee? Shall we not ask to be bound to it, that we may never be able to start back from our attitude of consecration? There are times when life is full of roseate light, and we choose the Cross; at other times, when the sky is grey, we shrink from it. It is well to be bound. Wilt Thou bind us, most blessed Spirit, and enamor us with the Cross, and let us never leave it? Bind us with the scarlet cord of redemption, and the golden cord of love, and the silver cord of Advent-hope, so we will not go back from it, or wish for another lot than to be the humble partners with our Lord in His pain and sorrow! The horns of the altar invite thee. Wilt thou come? Wilt thou dwell ever in a spirit of resigned humility, and give thyself wholly to the Lord? --Selected The story is told of a colored brother who, at a camp meeting, tried to give himself to God. Every night at the altar he consecrated himself; but every night before he left the meeting, the devil would come to him and convince him that he did not feel any different and therefore he was not consecrated. Again and again he was beaten back by the adversary. Finally, one evening he came to the meeting with an axe and a big stake. After consecrating himself, he drove the stake into the ground just where he had knelt. As he was leaving the building, the devil came to him as usual and tried to make him believe that it was all a farce. At once he went back to the stake and, pointing to it, said, "Look here, Mr. Devil, do you see that stake? Well, that's my witness that God has forever accepted me." Immediately the devil left him, and he had no further doubts on the subject. --The Still Small Voice Beloved, if you are tempted to doubt the finality of your consecration, drive a stake down somewhere and let it be your witness before God and even the devil that you have settled the question forever. ｜ Mrs. Charles Cowman
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