Daily Devotion - Mar 16 - ¥q¥¬¯u¨C¤éÆF­×(©]) Evening by Evening

司布真每日靈修(夜) Evening by Evening

三月十六日

經文: 求您攔阻僕人，不犯任意妄為的罪。（詩篇十九：13）

這是大衛的祈求，他是合上帝心意的人（參閱徒十三：22）。倘若大衛需要如此祈求，我們這些恩典中的嬰兒更需祈求了！他似乎在說：「攔阻我，否則我將鹵莽地奔向罪惡之懸崖。」我們罪惡的本性像一匹暴躁的馬，企圖脫韁而逃。但願上帝以恩典的韁轡緊繫我們。實在不敢想像我們會作出何等的事！即使最聖潔的人也必須「遠離」最壞的過犯。使徒保羅鄭重地警告聖徒們敵擋最醜惡的罪，他說：「所以要治死你們在地上的肢體。就如淫亂、污穢、邪情、惡慾、和貪婪，貪婪就與拜偶像一樣。」（西三：5）。如果你轉眼不望祂，你必定跌倒、你信心是堅定的、你的盼望是明亮的，切勿說：「我不會犯罪。」寧願呼求：「不叫我們遇見試探。」在最傑出的人心中也有足夠的火種，可以將地獄最深的火點起來，而在他們跌倒時，唯有上帝能熄滅這些火花。哈薛說：「你僕人算甚麼，不過是一條狗，焉能行這大事呢？」（王下八：13）。我們也喜歡提出這類自義的問題。但願無限的智者能將我們從自信的愚蠢中救拔出來。

Evening, March 16

Scripture: "Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins."(Psalm 19:13)

Such was theprayer of the "man after God's own heart." Did holy David need to pray thus? How needful, then, must such a prayer be for us babes in grace! It is as if he said, "Keep me back, or I shall rush headlong over the precipice of sin." Our evil nature, like an ill-tempered horse, is apt to run away. May the grace of God put the bridle upon it, and hold it in, that it rush not into mischief. What might not the best of us do if it were not for the checks which the Lord sets upon us both in providence and in grace! The psalmist's prayer is directed against the worst form of sin—that which is done with deliberation and wilfulness. Even the holiest need to be "kept back" from the vilest transgressions. It is a solemn thing to find the apostle Paul warning saints against the most loathsome sins. "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry." What! do saints want warning against such sins as these? Yes, they do. The whitest robes, unless their purity be preserved by divine grace, will be defiled by the blackest spots. Experienced Christian, boast not in your experience; you will trip yet if you look away from him who is able to keep you from falling. Ye whose love is fervent, whose faith is constant, whose hopes are bright, say not, "We shall never sin," but rather cry, "Lead us not into temptation." There is enough tinder in the heart of the best of men to light a fire that shall burn to the lowest hell, unless God shall quench the sparks as they fall. Who would have dreamed that righteous Lot could be found drunken, and committing uncleanness? Hazael said, "Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this thing?" and we are very apt to use the same self-righteous question. May infinite wisdom cure us of the madness of self-confidence.

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