三月十六日 順從-JOSEPH'S STORY-GENESIS 39

 
活水

順從是學不完的課程，當順從主的命令，記載於聖經之中，當順從主的命定，安置在環境之中；在神的命令中喜樂，在神的命定中喜樂。為什麼要順從神，神會給我們說明當順從的理由，雖然在我們像是無理由的順從神，神卻是有正當的理由叫我們順從祂。

神說：「惡人當離棄自己的道路；不義的人當除掉自己的意念，……我的意念，非同你們的意念，我的道路，非同你們的道路。天怎樣高過地，照樣我的道路，高過你們的道路，我的意念，高過你們的意念。」（賽五十五7至9）神的計畫太奇妙，神的作為太奧秘，有許多事是我們今日所測不透的，只要我們大起膽量來順從，後來必要明白神的智慧、神的能力和神的作為。

約瑟實在是順從神的命令、又順從神的命定的人；他不敢犯罪得罪神，他在苦難的環境中也不發一句怨言，他不恨他弟兄賣了他，他也不恨波提乏的婦人侮辱他，他不恨波提乏冤屈他，他也不恨酒政忘記他，他一件事都不為自己分訴。他認定了自己的遭遇是出於神，只有默然不語，所以當他的弟兄向他認罪求赦免的時候，他說：「不要害怕，我豈能代替神呢？從前你們的意思是要害我，但神的意思原是好的，要保全許多人的性命，成就今日的光景。」（創五十19至20）約瑟等到神旨意明顯的時候，他真知道神的意念高過人的意念，神的道路高過人的道路。

我們聽見聖經中的話，我們知道這是神的命令，我們不敢違背；但是在我們的環境中，我人前許多事不肯順服，總以為是從人來的，從撒但來的；如果我們看見這是神的命定，是神作的，就能默然不語了。

 

Obedience is an inexhaustible course. One should obey the Lord's command and be recorded in the Bible. One should obey the Lord's ordination and be placed in the environment; rejoice in God's command and rejoice in God's ordination. Why should we obey God? God will give us reasons why we should obey. Although we obey God for no reason, God has legitimate reasons for us to obey Him.

God said, Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD , and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD . “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:7-9 NIV) God’s plan is too wonderful, God’s deeds are too mysterious, and there are many things that we do today. What is unfathomable, as long as we have the courage to obey, we will later understand God's wisdom, God's power, and God's deeds.

Joseph was truly a man who obeyed God’s commands and his ordination; he did not dare to sin and offend God, and he never complained even in a difficult environment. He did not hate his brother for betraying him, nor did he hate Potiphar's women insulted him, and he did not hate Potiphar for wronging him, nor did he hate the cupbearer for forgetting him, and he did not tell himself anything. He believed that what happened to him came from God, and he remained silent, so when his brother confessed his sins and asked for forgiveness. But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (Genesis 50:19-20 NIV) When Joseph waited until God’s will was revealed, he really knew that God’s will is higher than that of man. The mind, the way of God is higher than the way of man.

We have heard the words in the Bible, we know that this is God's command, and we dare not disobey; but in our environment, we refuse to obey many things before others, always thinking that it is from man, from Satan; When you see that this is ordained by God and made by God, you will be silent.