2月27日 不要如此摔跤
不要如此摔跤
争竞总是一件憾事——无论对手是邻舍、朋友，还是妻子或丈夫；但最可怕的莫过于与神争竞。
你不可与神的灵摔跤。创世记6:3 提到神的灵与人“相争”，这并非指神需要费力去胜过或毁灭人。祂只需一句话，无需任何拉扯或争斗，就能成事。不，祂的“相争”是一场出于爱的较量：祂看见我们正全速冲向自取灭亡的深渊，便差遣祂的灵将我们拉回来，免得我们毁了自己。这正如你看见有人要自寻短见，另一人冲上去拦阻，与之扭打纠缠，想夺下他手中的凶器一样。
人的私欲就是那沾血的索命利刃，罪人正以此伤害自己；圣灵努力要从我们手中夺走它，换以基督的恩典与永生。你若拒绝这出于爱的管教，就被理所当然地视为与神博斗的人。司提反曾说：“你们这硬着颈项、心与耳未受割礼的人，时常抗拒圣灵！”（徒 7:51）。
你也不可与神的护理摔跤。 质疑神的作为，无论是出于祂的怜悯还是公义，都被称为与祂“争论”或“责备”祂（伯 40:2）。敢把自己摆在原告席、将神当作被告的人，真是胆大包天。不！神是审判官，你若对祂提出这种虚假的控告，祂必判你藐视法庭。与全能者争论？责备神？你倒不如像约伯一样呼喊：“我是卑贱的！我用什么回答你呢？只好用手捂口”（伯 40:4）。你要像他那样恳求：“求祢赦免我过往的言语，我必不再说这样的话了！”
基督徒啊，在一切争战中，你要格外警惕这种与神的摔跤。争竞总是一件憾事——无论对手是邻舍、朋友，还是妻子或丈夫；但最可怕的莫过于与神争竞。若神的主权都不能让你顺服，你的心反而起来抵挡祂，你又怎能指望讨祂喜悦呢？真爱不会对神心存恶念，也绝不能容忍听见毁谤神的话语。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：出10章，路13章，
个人灵修：伯28章，林前14章
FEBRUARY 27, FRIDAY
HOW NOT TO WRESTLE
Contention is always unfortunate—whether with neighbors or friends, wife or husband—but worst of all with God.
Do not wrestle against God’s Spirit. Genesis 6:3 speaks of the Spirit as “striving” with man. This does not mean God is trying to overcome or destroy man. He could do that at a word, without any stir or scuffle. No, His striving is a loving contest with us. Seeing us run at such a gallop headlong to our ruin, He sends His Spirit to pull us back before we destroy ourselves. This is the same kind of strife you would witness if someone were attempting to take his own life and another intervened and struggled to take the weapon from him.
The lusts of men are those bloody instruments of death with which sinners are harming themselves. The Holy Spirit strives to get them out of our hands and replace them with Christ’s grace and eternal life. When you repulse such loving strife, you are justly counted a fighter against Him. “Ye stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost,” said Stephen (Acts 7:51). Do not wrestle against God’s providence.
Questioning God’s acts, whether of mercy or justice, is called contending or reproving Him (Job 40:2). He is a bold man for sure who dares to name himself the plaintiff and God the defender. No! God is the Judge, and He will find you in contempt of court for bringing such false accusations against Him. Contend with the Almighty? Reprove God? You had better cry with Job: “I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth” (Job 40:4). Hear his plea: “Only pardon what is past, and you shall hear such language no more!”
Christians, take heed of this wrestling above all other. Contention is always unfortunate—whether with neighbors or friends, wife or husband—but worst of all with God. If God cannot please you and your heart rises against Him, what hopes are there of your pleasing Him? Love cannot think any evil of God, nor endure to hear any evil spoken of Him.