十一月十四日 [mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/11/1114.mp3″]
经文: 拉班说：“大女儿还没有给人，先把小女儿给人，在我们这地方没有这规矩。”（创世记二十九：26）
我们并非要原谅拉班的不诚实，但是我们可以从他用来作为藉口的习俗学到功课。有一些事情是必须有先后顺序的。小女儿可能看起来比较可爱。但长女必须先成婚，天国之原则是必须持守的。例如，许多人希望能娶美丽的拉结以获得喜乐与平安，但是他们必须先娶眼睛没有神气代表悔改的利亚。每个人都喜欢快乐，甘愿为了得到它而工作多年，但是按照上帝国度的原则，我们的心灵在获得喜乐以前，必须爱真正的圣洁。必须先背负十字架，然后才可能戴上冠冕。我们必须在主的谦卑中跟随祂，不然就永不可能与祂在荣耀中得安息。对这一点你的看法如何呢？你是否妄想破除天国的原则？你是否希望不以劳苦来获得赏赐，不以辛勤来获得荣誉？除去懒惰的期望吧！为了耶稣的甘美之爱，满足于担负艰辛的工作，你就可以因此得到赏赐。有了辛劳和受苦的心志，你将发现辛涩变为甜美，艰难变为轻省，因为你对耶稣的爱，会像雅各那样，视漫长岁月之服事如同几天而已。当婚筵来临时，一切的劳苦似乎都已忘记，与耶稣同在片刻就能补偿你数年的痛苦和辛劳。
Evening, November 14
Scripture: “And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.”(Genesis 29:26)
We do not excuse Laban for his dishonesty, but we scruple not to learn from the custom which he quoted as his excuse. There are some things which must be taken in order, and if we would win the second we must secure the first. The second may be the more lovely in our eyes, but the rule of the heavenly country must stand, and the elder must be married first. For instance, many men desire the beautiful and well-favoured Rachel of joy and peace in believing, but they must first be wedded to the tender-eyed Leah of repentance. Every one falls in love with happiness, and many would cheerfully serve twice seven years to enjoy it, but according to the rule of the Lord’s kingdom, the Leah of real holiness must be beloved of our soul before the Rachel of true happiness can be attained. Heaven stands not first but second, and only by persevering to the end can we win a portion in it. The cross must be carried before the crown can be worn. We must follow our Lord in his humiliation, or we shall never rest with him in glory.
My soul, what sayest thou, art thou so vain as to hope to break through the heavenly rule? Dost thou hope for reward without labour, or honour without toil? Dismiss the idle expectation, and be content to take the ill-favoured things for the sake of the sweet love of Jesus, which will recompense thee for all. In such a spirit, labouring and suffering, thou wilt find bitters grow sweet, and hard things easy. Like Jacob, thy years of service will seem unto thee but a few days for the love thou hast to Jesus; and when the dear hour of the wedding feast shall come, all thy toils shall be as though they had never been－an hour with Jesus will make up for ages of pain and labour.
Jesus, to win thyself so fair,
Thy cross I will with gladness bear:
Since so the rules of heaven ordain,
The first I’ll wed the next to gain.
