《静夜亮光》一月二十日

一月二十日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/01/0120.mp3″]

经文: 求祢叫我转眼不看虚假,又叫我在祢的道中生活。(诗篇一一九:37)

世上有许多种虚假之事。属世的欢笑、跳舞,音乐、荒淫的生活皆为虚假的,虽然它们都大胆地带着正当的名字和称谓,但其实都是虚假的。贪爱世界,受财富蒙骗,也是同样虚空,甚至更为奸诈。人在会计室中追逐虚假之事与在戏院中所追逐的并无两样。人若终生以财富为乐,就是在虚浮的表演中度过一生。除非我们跟随基督,以上帝为我们生活的大目标,否则我们只在外表上与最虚浮的人有别。“叫我在祢的道中生活。”诗人承认是愚蠢、笨钝且无生命的。你可能也有同感。我们是如此迟钝,除了主自己以外,没有任何事物可以使我们复苏。为什么?难道地狱不能惊醒我?当我想到罪人灭亡时仍然不能惊醒吗?难道天堂不能唤醒我?当我想到奖赏在等待公义的人去领取时仍然冷淡吗?难道死亡不能搅动我?当我想到死后站在上帝的面前时,仍然怠惰于服事主吗?难道基督的爱不能约束我?当我想到祂伤痕,坐在祂的十字架下,能不燃起热情和热诚吗?没有一种思想可以激起我们的热诚,唯有上帝自己,因此诗人呼求:“叫我在祢的道中生活”,他将整个心灵在激越的恳求中吐出。他的身体与灵魂在祈求中结合为一。他的身体说:“叫我转眼”,他的灵魂呼求:“叫我在祢的道中生活”。这样的祈祷是我们每日适用的。

Evening, January 20

Scripture: “Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.”(Psalm 119:37)

There are divers kinds of vanity. The cap and bells of the fool, the mirth of the world, the dance, the lyre, and the cup of the dissolute, all these men know to be vanities; they wear upon their forefront their proper name and title. Far more treacherous are those equally vain things, the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches. A man may follow vanity as truly in the counting-house as in the theatre. If he be spending his life in amassing wealth, he passes his days in a vain show. Unless we follow Christ, and make our God the great object of life, we only differ in appearance from the most frivolous. It is clear that there is much need of the first prayer of our text. “Quicken thou me in thy way.” The Psalmist confesses that he is dull, heavy, lumpy, all but dead. Perhaps, dear reader, you feel the same. We are so sluggish that the best motives cannot quicken us, apart from the Lord himself. What! will not hell quicken me? Shall I think of sinners perishing, and yet not be awakened? Will not heaven quicken me? Can I think of the reward that awaiteth the righteous, and yet be cold? Will not death quicken me? Can I think of dying, and standing before my God, and yet be slothful in my Master’s service? Will not Christ’s love constrain me? Can I think of his dear wounds, can I sit at the foot of his cross, and not be stirred with fervency and zeal? It seems so! No mere consideration can quicken us to zeal, but God himself must do it, hence the cry, “Quicken thou me.” The Psalmist breathes out his whole soul in vehement pleadings: his body and his soul unite in prayer. “Turn away mine eyes,” says the body: “Quicken thou me,” cries the soul. This is a fit prayer for every day. O Lord, hear it in my case this night.