0831 我的喜乐…你的喜乐
这些事我已经对你们说了，是要叫我的喜乐，存在你们心里，并叫你们的喜乐可以满足。《约翰福音15:11》
耶稣有的喜乐是什么呢？喜乐不应该与快乐混淆。事实上，将快乐这个词与耶稣基督联系在一起，是对祂的侮辱。耶稣的喜乐是祂对天父绝对的自我降服和自我牺牲——做天父差祂去做的事的喜乐——「…他因那摆在前面的喜乐，就轻看羞辱，忍受了十字架的苦难…」（希伯来书12:2）。 「我的神啊，我乐意照你的旨意行…」（诗篇 40:8）。耶稣祷告我们的喜乐能够日趋完备，直到它成为与祂相同的喜乐。我是否允许耶稣基督将祂的喜乐介绍给我？
活出丰满而涌流的生命，并不在于身体的健康、环境，甚至也不在于看到神的工作成就，而是在于完全理解神，以及与神的相交和合一，如耶稣自己所享受的一样。但阻碍这种喜乐的第一件事，是过多思虑我们的处境而引起细微不易察觉的烦躁。耶稣说：「…世上的思虑…把道挤住了，就不能结实。」（马可福音 4:19）。甚至在我们意识到发生了什么事之前，我们就已被忧虑缠绕。神为我们所做的一切都只是门槛——祂希望我们到达一个地方，是我们成为祂的见证人并传扬耶稣是谁。
与神保持正确的关系，在那里找到你的喜乐，那么从你就「要流出活水的江河」（约翰福音7:38）。要成为泉源，是耶稣可以倾倒祂的「活水」的泉源。不要再假冒伪善和骄傲，只注意自己，要活出「你们的生命，那是与基督一同藏在神里面」（歌罗西书 3:3）。一个与神有正确关系的人，无论走到哪里，都会过着像呼吸一样自然的生活。那些曾是你最大祝福的生命，就是那些没有意识到自己是个祝福的人的生命。
来自章伯斯的智慧
亚伯拉罕信神的伟大之处，乃在于他预备好为神做任何事。《不知往何处去》
0831 My Joy…Your Joy
These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. —John 15:11
What was the joy that Jesus had? Joy should not be confused with happiness. In fact, it is an insult to Jesus Christ to use the word happiness in connection with Him. The joy of Jesus was His absolute self-surrender and self-sacrifice to His Father— the joy of doing that which the Father sent Him to do— “…who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross…” (Hebrews 12:2). “I delight to do Your will, O my God…” (Psalm 40:8). Jesus prayed that our joy might continue fulfilling itself until it becomes the same joy as His. Have I allowed Jesus Christ to introduce His joy to me?
Living a full and overflowing life does not rest in bodily health, in circumstances, nor even in seeing God’s work succeed, but in the perfect understanding of God, and in the same fellowship and oneness with Him that Jesus Himself enjoyed. But the first thing that will hinder this joy is the subtle irritability caused by giving too much thought to our circumstances. Jesus said, “…the cares of this world,…choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). And before we even realize what has happened, we are caught up in our cares. All that God has done for us is merely the threshold— He wants us to come to the place where we will be His witnesses and proclaim who Jesus is.
Have the right relationship with God, finding your joy there, and out of you “will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). Be a fountain through which Jesus can pour His “living water.” Stop being hypocritical and proud, aware only of yourself, and live “your life…hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). A person who has the right relationship with God lives a life as natural as breathing wherever he goes. The lives that have been the greatest blessing to you are the lives of those people who themselves were unaware of having been a blessing.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
The great point of Abraham’s faith in God was that he was prepared to do anything for God.
—Not Knowing Whither