The “Go” of Preparation

If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift—Matthew 5:23-24

It is easy for us to imagine that we will suddenly come to a point in our lives where we are fully prepared, but preparation is not suddenly accomplished. In fact, it is a process that must be steadily maintained. It is dangerous to become settled and complacent in our present level of experience. The Christian life requires preparation and more preparation.

The sense of sacrifice in the Christian life is readily appealing to a new Christian. From a human standpoint, the one thing that attracts us to Jesus Christ is our sense of the heroic, and a close examination of us by our Lord’s words suddenly puts this tide of enthusiasm to the test. “. . . go your way. First be reconciled to your brother. . . .” The “go” of preparation is to allow the Word of God to examine you closely. Your sense of heroic sacrifice is not good enough. The thing the Holy Spirit will detect in you is your nature that can never work in His service. And no one but God can detect that nature in you. Do you have anything to hide from God? If you do, then let God search you with His light. If there is sin in your life, don’t just admit it— confess it. Are you willing to obey your Lord and Master, whatever the humiliation to your right to yourself may be?

Never disregard a conviction that the Holy Spirit brings to you. If it is important enough for the Spirit of God to bring it to your mind, it is the very thing He is detecting in you. You were looking for some big thing to give up, while God is telling you of some tiny thing that must go. But behind that tiny thing lies the stronghold of obstinacy, and you say, “I will not give up my right to myself”— the very thing that God intends you to give up if you are to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

---

[去]的準備

所以你在祭壇上獻禮物的時候，若想起弟兄向你懷怨，就把禮物留在壇前，先去同弟兄和好，然後來獻禮物。 （太五23-24）

我們很容易幻想自己會達到一個完全準備妥當的地步，但其實準備功夫不是突然間可以作成，準備乃是一個不斷持續的過程。陷進固有的經歷中，是一種危險。我們要準備加上準備。 [犧牲精神]對青年信徒來說，是很具吸引力。按人性論，唯一吸引我們向主耶穌的，就是那英雄氣概。可是在主話的細察下，這熱潮要受到考驗。主說：[先去同弟兄和好。 ][去]的準備，是先讓神的話查驗。單有英雄氣概是不夠的。聖靈要在你身上查處不合用於事奉的意向。這意向，除了神以外，沒有人能查察出來。你有什麼東西要向神隱藏？若有，就讓神用他的光來搜查。若有罪，就要認罪，不要單單承認。不管是怎樣卑躬，你願意順服主麼？

千萬不可不顧良心的譴責。若神的靈叫你想起那事，那事就是重要的，是他所要查察的。你以往不斷要找些大的事來放棄，神卻要你註一些小事。因為在這小事的背後，正藏著頑梗的大本營：[我不肯放棄自己的主權。 ]若要作耶穌基督的門徒，神要你放棄的正是你的主權。

祈禱◆主啊，讓今天充滿了對你的讚美。願你使我脫離各式各樣的煩擾。為著我的思想能專注於你，我讚美你，但我仍渴望你的美善臨到我身上。