The Supreme Climb

He said, ’Take now your son . . .’ —Genesis 22:2

God’s command is, “Take now,” not later. It is incredible how we debate! We know something is right, but we try to find excuses for not doing it immediately. If we are to climb to the height God reveals, it can never be done later— it must be done now. And the sacrifice must be worked through our will before we actually perform it.

“So Abraham rose early in the morning . . . and went to the place of which God had told him” (Genesis 22:3). Oh, the wonderful simplicity of Abraham! When God spoke, he did not “confer with flesh and blood” (Galatians 1:16). Beware when you want to “confer with flesh and blood” or even your own thoughts, insights, or understandings— anything that is not based on your personal relationship with God. These are all things that compete with and hinder obedience to God.

Abraham did not choose what the sacrifice would be. Always guard against self-chosen service for God. Self-sacrifice may be a disease that impairs your service. If God has made your cup sweet, drink it with grace; or even if He has made it bitter, drink it in communion with Him. If the providential will of God means a hard and difficult time for you, go through it. But never decide the place of your own martyrdom, as if to say, “I will only go to there, but no farther.” God chose the test for Abraham, and Abraham neither delayed nor protested, but steadily obeyed. If you are not living in touch with God, it is easy to blame Him or pass judgment on Him. You must go through the trial before you have any right to pronounce a verdict, because by going through the trial you learn to know God better. God is working in us to reach His highest goals until His purpose and our purpose become one.

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登峰造極

你帶著你的兒子……（創二十二2）

神的命令是：現在就帶去，不是等一會兒。我們辯論的伎倆是高超的，知道某件事是對的，但總設法找藉口拖延，不立刻去做。要攀上神的高峰，絕不可等一會兒，必須立刻去做。犧牲首先在意志裡作成；然後才有實際的行動。 [亞伯拉罕清早起來……起身往神指示他的地方去了。 ]（第3節）亞伯拉罕的單純多可愛！神對他說的話，他沒有與屬肉身的人商量。你要是想與屬肉身的人商量，就是與你的自憐和觀點，以及一切在你與神的個人關係以外的東西商量。那你就得當心，這些東西是爭奪並攔阻你對神的順服。

亞伯拉罕並沒有推薦自己去奉獻。總要提防自我揀選為神工作，自我犧牲可以是病態的。若神給你的杯是舔的，存感恩的心去喝；若苦的，就與他聯合去喝。若神為你鋪設的道路是困苦的，仍要走上去；但千萬不要挑選殉道。神揀選亞伯拉罕接受磨難，亞伯拉罕沒有異議，只勇往直前。你若非與神親密地一同生活，就很容易會指控神。在未有經歷磨難以先，你沒有權利下斷語，因為在磨難中，你會更認識神。神一直為他至高的目標而作工直至他的心意與人的心意合而為一。

祈禱◆噢，主啊，靠近我，進入我知覺的領域，直至我完全被你所佔有。願今天閃耀著你的能力。