7月20日 基督徒的天召
基督徒的天召
圣洁不仅要印刻在基督徒的教会事奉上，也必须同样印刻在他的世俗职业上。
圣洁的基督徒被神的灵激动，从敬拜的一个层面转向另一个层面，就像蜜蜂从一朵花飞向另一朵花，为要积蓄更多的恩典。
圣洁的人寻求神，绝非为了在基督徒群体中赢得令人称羡的名声，也非为了追求某种情绪的激动。相反，他像一位商人，从一个港口航行到另一个港口，不是为了游山玩水，而是为了在发现重价的珍珠时能将其收入囊中。一个基督徒若在寻求之后空手而归，没有得着任何属灵的财宝，就应当比那种满载期望而出却空手回家的商人感到更加羞愧。
你是否眼睁睁地看着别人因参与神所设立的蒙恩管道，在恩典中日益富足，而你自己却像乞丐一样空手离开？那些将基督及其恩典视为生命中最迫切需要的人，神在他们里面看见了宝贵的饥渴。正如经上所记：“你们一切干渴的都当就近水来；没有银钱的也可以来。你们都来，买了吃；不用银钱，不用价值，也来买酒和奶”（赛55:1）。
神的灵在这里借用了沿海城镇的一个习俗。当船只进港时，商人们就在村镇中大声呼喊，宣告他们的货物已经抵达，并呼吁凡想要某些货物的人，都当来到水边，在那里可以出价购买。照样，基督也呼召每一个看见自己迫切需要祂和祂恩典的人，来到蒙恩管道中，因为在这里，这些恩赐都可以白白地得着。
圣洁不仅要印刻在基督徒的教会事奉上，也必须同样印刻在他的世俗职业上。遵守建筑规范的工头，在建造厨房时，会像建造客厅一样精准。照样，按着基督信仰的法则，我们在世俗事务上也必须像在敬拜的本分上一样严谨。正如经上所记：“那召你们的既是圣洁，你们在一切所行的事上也要圣洁”（彼前1:15）。我们绝不可像一些人把圣经丢在教堂的长椅上那样，把自己的信仰也丢在教会里。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：士3章，徒7章，
个人灵修：耶16章，可2章
JULY 20, MONDAY
THE CHRISTIAN’S VOCATION
Holiness must be written upon the Christian’s vocation as well as upon his religious services.
The holy Christian is stirred up by the Spirit of God to go from one aspect of worship to another, as a bee flies from flower to flower, to store up more grace.
The holy man does not seek God for an admirable reputation among Christians or for some sort of excitement. Instead, he is like the merchant who sails from port to port, not for sightseeing but for taking in costly pearls as he discovers them. And a Christian should be even more ashamed than the trader who returns home from his search empty, with no treasure.
Are you watching others grow rich in grace through their part in God’s ordinances while you come away as a beggar? God sees a precious hunger in those who value Christ and His grace as the strongest need in their lives. “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price” (Isaiah 55:1).
The Spirit of God alludes here to a custom in maritime towns—when a ship came into port, her traders went about the village crying out the arrival of their goods: “All who want certain commodities, let them come to the waterside, where they can be bought for a price.” Thus Christ calls everyone who sees his need of Him and of His graces to come to the ordinances, where these gifts can be had freely.
Holiness must be written upon the Christian’s vocation as well as upon his religious services. The construction superintendent who observes the building code is as exact in framing the kitchen as he is the parlor; so by the law of Christianity we must be as precise in our worldly business as in the duties of worship. “Be ye holy in all manner of conversation” (1 Peter 1:15). We must not leave our religion, as some people leave their Bibles, on the pew at church.