進入深處

經文: 「把船開到水深之處。」（路五4）

       主今天也要我們進入深處，多少深，祂沒有說。深的程度是看我們離岸──世界──多少遠，我的需要多少大而定的。魚在深處可以得到，在淺水中卻得不到。

       主要我們在經文中進入深處那裡，聖靈能夠光照我們，使我們看見裡面有洋海那樣大的意義。

       主要我們在救恩中進入深處；以前我們只知道耶穌赦免我們的罪。進入深處之後，我們就知到耶穌把我們從罪惡中救出來。以前我們只懂耶穌為我們死，進入深處之後，我們就承認基督的寶血，是我們靈魂和身體的香膏、食物和醫藥。

       主要我們在上帝的旨意中進入深處；以前我們頂難尋求上帝的旨意，進入深處之後，便頂容易了。以前我們只能知道祂的旨意，進入深處，我們就能明瞭祂的美意了。

       主要我們在屬靈經歷中進入深處；那裡我們纔會看世界如糞土，看主為至寶；那裡我們纔會看見仇敵的兇暴，恩主的慈愛；那裡我們纔會看見撒但的勢力，上帝的權能。

       主要我們在聖靈中進入深處，直到有一天，我們能在祂裡面沐浴、呼吸….在祂的同在中失去自己；直到祂成了我們禱告的答應，最關心，最溫柔的導師，最渴慕的需要。

       主要我們在上帝的目的和國度中進入深處，直到主的再來，直到我們與主同在千年國中掌權；直到我們的眼睛一看見光，我們的心就會因著將來與主同在的喜樂和榮耀跳動。──譯自靈食（Soul Food）

       今天你願不願意浸沉在生命水裡？以西結所見的異象中的水，起初是由殿的門檻下流出來的，後來手拿準繩量了以後，水到踝子骨了。再量一次，水到膝。再量一次水，便到腰。後來竟成了可洑的水──不可逿的河了（讀結四十七章）。在這生命的水裡，我們已經前進了多少？讓我們沉浸在這生命的水泉裡沐浴，把我們自己藏起來，不被看見。讓我們離岸進深。不要忘記，那手拿準繩的，今天仍和我們同在。

       信徒阿，你覺得目前的生活太淺麼？你肯不肯離岸？你有沒有感覺進到深處的需要？靠著上帝的恩典進入深處罷！

Into the Deep

Scripture: "Launch out into the deep" (Luke 5:4).

       How deep He does not say. The depth into which we launch will depend upon how perfectly we have given up the shore, and the greatness of our need, and the apprehension of our possibilities. The fish were to be found in the deep, not in the shallow water.

       So with us; our needs are to be met in the deep things of God. We are to launch out into the deep of God's Word, which the Spirit can open up to us in such crystal fathomless meaning that the same words we have accepted in times past will have an ocean meaning in them, which renders their first meaning to us very shallow.

       Into the deep of the Atonement, until Christ's precious blood is so illuminated by the Spirit that it becomes an omnipotent balm, and food and medicine for the soul and body.

       Into the deep of the Father's will, until we apprehend it in its infinite minuteness and goodness, and its far-sweeping provision and care for us.

       Into the deep of the Holy Spirit, until He becomes a bright, dazzling, sweet, fathomless summer sea, in which we bathe and bask and breathe, and lose ourselves and our sorrows in the calmness and peace of His everlasting presence.

       Into the deep of the Holy Spirit, until He becomes a bright, marvelous answer to prayer, the most careful and tender guidance, the most thoughtful anticipation of our needs, the most accurate and supernatural shaping of our events.

       Into the deep of God's purposes and coming kingdom, until the Lord's coming and His millennial reign are opened up to us; and beyond these the bright entrancing ages on ages unfold themselves, until the mental eye is dazed with light, and the heart flutters with inexpressible anticipations of its joy with Jesus and the glory to be revealed.

       Into all these things, Jesus bids us launch. He made us and He made the deep, and to its fathomless depths He has fitted our longings and capabilities. --Soul Food

       The deep waters of the Holy Spirit are always accessible, because they are always proceeding. Will you not this day claim afresh to be immersed and drenched in these waters of life? The waters in Ezekiel's vision first of all oozed from under the doors of the temple. Then the man with the measuring line measured and found the waters to the ankles. Still further measurement, and they were waters to the knees. Once again they were measured and the waters were to the loins. Then they became waters to swim in--a river that could not be passed over. (Read Ezekiel 47). How far have we advanced into this river of life? The Holy Spirit would have a complete self effacement. Not merely ankle-deep, knee-deep, loin-deep, but self-deep. We ourselves hidden out of sight and bathed in this life-giving stream. Let go the shore-lines and launch out into the deep. Never forget, the Man with the measuring line is with us today. --J.G.M.