九月二十四日 [mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/09/0924.mp3″]
经文: 我身睡卧，我心却醒。（雅歌五：2）
基督徒的经历中常常充满了矛盾。在今晚我们所思想的经文里，这位新娘虽睡犹醒。唯有那些经历过基督的人才能明白信徒生命中的种种矛盾。今晚我要思想的两点是可悲的沉睡与有盼望的清醒。我身睡卧。因为在我们心中的罪，使我们变得懒散，不愿意花时间与上帝相交，怠惰于祈祷，缺乏属灵的喜乐，一切都是懒惰与散漫。对于有圣灵内住的人来说，这种光景是可耻的。这光景也是极危险的。要脱离怠惰的束缚，现在是时候了。许多信徒在沉睡于属肉体的安逸中失去了能力，如同参孙在沉睡中失去他的发绺。沉沦灭亡的世界围绕着我们，贪睡是残忍无情的行为。永恒已近在咫尺，沉睡是愚蠢的。然而，我们之中没有一人尽本份清醒。几声响雷将于我们有益。除非我们迅速振奋，不然我们将面临争战、瘟疫、和个人的损失。但愿我们永远离开使肉体安逸的床塌，携带点燃的火炬，前去迎接来临的新郎！我心却醒。这是一个快乐的记号。生命虽然仿佛可悲地受窒息，但是并未熄灭。当更新的心灵反抗本性的重荷时，应当感激主的大爱在我们这将灭亡的身体中保守我们的生命。耶稣垂听我们、帮助我们，并造访我们的心。儆醒的心所听到的是我们所爱的主之声音，说道：“求你给我开门。”对主的热情必会将心门打开！
Evening, September 24
Scripture: “I sleep, but my heart waketh.”(Song of Solomon 5:2)
Paradoxes abound in Christian experience, and here is one－the spouse was asleep, and yet she was awake. He only can read the believer’s riddle who has ploughed with the heifer of his experience. The two points in this evening’s text are－a mournful sleepiness and a hopeful wakefulness. I sleep. Through sin that dwelleth in us we may become lax in holy duties, slothful in religious exercises, dull in spiritual joys, and altogether supine and careless. This is a shameful state for one in whom the quickening Spirit dwells; and it is dangerous to the highest degree. Even wise virgins sometimes slumber, but it is high time for all to shake off the bands of sloth. It is to be feared that many believers lose their strength as Samson lost his locks, while sleeping on the lap of carnal security. With a perishing world around us, to sleep is cruel; with eternity so near at hand, it is madness. Yet we are none of us so much awake as we should be; a few thunder-claps would do us all good, and it may be, unless we soon bestir ourselves, we shall have them in the form of war, or pestilence, or personal bereavements and losses. O that we may leave for ever the couch of fleshly ease, and go forth with flaming torches to meet the coming Bridegroom! My heart waketh. This is a happy sign. Life is not extinct, though sadly smothered. When our renewed heart struggles against our natural heaviness, we should be grateful to sovereign grace for keeping a little vitality within the body of this death. Jesus will hear our hearts, will help our hearts, will visit our hearts; for the voice of the wakeful heart is really the voice of our Beloved, saying, “Open to me.” Holy zeal will surely unbar the door.
“Oh lovely attitude! He stands
With melting heart and laden hands;
My soul forsakes her every sin;
And lets the heavenly stranger in.”