Daily Devotion - May 2 - ¥q¥?‾u‥C?eAF-×(?e) Morning by Morning

司布真每日靈修(日) Morning by Morning 五月二日 經文: 「我不求您叫他們離開世界。」（約翰福音十七：15） 上帝的子民有一天都要回到天家，上帝的精兵打完信心美好之仗，也要卸下軍裝武器，進入永恆喜樂的國。雖然耶穌為屬祂的百姓禱告，讓他們能早日與祂在天堂相會，但祂並沒有要他們立刻離開世界，反而要他們進入人群，學習功課，直到像麥粒成熟，收放在主人的倉房內。 活在內身，若對自己沒有好處，就是對別人有益。耶穌曾應許要救我們脫離試探，但是祂並沒有立刻將我們提到天上，享受榮耀。基督徒遇到挫折，有時會想一死了之，問他們為什麼？他們會說：「想早日與主同在呀！」其實他們是想擺脫面前的困境麻煩，否則為什麼在其他的時候，就沒有想死念頭？ 若我們有像保羅那樣的動機，切慕與上帝同在，那是很好，因為與上帝同在，真是好得要無比；但是我們若是因為想逃避困難考驗，才想離世升天，那是自私的想法。我們只此一生，願我們所行都能夠討祂歡心，且榮神益人。即使我們現在落在前熬折磨、患難困苦當中，我們仍要學習忍耐，直到主說：「夠了！」的那一天。 Morning, May 2 Scripture: "I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world."(John 17:15) It is a sweet and blessed event which will occur to all believers in God's own time—the going home to be with Jesus. In a few more years the Lord's soldiers, who are now fighting "the good fight of faith" will have done with conflict, and have entered into the joy of their Lord. But although Christ prays that his people may eventually be with him where he is, he does not ask that they may be taken at once away from this world to heaven. He wishes them to stay here. Yet how frequently does the wearied pilgrim put up the prayer, "O that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away and be at rest;" but Christ does not pray like that, he leaves us in his Father's hands, until, like shocks of corn fully ripe, we shall each be gathered into our Master's garner. Jesus does not plead for our instant removal by death, for to abide in the flesh is needful for others if not profitable for ourselves. He asks that we may be kept from evil, but he never asks for us to be admitted to the inheritance in glory till we are of full age. Christians often want to die when they have any trouble. Ask them why, and they tell you, "Because we would be with the Lord." We fear it is not so much because they are longing to be with the Lord, as because they desire to get rid of their troubles; else they would feel the same wish to die at other times when not under the pressure of trial. They want to go home, not so much for the Saviour's company, as to be at rest. Now it is quite right to desire to depart if we can do it in the same spirit that Paul did, because to be with Christ is far better, but the wish to escape from trouble is a selfish one. Rather let your care and wish be to glorify God by your life here as long as he pleases, even though it be in the midst of toil, and conflict, and suffering, and leave him to say when "it is enough." www.glorypress.com