5月21日 忠心事奉神
忠心事奉神
神有时会在艰难的服事与猛烈的试探中试验我们的忠心，好叫祂借着我们的信实与勇敢，在撒但面前得胜。
罗马将军庞培曾夸口说，他只要点一点头，士兵们即便手脚并用，也会爬上最陡峭的岩石。纵然前进一步就被击倒，他们仍会前赴后继。这正是神要求我们向祂显出的忠心。当然，神绝非轻看祂仆人的生命。然而，神有时会在艰难的服事与猛烈的试探中试验我们的忠心，好叫祂借着我们的信实与勇敢，在撒但面前得胜。
也许你还记得，撒但曾傲慢地控告神是在“贿赂”约伯，并指称这位蒙拣选的仆人其实是在藉事奉神来满足私利：“约伯敬畏神，岂是无故呢？”（伯1:9）。撒但竟敢向神挑战，要求神收回赐给约伯的福分，并断言约伯宁可当面咒诅神，也不会甘心忍受苦难。于是，神准许魔鬼按其心意而行。结果如何呢？因着约伯在极度患难中依然坚忍不移，我们看见主向撒但夸胜说：“你虽激动我攻击他，无故地毁灭他，他仍然持守他的纯正。”（伯2:3）。实质上，神是在宣告：“你看，我确实有一些仆人不是为了赏赐才事奉我；当他们失去了一切可倚靠的指望，他们仍紧紧持守对我的委身。你夺走了约伯的产业、仆人和儿女，他却依然站立得住。你既不能掳去他的意志，也无法夺去他的纯正！”
若让一座装备精良的堡垒落入敌手，对守城士兵而言乃是奇耻大辱。从属灵层面看，这种失败更为可耻，因为神在基督里已经赐给祂的精兵足够的能力，使他们在每一个转折点都能抵挡魔鬼的攻击。
当一个未重生的灵魂轻易就向那许诺肉体快乐或利益的试探缴械时，我们不应感到惊讶。那些不在基督里的人，没有盔甲可以抵御仇敌的攻击，他们从未尝过主恩的滋味，对基督的甘甜一无所知。因此，由于缺乏天上的灵粮，他们自然会沦落到坐在魔鬼的餐桌旁。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：民30章，诗74章，
个人灵修：赛22章，彼后3章
MAY 21, THURSDAY
SERVING GOD LOYALLY
Sometimes He tests our loyalty in hard service and sharp temptations, so that through our faithfulness and bravery He may triumph over Satan.
The Roman general Pompey boasted that a nod of his head would send his soldiers scrambling up the steepest rock on their hands and knees, though they were knocked down as fast as they advanced. This is the kind of loyalty God wants from us. And while He is never reckless with the blood of His servants, sometimes He tests our loyalty in hard service and sharp temptations, so that through our faithfulness and bravery He may triumph over Satan.
Perhaps you recall the time Satan impudently accused God of “bribing” Job, charging that this choice servant really only served himself in serving God: “Doth Job fear God for nought?” (Job 1:9). He dared God to take away His blessing, insisting that Job would curse God to His face rather than submit to suffering. So God let the devil have his way—and what was the result? Because Job remained steadfast in adversity, we find the Lord boasting to Satan, “Still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him” (Job 2:3) In essence, God said, “You see, I have some who will serve Me without a bribe, who will hold fast to their commitment when they can hold on to nothing else. You took Job’s estate, his servants, and his children, and still he stands his ground. You have neither captured his will nor his integrity!”
To allow a well-armed fortress to fall into enemy hands would be a disgrace to the defending soldiers. Spiritually speaking, such a defeat is even more dishonorable, because God in Christ gives His soldiers all the power they need to resist the devil at every turn.
We should not be surprised when an unregenerate soul yields easily to a temptation that promises carnal pleasure or profit. Those without Christ have no armor with which to repel the enemy’s attack; they know nothing of His sweetness. So it is natural that they—for want of better food—would sit at the devil’s table.