十月十三日 [mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/10/1013.mp3″]
经文: 爱情如死之坚强。（雅歌八：6）
倘若将这个描述加在我对耶稣我主那薄弱、微小，几乎无生气的爱上面，是否太夸张了呢？我真的爱祂。或许，靠祂的恩典，我甚至愿意为祂而死。但是在我的爱几乎不能忍受一点嘲笑，更毋庸说是残酷的死亡了。当然我在此所要说的是爱我们的主之大爱──耶稣之爱，对人灵魂无比的大爱。祂的爱当然比最可怕的死亡更坚强，因为它胜过了十字架的试炼。十字架是折磨人的死刑，但是爱超越了折磨；十字架是羞辱的死，但是爱轻看羞辱；十字架是一种不义的死，但是爱承担了我们的罪恶；十字架是被弃、孤独的死，永在的父向它掩面，但是爱忍受了咒诅并且全然得胜。从来没有这样的爱，也从来没有这样死。那是一场绝望的决斗，在争战中爱坚定不移。当我沉思这属天的爱时，我的心情是否被扰动？主啊，我渴望感觉到祢的大爱就在我里面如炉火般燃烧。为什么我不能以如死亡坚强般的爱来爱我的耶稣，以致祂失望呢？祂配受我的爱，我也极愿爱祂。殉道者感受这种爱，而他们也是有血有肉的人，为什么我不能？他们为自己的软弱哀伤，然而从软弱中他们得到刚强。上帝的恩典使他们坚持不畏缩。这相同的恩典也能加在我身上。耶稣，愿祢今晚将祢的大爱倾注在我心中。
Evening, October 13
Scripture: “Love is strong as death.”(Song of Solomon 8:6)
Whose love can this be which is as mighty as the conqueror of monarchs, the destroyer of the human race? Would it not sound like satire if it were applied to my poor, weak, and scarcely living love to Jesus my Lord? I do love him, and perhaps by his grace, I could even die for him, but as for my love in itself, it can scarcely endure a scoffing jest, much less a cruel death. Surely it is my Beloved’s love which is here spoken of－the love of Jesus, the matchless lover of souls. His love was indeed stronger than the most terrible death, for it endured the trial of the cross triumphantly. It was a lingering death, but love survived the torment; a shameful death, but love despised the shame; a penal death, but love bore our iniquities; a forsaken, lonely death, from which the eternal Father hid his face, but love endured the curse, and gloried over all. Never such love, never such death. It was a desperate duel, but love bore the palm. What then, my heart? Hast thou no emotions excited within thee at the contemplation of such heavenly affection? Yes, my Lord, I long, I pant to feel thy love flaming like a furnace within me. Come thou thyself and excite the ardour of my spirit.
“For every drop of crimson blood
Thus shed to make me live,
O wherefore, wherefore have not I
A thousand lives to give?”
Why should I despair of loving Jesus with a love as strong as death? He deserves it: I desire it. The martyrs felt such love, and they were but flesh and blood, then why not I? They mourned their weakness, and yet out of weakness were made strong. Grace gave them all their unflinching constancy－there is the same grace for me. Jesus, lover of my soul, shed abroad such love, even thy love in my heart, this evening.