經過這麼多天的思想，哪怕是初信主的基督徒，也應該明白如果我們好像「害怕死去的麥子」一樣，從苦難的深坑中退縮，我們仍是會感到孤單，不僅是孤單，也不能結出果子。有人說：「神在使用任何人之前，必先令他們經歷苦難和痛苦。」這是多麼強而有力的話。你有沒有發現自己在讀這些話時感到退縮？我就有這種感覺。事實上，在面對屬靈考驗的時候有退縮的表現並沒有錯，神會明白人的感受。

不過，問題不在退縮，而是在跟從。我們是否願意向主敞開我們的心說：「請按您的旨意對待我」？如何能夠做到這一點呢？唯一的方法是我們專心思想神的方法，神是不會容許我們經歷任何事情、而不提供我們能夠忍受的恩典；神會把考驗化成見證，永恆地榮耀祂，令我們的品格更像祂。

要記得，耶穌在地上以曠野的經驗來開始祂的事工，並以復活節的早晨來作結束。祂在今天的經文告訴門徒：「你們心裡不要憂愁」，不是因為他們可以免受困難，而是因為他們要「信神」。相信神不會讓你免受苦難，但卻會通過苦難來拯救你──苦難可以成為救贖的工具。請謹記，你不流血便不能蒙受祝福，沒有經歷苦難便不能得到援助。

「神會將考驗化為見證」

進深研究
太二十七27-49；路九22；林後一3-4

1. 請列出耶穌曾忍受的侮辱。
2. 這些侮辱你可以忍受多少？

祈禱
天父，我明白拒絕降服於您的計劃、不願意付出代價的話，就等於選擇了死寂和死亡。今天我要選擇生命，我要成為那顆不害怕、願意死去的「麥子」。求您幫助我。奉耶穌的名祈求，阿們。

The Corn of Wheat Afraid to Die

Day 271

The triumphant attitude

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me." (v.1)

Bible reading:
John 14:1-14

1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me.

2 My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

4 You know the way to the place where I am going."

5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"

6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

7 If you really know me, you will know[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."

9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.

11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Message

By now it should be fairly obvious to even the newest disciple of Christ that if, like a "corn of wheat afraid to die", we shrink back from being ploughed into the red furrows of suffering, we shall remain alone - alone, and unfruitful. Someone has said, "God never uses anyone unless He puts them through the test of suffering and pain." Strong words. Do you find yourself flinching as you read them? I do. Yet it is not wrong to flinch at the approach of a spiritual test. God knows how you feel.

The issue, however, is not about flinching; it is about following. Are we willing to open our hearts to the Lord and say: "Do to me as You will"? I suggest the only way we will be able to do that is when we have the thought clearly fixed in our minds that God will never allow us to go through anything without providing all the grace we need to bear it, and will turn the test into a testimony that will eternally glorify Him and make our characters more like His.

Jesus, remember, began His ministry here on earth with a wilderness experience, and ended it with an Easter morning. He told His disciples in the text before us today, "Let not your hearts be troubled", not because they were to be protected from troubles, but because they were to "trust in God". Faith in God will not save you from suffering, but it will save you through it - the suffering can be made into an instrument of redemption. Remember, you cannot bless without bleeding, and you cannot succour until you have suffered.

"God will turn the test into a testimony"

Prayer
O Father, I see that refusing to pay the ultimate price of surrendering to Your purposes is to choose deadness and death. Today I choose life. I am a "corn of wheat" not afraid, but willing to die. Help me, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Further study
Matthew 27:27-49
Luke 9:22
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

1. List the indignities Christ suffered.
2. How many can you identify with?

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