第三十六周 亲近神
“我亲近神，是与我有益。”（诗73:28）
诗：哦，何奇妙而神圣！我魂靠近那福境，
天上荣耀显在彼，与祂面光相辉映！
我们越亲近主耶稣，我们就越明白：谁碰主的弟兄，谁就是摸祂眼中的瞳人。
亲近基督的真实果效，就是把我这一个人，带进与主的交通中，并顾念他人而自己不爱环境的支配。我若没有紧紧的亲近基督，心中充满了他，而失去自己，那么我岂能把我心转去乐他人之乐，和忧他人这忧呢？
哦！巴不得我们能够十分亲近基督，从他支取所有的恩典和忠心，并改正我们里面一切可能与恩典和忠心有抵触倾向的东西。
所有工作的活动，都必须常借与主的交通来更新，不然的话，心虽诚恳，但你的活动会渐渐流为例行公事，这就有危险性了。因为在不知不觉中，心灵竟然远离了神。
如果我们的生活是够亲近基督，我们就能为看教会而活，而不是一直靠看教会而活。问题不是我从教会所打到的是什么，乃是我事奉所带进来的是什么。你若活在他的交通里，你就会把这一个交通带进教会的事奉，以及所有的环境中。教会在前里走得好，你也必定得着教会的扶持，这个扶持是极大的安慰，但你本身必须为着基督，补满教会任何的需要。
我们菲是亲近主，在圣所中与神相交，我们就能用他的眼光来看主的圣徒，都是主的心爱，是主心所欢乐的对象，也是主劳苦的功效。这样，为圣徒代祷，就变得容易，能对他们尽心，且满有恩慈，如果在地上有用严厉手段的需要，那么，这种属天的神的爱，就是严厉的原动力。
那绝对活而完全的法则，乃是主耶稣自己，在他里面所有圣经记载的规条，都可合在一起，作一个活的模样。请记得，靠近祂身边学习如何行走的人，是快乐的。
有一个大点要注意，就是在心中亲近主，该超过亲近一切的工作。我们的工作是由他而出，也有点像主自己要作的一样。
在我们的事奉上，有一个退修的机会是好的；借此将我们摆在神的面前，而不是工作摆在我们面前。这样，就叫我们的感觉我们的工作是在神的手中，而不是在我们手中，我记得我以前每年都生病，我就常常感觉，若是已经够亲近神的话，就必定不需要那些痛苦了。
谁最亲近基督，谁就事奉得最好，若没有亲近祂，就没有事奉的可言。
一个人若是与天相接，而基督又是他的一切时，就无论在任何地方，都是一样；神仍是神，祂是何等神圣而慈爱！祂也是人，我是何等需要亲近祂！
THIRTY-SIXTH WEEK NEARNESS TO GOD
“It is good for me to draw near to God.” Psalm 73:28
Oh! wondrous, infinite, divine!
Keep near, my soul, to that blest place,
Where all those heavenly glories shine
Which suit the brightness of His face!
The nearer we are to the Lord Jesus, the better we understand that he who touches His brethren “toucheth the apple of his eye.”
The true effect of being near to Christ puts me into fellowship with Himself about others, instead of being under my own circumstances. How can I be turning my heart to the joys of one, and the sorrows of another, unless I am living close to Christ, and getting my heart filled with Him instead of self.
Oh! that we … had nearness enough to Christ to draw from Him all grace and all devotedness, and correct in ourselves whatever tends to mar the one or the other.
Activity, unless renewing itself in communion with Him, may be sincere, but will degenerate into routine … and is even dangerous; the soul gets far from God without knowing it.
If we live near enough to Christ we live for the church not from it. It is … not by what we find, but by what we bring that we can serve in Christianity. … Living in the good with Him, you carry it in with you into the service and circumstances of the church. … You must not want the support of the walking well of the church. It is the greatest comfort, but you must be for Christ whatever the church needs.
If we get near to the Lord, if we are in communion with God within the holy place, we see all the saints with His eyes, as dear to Him … objects of Christ’s delight and the fruit of the travail of His soul; then intercession for them is easy, and faithfulness to them becomes easy and gracious too. … Divinely, given love for God’s people on high is the spring of severity even, if needed below.
The absolutely perfect and living rule is the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him all written rules are united in one solitary living example. … Happy is he who keeps by His side to learn how one ought to walk.
The great point is to be nearer Him in heart than even the work, and then we do the work from Him and in some measure as He would.
A time of retirement is a very good thing in our service, it puts us before God instead of our work before us, and makes us feel, too, that our work is in His hands and not our own. I remember when I used to be ill every year, I always felt if I had been near enough to God I should not have needed it.
He that is nearest to Christ will best serve Him, and there is no serving Him without it.
When one is near heaven, when Jesus is all, one place scarcely differs from another; God remains God, holy and love, and man remains man.