培養對上帝的熱情Developinga Passion for God
[每日靈修] 11/22/2018, 駱鴻銘編譯
我記得裝飾著母校圖書館的彩色玻璃窗。它位於二樓樓梯的樓梯間上方。窗口中的文字以鉛字字母宣告說：「知識就是力量」。
每次我走上或走下那個階梯，我都會因這些話而畏縮不前。我不喜歡這些話。它們有些傲慢。我無法否認這些話是真的。知識就是力量。但是對權力的渴望並不是獲得知識的良好動力。聖經是對的：「知識是叫人自高自大，惟有愛心能造就人」（林前八1）。
即使是追求對上帝的認識，也可以成為一種傲慢的網羅。神學可以成為一種遊戲，一種強大的遊戲，看誰能展現出最淵博的學識。在它變成這種比賽之時，就是出自一種邪惡的熱情。
神聖的熱情是一種由敬虔的動機所點燃的熱情。追求上帝的知識，進一步加深我們對祂的理解，加深我們對祂的愛，就是要從事一種討祂喜悅的追求。耶穌鼓勵這樣的追求（約八31～32）。耶穌沒有將知識與力量聯繫在一起，而是與自由聯繫在一起。認識真理是世界上最讓人感到自在的力量。它不是用來統治的力量；也不是給人留下深刻印象的力量：這些力量不是我們應當尋求的。但是，得到自由的力量——給人真正的自由——與認識真理是連在一起的。
我們都想要自由。我們希望擺脫捆綁我們的鎖鏈。這種自由來自認識神。但追求這種知識不應當是隨意的。耶穌在祂的話語中談到「遵守」。追求上帝不是一種兼差，在週末的鍛煉。如果是的話，你很可能會體驗到一種兼差式的、只有在週末才有的自由。不斷地遵守需要某種的持續力。追求是永無止境的。它是一種饑渴，如鹿渴慕溪水。它像風暴那樣奪取天國，用暴力才能進去。
這是對熱情的追求。冷漠是辦不到的。遵守神的聖言就是要頑強地堅持下去。輕輕握住很快就會鬆脫。門徒訓練需要持續不斷的能力。我們註冊的是一段時間，直到上了天堂才會畢業。
活在神的面光中（在神面前禱告）：
回應使徒保羅的這個禱告：「......使我認識基督，曉得祂復活的大能，並且曉得和祂一同受苦，效法祂的死」（腓三10）。
進一步研讀：
約八31～32 耶穌對信祂的猶太人說：「你們若常常遵守我的道，就真是我的門徒；你們必曉得真理，真理必叫你們得以自由。」
羅六7 因為已死的人是脫離了罪。
羅三23-24 因為世人都犯了罪，虧缺了神的榮耀； 如今卻蒙神的恩典，因基督耶穌的救贖，就白白的稱義。
羅八32 神既不愛惜自己的兒子，為我們眾人捨了，豈不也把萬物和他一同白白的賜給我們嗎？
Developing a Passion for God
I
remember a stained-glass window that adorned the library of my alma mater. It
was situated above the stairwell at the second-floor landing. In leaded
letters, the words in the window declared, “Knowledge is power.”
Every
time I ascended or descended that staircase I cringed at those words. I did not
like them. There was something arrogant about them. I could not deny that the
words were true. Knowledge is power. But the lust for power is not a sound
motivation to gain knowledge. The Bible is right: Knowledge puffs up; love
builds up (1 Cor. 8:1).
Even
the pursuit of the knowledge of God can become a snare of arrogance. Theology
can become a game, a power game to see who can display the most erudition. When
it is such a game it proceeds from an unholy passion.
A
holy passion is a passion inflamed by a godly motive. To pursue the knowledge
of God to further our understanding of Him and deepen our love for Him is to
embark on a quest that delights Him. Jesus encouraged such a pursuit (John
8:31–32). Jesus linked knowledge not with power but with freedom. Knowing the truth
is the most liberating power in the world. Not the power to dominate; not the
power to impress: These are not the powers we seek. But the power to set
free—to give true liberty—is tied to a knowledge of the truth.
We
all want liberty. We want to be free of the chains that bind us. That liberty
comes from knowing God. But the pursuit of that knowledge may not be casual.
Jesus spoke of “abiding” in His Word. The pursuit of God is not a part-time,
weekend exercise. If it is, chances are you will experience a part-time,
weekend freedom. Abiding requires a kind of staying power. The pursuit is
relentless. It hungers and thirsts. It pants as the deer after the mountain
brook. It takes the kingdom by storm, pressing with violence to get in.
It is
a pursuit of passion. Indifference will not do. To abide in the Word is to hang
on tenaciously. A weak grip will soon slip away. Discipleship requires staying
power. We sign up for the duration. We do not graduate until heaven.
Coram
Deo
Echo
this prayer of the apostle Paul: “… that I may know Him and the power of His
resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His
death” (Phil. 3:10).
Passages
for Further Study
Romans
6:7
Romans
3:23–24
Romans
8:32
11/19/2018
