五月二十日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/05/0520.mp3″]
经文: 我用慈绳爱索牵引他们。（何西何书十一：4）
我们天上的父常以慈爱的绳索牵引我们，但是我们却迟疑不敢奔向祂！对祂温柔的推动，我们的反应是何其缓慢！祂吸引我们来操练对祂存更简单的信心。我们像马大一段，不将属世的烦恼交给上帝，而背着重担去事奉祂。贫乏的信心使我们的灵魂变为瘦弱。虽然上帝应许过要大大充满我们，我们却不肯大大张口（参阅诗八十一：10）。今晚，祂要吸引我们到祂自己那里。我们能听到祂说：“孩子，来吧，相信我。幔子已经撕裂，进到我里面来，大胆来到我的施恩座前。我值得你完全信任。将你忧虑之尘抖下，穿上喜乐的美衣吧。”
父上帝也吸引我们与祂有更亲密的相交。我们已经坐在上帝的家门口了。祂邀请我们进入筵席大厅与祂一同坐席。但是我们拒绝这荣誉。有一些密室尚未向我们开启，耶稣呼唤我们进入，我们却后退。我们是甜美之主耶稣的可怜爱人，不配作祂的仆人，更不配作祂的新妇。然而，祂将我们升高，成为祂骨中之骨、肉中之肉。我们藉荣耀之婚约与祂成婚。这是真爱，也是不被拒绝之爱！我们真是愚笨的孩子，竟然拒绝祂的慈绳爱索！
Evening, May 20
Scripture: “I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love.”(Hosea 11:4)
Our heavenly Father often draws us with the cords of love; but ah! how backward we are to run towards him! How slowly do we respond to his gentle impulses! He draws us to exercise a more simple faith in him; but we have not yet attained to Abraham’s confidence; we do not leave our worldly cares with God, but, like Martha, we cumber ourselves with much serving. Our meagre faith brings leanness into our souls; we do not open our mouths wide, though God has promised to fill them. Does he not this evening draw us to trust him? Can we not hear him say, “Come, my child, and trust me. The veil is rent; enter into my presence, and approach boldly to the throne of my grace. I am worthy of thy fullest confidence, cast thy cares on me. Shake thyself from the dust of thy cares, and put on thy beautiful garments of joy.” But, alas! though called with tones of love to the blessed exercise of this comforting grace, we will not come. At another time he draws us to closer communion with himself. We have been sitting on the doorstep of God’s house, and he bids us advance into the banqueting hall and sup with him, but we decline the honour. There are secret rooms not yet opened to us; Jesus invites us to enter them, but we hold back. Shame on our cold hearts! We are but poor lovers of our sweet Lord Jesus, not fit to be his servants, much less to be his brides, and yet he hath exalted us to be bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh, married to him by a glorious marriage-covenant. Herein is love! But it is love which takes no denial. If we obey not the gentle drawings of his love, he will send affliction to drive us into closer intimacy with himself. Have us nearer he will. What foolish children we are to refuse those bands of love, and so bring upon our backs that scourge of small cords, which Jesus knows how to use!