害怕死去的麦子
孤单，但不是独自一人
经文
约翰福音十六19-33
19耶稣看出他们要问他，就说：我说等不多时，你们就不得见我；再等不多时，你们还要见我，你们为这话彼此相问吗？
20我实实在在的告诉你们，你们将要痛哭、哀号，世人倒要喜乐；你们将要忧愁，然而你们的忧愁要变为喜乐。
21妇人生产的时候就忧愁，因为他的时候到了；既生了孩子，就不再记念那苦楚，因为欢喜世上生了一个人。
22你们现在也是忧愁，但我要再见你们，你们的心就喜乐了；这喜乐也没有人能夺去。
23到那日，你们甚么也就不问我了。我实实在在的告诉你们，你们若向父求甚么，他必因我的名赐给你们。
24向来你们没有奉我的名求甚么，如今你们求，就必得着，叫你们的喜乐可以满足。
25这些事，我是用比喻对你们说的；时候将到，我不再用比喻对你们说，乃要将父明明的告诉你们。
26到那日，你们要奉我的名祈求；我并不对你们说，我要为你们求父。
27父自己爱你们；因为你们已经爱我，又信我是从父出来的。
28我从父出来，到了世界；我又离开世界，往父那里去。
29门徒说：如今你是明说，并不用比喻了。
30现在我们晓得你凡事都知道，也不用人问你，因此我们信你是从神出来的。
31耶稣说：现在你们信吗？
32看哪，时候将到，且是已经到了，你们要分散，各归自己的地方去，留下我独自一人；其实我不是独自一人，因为有父与我同在。
33我将这些事告诉你们，是要叫你们在我里面有平安。在世上，你们有苦难；但你们可以放心，我已经胜了世界。
信息分享
让我们再多花一天的时间来思想孤单这个题目。经过数天的思想，我们清楚地明白，在孤单的时候我们最能将自己交给神，学习怎样全然和完全的倚靠祂。
我越阅读那些为神成就了大事的人的传记，就越能明白他们对神那种深刻的认识很多时候都是源自十分孤单的时刻。正是在这些时刻，「让人满有惊喜的神」显现了自己，让他们明白祂的恩典和能力，是他们以其他方式所不能明白的。神的荣耀不是在最黑暗时才最有力地穿透天空吗？神的力量不是在我们最软弱和最不足时最能支持我们吗？神的爱不是在我们感到最缺乏爱、与别人最隔离时才深刻地渗透我们吗？
当我们准备好向自己的私欲死去，乐意无惧地跟随我们的主，走祂认为是对我们最好的道路时，我们就会经历到不仅是暂时，更是永恒的赏赐。落在地里死了的种子能够带来丰富的收成。很多基督徒不能在生命中结出很多的果子，是因为他们害怕或者不愿意在各种事情上全然委身于神的旨意。我们想自救，可是结果是怎样？结果是我们并不喜欢这个自救的自己。尽管路上有千百种困难，神的道路仍是最好的，这是绝对不会错的！
「神的荣耀在最黑暗时才最有力地穿透天空」
进深研究
约十一1-46，十四18；来十三5
1. 马利亚和马大在孤单的时刻感到怎么样？
2. 耶稣告诉她们甚么？
祈祷
神我的天父啊，求您给我耶稣的勇气，祂虽然经历孤单，与别人隔绝，却继续实行您完美的旨意。求您今天在我里面增强那份信念，相信我在与您同行时，也许感到孤单但不是独自一人。阿们。
The Corn of Wheat Afraid to Die
Lonely - but not alone
Bible reading:
John 16:19-33
19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, "Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me'?
20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.
21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.
22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
25 "Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father.
26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf.
27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.
28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."
29 Then Jesus' disciples said, "Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech.
30 Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God."
31 "Do you now believe?" Jesus replied.
32 "A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Message
We spend one last day looking at the issue of loneliness. Our meditations on this subject have made one thing clear - it is in the periods of loneliness that we most abandon ourselves to God and learn how to depend upon Him utterly and completely.
The more I read the biographies of those who have achieved great things for God, the more I realise that their deep knowledge of Him came, in part, out of moments of profound loneliness. It was in such moments that "the God of remarkable surprises" revealed Himself and gave them an understanding of His grace and power such as they could never otherwise have known. Is it not true that God's glory bursts through most powerfully when the sky is at its darkest? Does not His strength uphold us most when we are feeling weak and inadequate? And does not His love penetrate most deeply when we feel unloved or isolated from others?
When we are prepared to die to our own interests and are willing to follow our Lord fearlessly along the path which He sees is best for us, we experience, not just temporal, but eternal rewards. The seed that falls into the ground and dies is the one that yields a rich and bountiful harvest. Many of us fail to be fruitful in our Christian life and experience because we are afraid or unwilling to face the issues which demand a whole-hearted commitment to the will of God. We save ourselves - and then what? We finish up by not liking the self we have saved. Make no mistake about it - God's way is best, even though a thousand hardships beset the path.
"God's glory bursts through most powerfully when the sky is darkest"
Prayer
O God my Father, give me the courage of Jesus who, despite His loneliness and isolation, went on to achieve Your perfect will. Quicken within me today the sense that when I am walking with You I may feel lonely, but I am never alone. Amen.
Further study
John 11:1-46; 14:18
Hebrews 13:5
1. How did it seem to Mary and Martha in their moment of loneliness?
2. What did Jesus say to them?
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