0711 灵性活泼强健的圣徒
…使我可以认识基督，晓得他复活的大能…《腓立比书 3:10》
圣徒不是采取主动去实现自我，而是去认识耶稣基督。一个灵性活泼强健的圣徒从来不相信他的境遇只是随机发生的，也不会认为他的生活有俗圣之分；他视自己所处每一种境遇为获得更深认识耶稣基督的方法，并对祂有一种无拘无束的听任和完全降服的态度。圣灵定意我们要在生活的各个方面实现耶稣基督，祂会一次又一次地带我们回到同一个点，直到我们实现基督为止。自我实现只会导致荣耀善行，然而神的圣徒却通过他的善行来荣耀耶稣基督。无论我们在做什么——甚至吃喝或给门徒洗脚——我们都必须采取主动地在其中实现和认定耶稣基督。
生命的每个阶段都在耶稣的生命中有相对应。我们的主即使在最卑微的任务中也意识到祂与父的关系。「耶稣知道…自己是从神出来的，又要归到神那里去…拿一条毛巾束腰…就洗门徒的脚…」（约翰福音 13:3-5）。
灵性活泼强健的圣徒的目标是「使我可以认识基督…」我今天在所处环境中认识祂吗？若不，我就辜负祂了。我在这里不是为了自我实现，而是为了认识耶稣基督。在基督徒的事工中，我们的主动性和动机常常只是意识到有工作要做且我们必须去做的结果。然而，那绝不是灵性活泼强健的圣徒的态度；他的目标是在各种情况下达到实现耶稣基督。
来自章伯斯的智慧
祂将要擅自使用你的生命呢？还是你醉心于你对自己未来的构想？神对我们的生命负责，一个伟大的主旨就是不计后果地信赖祂。《蒙神悦纳》
0711 The Spiritually Vigorous Saint
…that I may know Him… —Philippians 3:10
A saint is not to take the initiative toward self-realization, but toward knowing Jesus Christ. A spiritually vigorous saint never believes that his circumstances simply happen at random, nor does he ever think of his life as being divided into the secular and the sacred. He sees every situation in which he finds himself as the means of obtaining a greater knowledge of Jesus Christ, and he has an attitude of unrestrained abandon and total surrender about him. The Holy Spirit is determined that we will have the realization of Jesus Christ in every area of our lives, and He will bring us back to the same point over and over again until we do. Self-realization only leads to the glorification of good works, whereas a saint of God glorifies Jesus Christ through his good works. Whatever we may be doing— even eating, drinking, or washing disciples’ feet— we have to take the initiative of realizing and recognizing Jesus Christ in it.
Every phase of our life has its counterpart in the life of Jesus. Our Lord realized His relationship to the Father even in the most menial task. “Jesus, knowing…that He had come from God and was going to God…took a towel…and began to wash the disciples’ feet…” (John 13:3-5).
The aim of a spiritually vigorous saint is “that I may know Him…” Do I know Him where I am today? If not, I am failing Him. I am not here for self-realization, but to know Jesus Christ. In Christian work our initiative and motivation are too often simply the result of realizing that there is work to be done and that we must do it. Yet that is never the attitude of a spiritually vigorous saint. His aim is to achieve the realization of Jesus Christ in every set of circumstances.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
Is He going to help Himself to your life, or are you taken up with your conception of what you are going to do ? God is responsible for our lives, and the one great keynote is reckless reliance upon Him. Approved Unto God, 10 R