0425 「隨時常作準備」
無論時機是否適合，都要常作準備…《提摩太後書 4:2》（新譯本）
我們許多人都忍受一種不平衡傾向之苦，只在「時機不適合」情況下「做好準備」。時機不是指時間，而是指我們。這節經文說：「務要傳道；無論時機是否適合，都要常作準備。」換句話說，無論我們喜歡與否，我們都應該「做好準備」。如果我們只做我們想做的事，我們有些人永遠不會做任何事。有些人在屬靈領域裡完全無用武之地，他們在靈性上軟弱無力，除非受到超自然的啟發，否則他們拒絕做任何事情。我們與神的關係正確的證據，是無論我們是否受到啟發，我們都會儘力而為。
基督工人可能陷入最糟糕的陷阱之一，就是沉迷於自己特別的靈感時刻。當神的靈給你一段靈感、洞察力的時候，你往往會說：「現在我已經歷了這一刻，我會為神永遠像是這樣。」不，你不會，神會確保這一點；那些時光完全是神的恩賜。當你選擇的時候，你無法給自己那些時刻。如果你說你只會在最佳狀態時為神效力，就像那些特別時刻一樣，你實際上會成為神難以忍受的負擔。除非神讓你一直意識到祂對你的啟示，否則你永遠不會做任何事。如果你把自己最佳時刻當作神，你會發現神將從你的生活中淡出，永遠不再回來，直到你在祂置於你身邊的工作中順服，並指導你學會不再沉迷於那些祂給你的特別時刻。
來自章伯斯的智慧
敬畏神的顯著之處，乃是當你敬畏神時，你就什麼都不怕，而如果你不敬畏神，你就會害怕其他的一切。「敬畏耶和華的人是有福的。」《至善——天路歷程》
0425 “Ready in Season”
Be ready in season and out of season. —2 Timothy 4:2
Many of us suffer from the unbalanced tendency to “be ready” only “out of season.” The season does not refer to time; it refers to us. This verse says, “Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season.” In other words, we should “be ready” whether we feel like it or not. If we do only what we feel inclined to do, some of us would never do anything. There are some people who are totally unemployable in the spiritual realm. They are spiritually feeble and weak, and they refuse to do anything unless they are supernaturally inspired. The proof that our relationship is right with God is that we do our best whether we feel inspired or not.
One of the worst traps a Christian worker can fall into is to become obsessed with his own exceptional moments of inspiration. When the Spirit of God gives you a time of inspiration and insight, you tend to say, “Now that I’ve experienced this moment, I will always be like this for God.” No, you will not, and God will make sure of that. Those times are entirely the gift of God. You cannot give them to yourself when you choose. If you say you will only be at your best for God, as during those exceptional times, you actually become an intolerable burden on Him. You will never do anything unless God keeps you consciously aware of His inspiration to you at all times. If you make a god out of your best moments, you will find that God will fade out of your life, never to return until you are obedient in the work He has placed closest to you, and until you have learned not to be obsessed with those exceptional moments He has given you.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God you fear everything else. “Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord”;… The Highest Good—The Pilgrim’s Song Book, 537 L