Daily Devotion - Apr 12 - ¥q¥?‾u‥C?eAF-×(c]) Evening by Evening

司布真每日靈修(夜) Evening by Evening 四月十二日 經文: 王園。（尼希米記三：15） 尼希米提到的御花園，令我聯我到萬王之王為亞當所預備的樂園。罪將那可喜的、美好的上帝的同在毀滅了。人的後裔被逐出。要耕種那長滿荊棘和蒺藜之地。請記住亞當的墮落，因為那也是你的墮落。上帝的大愛竟被人類的祖先如此羞辱對待，為此流淚哀哭吧！請看那曾經是歡樂的花園，如今被龍和魔鬼所佔據。但是另有一園，主以祂的血汗在其中澆灌，那就是客西馬尼園。此園中的苦草對更新的心靈而言，遠較伊甸園中的美果更為甜美。蛇在伊甸園中的惡行，在客西馬尼園中被破除了。咒詛從世上被解開，擔負在那位應許中的女人後裔身上。請默想我們的主所受的煎熬與痛落。再回到橄欖山的園中，我們看到偉大的救贖者，將世界從失喪的光景中拯救出來。這是園中之園，在其中靈魂能見到罪孽之行為，並見到愛的大能。我的心也應該成為祂的花園。如何才能使花朵茂盛？是否結出精美的果子？王是否在其中散步，且在我靈的樹蔭下憩息？讓我確實修剪和澆灌各種植物，且趕走狡猾的狐狸。主啊，請來，當你來臨時，求使天上吹起涼風，讓您園中香氣四溢。我也不能忘記王的花園──教會。主啊，使她亨通，重建她的圍牆，滋潤她的樹木，使她的果子成熟。重整荒蕪廢地，使它變成「一座王的花園。」 Evening, April 12 Scripture: "The king's garden."(Nehemiah 3:15) Mention of the king's garden by Nehemiah brings to mind the paradise which the King of kings prepared for Adam. Sin has utterly ruined that fair abode of all delights, and driven forth the children of men to till the ground, which yields thorns and briers unto them. My soul, remember the fall, for it was thy fall. Weep much because the Lord of love was so shamefully ill-treated by the head of the human race, of which thou art a member, as undeserving as any. Behold how dragons and demons dwell on this fair earth, which once was a garden of delights. See yonder another King's garden, which the King waters with his bloody sweat—Gethsemane, whose bitter herbs are sweeter far to renewed souls than even Eden's luscious fruits. There the mischief of the serpent in the first garden was undone: there the curse was lifted from earth, and borne by the woman's promised seed. My soul, bethink thee much of the agony and the passion; resort to the garden of the olive-press, and view thy great Redeemer rescuing thee from thy lost estate. This is the garden of gardens indeed, wherein the soul may see the guilt of sin and the power of love, two sights which surpass all others. Is there no other King's garden? Yes, my heart, thou art, or shouldst be such. How do the flowers flourish? Do any choice fruits appear? Does the King walk within, and rest in the bowers of my spirit? Let me see that the plants are trimmed and watered, and the mischievous foxes hunted out. Come, Lord, and let the heavenly wind blow at thy coming, that the spices of thy garden may flow abroad. Nor must I forget the King's garden of the church. O Lord, send prosperity unto it. Rebuild her walls, nourish her plants, ripen her fruits, and from the huge wilderness, reclaim the barren waste, and make thereof "a King's garden." www.glorypress.com