3月2日 全心摔跤
全心摔跤
你或许会因仇敌的强大和自身的软弱而感到灰心，因为你发现自己常陷入与罪、与自我的争竞中；但请务必得着鼓励。
对于那些在恩典的真理中竭力挣扎，并在内心中与罪恶交战的基督徒来说，这里有强而有力的安慰。基甸曾在绝望中喊道：“主啊，耶和华若与我们同在，我们何至遭遇这一切事呢？”（士 6:13）我们能够体会基甸的困惑，因为我们也经历着同样的痛苦。我们的心也会呐喊：“为什么我里面有这么多挣扎，不断地挑动我犯罪，又把我从善事上拉回来呢？”
如果我们肯停止抱怨，愿意安静听神说话，祂就有现成的回答。祂说：“因为，你是一名摔跤手，而不是一名已经凯旋的征服者。”事情就是这么简单。我们常对基督徒在今生的处境有所误解：神并不是立刻召他去享受凯旋，而是将他带入战场去与仇敌厮杀。恩典的状态，是你与罪战火重燃的开始，而非战争的终点。 甚至，神有时会“乔装”进入战场，看似成了你的对手，祂宁肯如此也不愿让你因没有敌人摔跤而懈怠。雅各独自一人时，神就差派一个人与他摔跤，直到黎明。
你要因自己是一名“摔跤手”而得安慰。在你里面的这场争战，若建立在正确的根基上并朝向正确的目标，这就证明你里面有“两国”，有两种截然相反的本性：一种出于地，乃属土；另一种则出于天，乃属天。更进一步的安慰是：虽然你败坏的本性如同长子在先，但 “将来大的要服事小的”（创 25:23）。
请将你的疲惫灵魂包裹在这个应许中：必有一个安息之处，是为神的子民存留的。 你并非徒然“斗拳打空气”，你乃是为得着天国与永不朽坏的冠冕而摔跤。在地上，我们每一次得胜都是为了迎接下一场战斗；一场试探被胜过了，战争却仍在继续。然而，当死亡临到的那一刻，神将发出最后一击，彻底终结战争。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：出13章，路16章，
个人灵修：伯31章，林后1章
MARCH 2, MONDAY
WRESTLE WITH YOUR WHOLE HEART
Wrap your weary soul in this promise: There is a place of rest reserved for the people of God. You do not beat the air, but wrestle to win heaven and a permanent crown.
Perhaps you are discouraged, not only by the strength of the enemy, but by your own apparent weakness and the constant contention with sin and self. Be encouraged! There is strong consolation for the Christian who struggles with the truth of God’s grace and his own inner conflicts with sin. Gideon cried out in despair, “If the Lord be with us, why is all this befallen us?” (Judges 6:13). We understand his perplexity because we identify with his sufferings. Our hearts, too, cry out, “Why do I find such struggling in me, provoking me to sin, pulling me back from that which is good?”
God has a ready answer if we will stop whining long enough to hear it. “Because,” He says, “you are a wrestler, not a conqueror.” It is as simple as that Too often we mistake the state of a Christian in this life. He is not immediately called to triumph over his enemies, but is carried into battle to fight them. The state of grace is the commencement of your war against sin, not the culmination of it God Himself will enter the battle in disguise and appear to be your enemy, rather than leave you no enemy to wrestle with. When Jacob was alone, He sent a man to wrestle with him until dawn.
Take comfort in the fact that you are a wrestler. This struggling within you, if upon the right ground and to the right end, only proves there are two nations within you, two contrary natures, the one from earth earthly, and the other from heaven heavenly. And for your further comfort, know that although your corrupt nature is the elder, yet it shall serve the younger (Genesis 25:23).
Wrap your weary soul in this promise: There is a place of rest reserved for the people of God. You do not beat the air, but wrestle to win heaven and a permanent crown. Here on earth we overcome to fight again. One temptation may be conquered, but the war remains. When death comes, however, God strikes the final blow.