Indeed the hour is coming . . . that you will be scattered . . . —John 16:32
Jesus was not rebuking the disciples in this passage. Their faith was real, but it was disordered and unfocused, and was not at work in the important realities of life. The disciples were scattered to their own concerns and they had interests apart from Jesus Christ. After we have the perfect relationship with God, through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, our faith must be exercised in the realities of everyday life. We will be scattered, not into service but into the emptiness of our lives where we will see ruin and barrenness, to know what internal death to God’s blessings means. Are we prepared for this? It is certainly not of our own choosing, but God engineers our circumstances to take us there. Until we have been through that experience, our faith is sustained only by feelings and by blessings. But once we get there, no matter where God may place us or what inner emptiness we experience, we can praise God that all is well. That is what is meant by faith being exercised in the realities of life.
“. . . you . . . will leave Me alone.” Have we been scattered and have we left Jesus alone by not seeing His providential care for us? Do we not see God at work in our circumstances? Dark times are allowed and come to us through the sovereignty of God. Are we prepared to let God do what He wants with us? Are we prepared to be separated from the outward, evident blessings of God? Until Jesus Christ is truly our Lord, we each have goals of our own which we serve. Our faith is real, but it is not yet permanent. And God is never in a hurry. If we are willing to wait, we will see God pointing out that we have been interested only in His blessings, instead of in God Himself. The sense of God’s blessings is fundamental
“. . . be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Unyielding spiritual fortitude is what we need.
不信的邊緣
看哪，時候將到，……你們要分散。 （約十六32）
耶穌不是在責備門徒，他們的信心是真實的，只不過受到困擾；以致在實際的事情臨到，信心沒有發生果效。他們分散，各顧各的事，而這些事不是屬基督的。我們與神有了分別為聖的關係後，就必須在實際行動上活出信心來。我們被解散，不是到工廠上去，而是到個人內心的絕境裡，叫我們體會什麼叫做向神的賜福死去。我們準備好嗎？這不是我們所揀選的，乃是神所安排的環境，帶我們進入這經歷裡去。
除非我們有了這樣的經歷，否則，我們的信心不過是建立在感覺與福氣之上，為二者所支撐而已。一旦我們到了這個地步，不論神放我們在哪裡，也不論落到怎樣的絕境，我們仍然可以讚美神，知道一切都盡善盡美，這才是信心真實地發揮出來。
[……留下我獨自一人。 ]我們有沒有因著追逐個人的嗜欲，偏離神旨，留下耶穌獨自一人？這時因為我們在所遇的環境裡看不見神嗎？黑暗來臨，也是出於神的全能。我們預備讓神照他的心意對待我們嗎？就是甘願拋棄我們能察覺的福氣嗎？除非等到耶穌基督作我們的主，否則我們總會去爭取自己的目標；我們的信心是真實的，卻仍未堅固。神從來不草率行事；只要我們等候，神必要指明。但我們所專注的不是神，而是他的賜福。只意識到神的賜福，乃是靈程的初階。 [你們可以放心，我已經勝了世界。 ]我們需要屬靈的剛毅。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我何等需要你！求你今天以豐盛的能力，臨到我們實際的環境中。
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