Oct 26

"He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when evening was come, he was there alone" (Matt. 14:23)

The man Christ Jesus felt the need of perfect solitude━Himself alone, entirely by Himself, alone with Himself. We know how much intercourse with men draws us away from ourselves and exhausts our powers. The man Christ Jesus knew this, too, and felt the need of being by Himself again, of gathering all His powers, of realizing fully His high destiny, His human weakness, His entire dependence on the Father.

How much more does the child of God need this━himself alone with spiritual realities, himself alone with God the Father. If ever there were one who could dispense with special seasons for solitude and fellowship, it was our Lord. But He could not do His work or maintain His fellowship in full power, without His quiet time.

Would God that every servant of His understood and practiced this blessed art, and that the Church knew how to train its children into some sense of this high and holy privilege, that every believer may and must have his time when he is indeed himself alone with God. Oh, the thought to have God all alone to myself, and to know that God has me all alone to Himself!━Andrew Murray

Lamertine speaks in one of his books of a secluded walk in his garden where his mother always spent a certain hour of the day, upon which nobody ever dreamed for a moment of intruding. It was the holy garden of the Lord to her. Poor souls that have no such Beulah land! Seek thy private chamber, Jesus says. It is in the solitude that we catch the mystic notes that issue from the soul of things.

【A MEDITATION】

My soul, practice being alone with Christ! It is written that when they were alone He expounded all things to His disciples.(Mk.4:34) Do not wonder at the saying; it is true to thine experience. If thou wouldst understand thyself send the multitude away. Let them go out one by one till thou art left alone with Jesus......Has thou ever pictured thyself the one remaining creature in the earth, the one remaining creature in all the starry worlds?

In such a universe thine every thought would be "God and I! God and I!" And yet He is as near to thee as that━as near as if in the boundless spaces there throbbed no heart but His and thine. Practice that solitude, O my soul! Practice the expulsion of the crowd! Practice the stillness of thine own heart! Practice the solemn refrain "God and I! God and I!" Let none interpose between thee and thy wrestling angel! Thou shalt be both condemned and pardoned when thou shalt meet Jesus alone! ━George Matheson

十月二十六日

「散了众人以后，他就独自上山去祷告。到了晚上，只有祂一人在那里。」 （太十四:23）

主耶稣在世为人的时候，常喜欢独自与神亲近。我们都知道与人交接是一件多么费力的事情！主耶稣也知道，所以祂需要机会去恢复祂的能力。祂在世上为人，所以祂有人的疲乏。

主既如此，何况我们呢？我们岂不更需要单独与父神亲近么？如果有甚么人能例外━不需要与神单独亲近━的话，这人定规是主耶稣。如今主既不能一直工作，毫不安息，那么，就没有人能了。

但愿每一个神的仆人看见这个功课的重要！但愿神的教会知道怎样训练信徒夺取这无上的权利！但愿每一个信徒都有时间单独与神亲近！━慕安得烈

栾莫丁在一本书上告诉我们：在他花园里有一处极隐密的地方，他的母亲每天必到那里去安静一小时；这地方是从来没有人会进去打扰的。亲爱的读者！也许你要说：你没有这样安静的地方。不要紧，主耶稣说，进入你的内屋！在那里我们必会听见神秘的音乐。━选

【默 想】

信徒阿，你当学习单独与主亲近！经上记着说：「若不用比喻，就不对他们讲。没有人的时侯，就把一切的道讲给门徒听。」（可四:34）你不要希奇，你自己也可以这样经历的。如果你要明白，你只消把众人散开，让他们一个一个出去，直等到只剩下你和主...

这时候，你每一个思想会变成「神和我！神和我！」神和你会非常接近━接近得好似在这无涯的宇宙中，除了祂的心和你的心在跳动以外，没有别的东西了。哦，信徒阿，学习这个！学习退避群众！学习内心的安静！学习歌唱「神和我！神和我！」不让一个人来插入你和天使的摔跤！━马德胜
关键字:荒漠甘泉
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