And After That What’s Next To Do?

. . . seek, and you will find . . . —Luke 11:9

Seek if you have not found. “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss . . .” (James 4:3). If you ask for things from life instead of from God, “you ask amiss”; that is, you ask out of your desire for self-fulfillment. The more you fulfill yourself the less you will seek God. “. . . seek, and you will find . . . .” Get to work— narrow your focus and interests to this one thing. Have you ever sought God with your whole heart, or have you simply given Him a feeble cry after some emotionally painful experience? “. . . seek, [focus,] and you will find . . . .”

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters. . .” (Isaiah 55:1). Are you thirsty, or complacent and indifferent— so satisfied with your own experience that you want nothing more of God? Experience is a doorway, not a final goal. Beware of building your faith on experience, or your life will not ring true and will only sound the note of a critical spirit. Remember that you can never give another person what you have found, but you can cause him to have a desire for it.

“. . . knock, and it will be opened to you” (Luke 11:9). “Draw near to God . . .” (James 4:8). Knock— the door is closed, and your heartbeat races as you knock. “Cleanse your hands . . .” (James 4:8). Knock a bit louder— you begin to find that you are dirty. “. . . purify your hearts . . .” (James 4:8). It is becoming even more personal— you are desperate and serious now— you will do anything. “Lament . . . ” (James 4:9). Have you ever lamented, expressing your sorrow before God for the condition of your inner life? There is no thread of self-pity left, only the heart-rending difficulty and amazement which comes from seeing what kind of person you really are. “Humble yourselves . . . ” (James 4:10). It is a humbling experience to knock at God’s door— you have to knock with the crucified thief. “. . . to him who knocks it will be opened” (Luke 11:10).

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第二步妙法

尋找就尋見。 （路十一9）

[你們求也得不著，因為你們妄求。 ]你求的若是今生的事物，而不是從神來的就是妄求，就是出於實現自我的慾望。你愈是實現自我，就愈不會尋求神。 [尋找就尋見。 ]去實行吧，聚精會神在尋找方面。你是全心尋求神，還是在受刺激痛楚之下，向神沒精打采地哀求？尋找，要專心，那你就尋見。

[你們一切乾渴的都當就近水來。 ]你是渴慕神，還是漠然不關心－－只滿足於自己的經歷，以致對神再無所求？經歷是個通道，不是目的。要謹慎，不要把信心建築在經歷之上，那鏗然之聲必隨即響起，加以責難，因你無法把所找到的傳給別人，你只能叫他羨慕你所得著的。

[叩門，就給你們開門。 ][要親近神。 ]叩門－－那門是關閉的，叩的時候你會心驚膽戰。 [潔淨你們的手]－－稍為用力一點叩，就會發現自己的污穢。 [潔淨你們的心]－－這一層更加深切了；這是你很真誠逼切，什麼都肯做了。 [要受苦]－－你曾否因你內在的光景，在神面前受苦？這時你已沒有絲毫自憐了，只有一種因詫異而來的心碎，因發覺原來自己的本相是這樣的。 [自卑]－－叩神的門是一件卑躬屈膝的事－－你要與那被釘十架的大盜同叩門。 [叩門的就給他開門。 ]

祈禱◆噢，主啊，但願我對你有更活潑的感應，而你的豐盛一直與我同在。