五月十七日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/05/0517.mp3″]
经文: 你是我仆人，我拣选你。（以赛亚书四十一：9）
上帝的恩典在我们心中使我们成为祂的仆人。我们可能是不忠心的仆人，而且我们实在不配。但是，我们是祂的仆人，在祂的桌旁侍候，服从祂的命令。我们一度是罪的奴仆，但祂释放了我们，带我们进入祂的家，教导我们顺从祂的旨意。我们没有完美地事奉我们的主，若我们能，我们真是愿意作到完美的地步。当听到上帝的声音对我们说：“你是我的仆人。”我们就能与大卫同声回答：“我是祢的仆人……祢已经解开我的绑索。”(诗一一六：16)。
主不仅称我们是祂的仆人，更是祂所拣选的。不是我们先拣选祂，乃是祂拣选了我们。统治者的眼睛将我们选出来，不变的恩典之声则宣称：“我以永远的爱爱你”(耶三十一：3)。远在时间开始之前，远在太空被创造以前，上帝已经在祂的心中记下祂选民的名字。祂拣选他们要将其改变成祂儿子的形像，并按立他们成为祂那全备丰富之爱、恩典和荣耀的继承者。祂明白我们的心是罪恶的，但祂还是选择了我们。我们的救主不是善变的爱人，祂并不会只见到教会一丝微弱的美丽而喜悦她一段时日，然后因为她的不忠实而将她抛弃。不，祂以她为妻直到永远。耶和华说：“休妻的事……是我所恨恶的。”（玛二：16）永远的选择将我们的感恩和上帝的信实连结在一起，不是我们之中任何人可以否认的。
Evening, May 17
Scripture: “Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee.”(Isaiah 41:9)
If we have received the grace of God in our hearts, its practical effect has been to make us God’s servants. We may be unfaithful servants, we certainly are unprofitable ones, but yet, blessed be his name, weare his servants, wearing his livery, feeding at his table, and obeying his commands. We were once the servants of sin, but he who made us free has now taken us into his family and taught us obedience to his will. We do not serve our Master perfectly, but we would if we could. As we hear God’s voice saying unto us, “Thou art my servant,” we can answer with David, “I am thy servant; thou hast loosed my bonds.” But the Lord calls us not only his servants, but his chosen ones－“I have chosen thee.” We have not chosen him first, but he hath chosen us. If we be God’s servants, we were not always so; to sovereign grace the change must be ascribed. The eye of sovereignty singled us out, and the voice of unchanging grace declared, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love.” Long ere time began or space was created God had written upon his heart the names of his elect people, had predestinated them to be conformed unto the image of his Son, and ordained them heirs of all the fulness of his love, his grace, and his glory. What comfort is here! Has the Lord loved us so long, and will he yet cast us away? He knew how stiffnecked we should be, he understood that our hearts were evil, and yet he made the choice. Ah! our Saviour is no fickle lover. He doth not feel enchanted for awhile with some gleams of beauty from his church’s eye, and then afterwards cast her off because of her unfaithfulness. Nay, he married her in old eternity; and it is written of Jehovah, “He hateth putting away.” The eternal choice is a bond upon our gratitude and upon his faithfulness which neither can disown.