What do I really count dear?

3月4日 我果真如此吗？

我却不以性命为念，也不看为宝贵。（徒二十24）

没有异象就去事奉神，是容易的；没有蒙召就去事奉神，也是容易的；因为你根本不需理会神的要求。头脑上的知识，加上信徒的情感就知道，你会干得很成功。心情可优悠自得，只要你从未经历神的呼召。可是，一旦你接受了耶稣基督的差使，神就整日驱策着你；那你再也不能根据头脑上的知识来为他工作。

我看什么为宝贵？我若未被主耶稣抓住，我会看事奉为宝贵，为神摆上的时间为宝贵，以我的生命为宝贵。保罗说，他看生命宝贵，只因他能完成所交托他的使命；他拒绝在任何事上花费他的精力。使徒行转二十章24节中说保罗对别人叫他顾虑自己的安慰，几乎又一种极端的烦恼；除了完成主所交托的使命外，他绝对不管别的。有时实际的工作，会取去人归向神的心，因为实际的工作是根据“记住你在这里多派用场”，“想想你在某项工作上有多难得”。这种态度没有把主耶稣作为方向的指引，却用自己的判断来决定我们在哪里最有用。千万别思量自己有没有用，却要紧记你不属于自己，乃属于主。

祈祷噢，主啊，但愿我所有的思想、情感和话语，都蕴含着爱——对你的完全之爱，并透过它来与人接触。

March 4 Could This Be True Of Me?

“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself.” Acts 20:24

It is easier to serve God without a vision, easier to work for God without a call, because then you are not bothered by what God requires; common sense is your guide, veneered over with Christian sentiment. You will be more prosperous and successful, more leisure-hearted, if you never realize the call of God. But if once you receive a commission from Jesus Christ, the memory of what God wants will always come like a goad; you will no longer be able to work for Him on the common-sense basis.

What do I really count dear? If I have not been gripped by Jesus Christ, I will count service dear, time given to God dear, my life dear unto myself. Paul says he counted his life dear only in order that he might fulfil the ministry he had received; he refused to use his energy for any other thing. Acts 20:24 states Paul's almost sublime annoyance at being asked to consider himself; he was absolutely indifferent to any consideration other than that of fulfilling the ministry he had received. Practical work may be a competitor against abandonment to God, because practical work is based on this argument – Remember how useful you are here, or – Think how much value you would be in that particular type of work. That attitude does not put Jesus Christ as the Guide as to where we should go, but our judgment as to where we are of most use. Never consider whether you are of use; but ever consider that you are not your own but His.