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我神我愛我的永分

(2007-10-05 09:54:22) 下一个



 

(My God, My Portion, and My Love, My Everlasting All)

「我神、我愛、我的永分,你永是我一切;

My God, my portion, and my love, My everlasting all!

你外在天我有 何人 ,在地有你 無缺。」

I’ve none but Thee in Heav’n above, Or on this earthly ball.

「天上一切盡都空虛,地上更是如此!

What empty things are all the skies, And this inferior clod!

並無一物值得歡娛,能與我神相似。」

There’s nothing here deserves my joys, There’s nothing like my God.

「你是我的財富、生命,我的安穩住處;

To Thee we owe our wealth, and friends, And health, and safe abode:

其他事物,我也感領,但非我神、我主。」

Thanks to Thy Name for meaner things, But they are not my God.

「閃耀財富,與你相比,不過需空玩具!

How vain a toy is glitt’ring wealth, If once compared to Thee!

何況其他人之所倚,豈不更將人愚?」

Or what’s my safety, or my health, Or all my friends to me?

「即使全地歸我為業,群星也是我的,

Were I possessor of the earth, And called the stars my own,

若無你作我的一切,我仍可憐至極!」

Without Thy graces and Thyself, I were a wretch undone.

「讓人伸臂如同大海,籠羅一切財富;

Let others stretch their arms like seas, And grasp in all the shore,

但我只要你的同在,此外無所愛慕。」

Grant me the visits of Thy face, And I desire no more.



「除你以外,在天上我有誰呢,除你以外,在地上我也沒有所愛慕的。」(詩篇七十三篇
25 節)

「只是我先前以為與我有益的,我現在因基督都當作有損的 … 因我以認識我主基督耶穌為至寶,我為祂已經丟棄萬事,看作糞土,為要得著基督。」(腓立比書三章 7-8 節)
 

在教會恢復的歷程中,神興起了許多人為著祂的見證拼上一切。在十七、十八世紀神曾藉著教會中的清教徒帶來了復興,但漸漸地他們的後代亦冷淡退後。因此,神為著扭轉這種荒涼光景,就使用了以撒華滋( Issac Watts )及查理衛斯理( Charles Wesley )二位弟兄,賜給他們寫詩歌的恩賜。因著這些詩歌的影響,遂使當時冷淡、徒具虛名的教會再得復興,夠得上神心意的恢復,使眾聖徒大蒙恩典。無怪乎以撒華滋弟兄( Issac Watts )被歷代教會推崇為「聖詩之父」。

這首「我神、我愛、我的永分,你永是我一切」和第八十五首「我每靜念那十字架」,皆是以撒華滋一生所寫詩歌中相當著名的。這兩首詩歌同是作者因深受主愛激勵,而願將自己完全奉獻的真情流露。八十五首的第五節:「假若宇宙都歸我手,盡以奉主仍覺可羞;愛既如此奇妙、深厚,當得我心、我命所有。」和第四四一首可謂是相互輝映,相得益彰。

以撒弟兄一生的經歷就是很好的見證。一六七四年以撒生於英國安布頓一個敬虔的家庭,當他出生時,他的父親正被囚在獄中,當時英國的國教逼迫清教徒甚為殘忍,他的父親是一位清教徒獨立於教會中的執事,因著對主的忠誠,絕不肯與國教妥協,忍受了許多無理的迫害。他的父親曾先後三次入獄,以撒的母親也是清教徒的後裔,因被羅馬公教逼虐就從歐洲大陸逃到英國。她持守著「為主受苦的心志」,常抱著以撒去監獄看望父親。以撒九歲時,父親因在當地無法立足,被迫離開家,赴倫敦謀生。雖然以撒自幼就經歷著飄泊流離,忍受苦難的生活,但是他裡面屬靈的種子,在神愛的澆灌與滋潤下,卻能生長且茁壯,開花並成熟。

以撒華滋小的時候就天資聰明,在他少年時,許多有名望的人願意介紹他進入牛津大學讀書,讓他日後有機會成為英國國教的牧師,這是當時許多人所羨慕的事。然而,他卻為了主而堅決拒 絕,不願要地位、名聲、權勢,只願清心、單純的跟隨主,就像歷代的 聖 徒一樣,堅定的跟隨主,將萬事看作糞土為要贏得基督。 他終生未娶,過著孤單的生活。且一生為疾病所累,學業、事工均因此時常斷絕,尤其在世的最後三十六年,幾乎皆是在病榻上度過。但他只要身體稍適,無不立即登臺講道,盡力服事;因他深知「若無你作我的一切,我仍可憐至極!」因惟有主是「我的財富、生命,我的安穩住處。」

世界的試探與引誘對神的兒女是何等的大!甚至撒但也曾用此來試探主耶穌,然而所有認清這世界的人,都要發出如此會心的和聲:「天上一切盡都空虛,地上更是如此!並無一物值得歡娛,能與我神相似。」以撒弟兄像使徒保羅一樣,都是蒙開啟而能看萬事如糞土 … 以認識主耶穌基督為至寶的人,故他能歡然吟出「讓人伸臂如同大海,籠羅一切財富;但我只要你的同在,此外無所愛慕。」這是何等的超脫!

神既不偏待人,又樂意將祂的兒子啟示在我們心裡,就願我們更多經歷基督那測不透的豐富,好叫我們的心更被祂的美麗緊緊吸引,「耶和華是我的產業,是我杯中的分我的產業實在美好!」「你是我的主,我的好處不在你以外。」這是詩人大衛的心聲,也是以撒的見證,更是每位被主愛所鎔化的聖徒之禱告:「但我只要你的同在,此外無所愛慕。」

見證

當我對自己的生活不 夠滿意,不是因為工作不順利、賺錢比別人少;也不是書讀的不夠多,嫌自己不夠努力用功;更不是覺得自己慵懶、虛度日子,想要讓神幫我生活過得充實一點;乃是因為看到自己的虛空,看到自己的無用,看到自己所追求的,不過是世上愚弄人的玩具。真正寶貝、有價值的,乃是這位神,祂的豐富、祂的永恆、祂的無限,才真正能夠滿足想要貪得一切的心!

 當人們都在汲汲營求自己的理想,追逐自己慾望的時候,我這屬於主的人,還是跟世人一樣?還是跟以前沒有主、沒有神的時候一樣?跟著世上的人追尋永遠填不滿的私慾?我真希奇,當撒但將世上的榮華富貴呈現在主耶穌的面前,只要耶穌屈膝下拜,就能享盡世上的榮華富貴,然而主卻回答 說:「當拜主 你的神。」 ( 太四 8~10 ,路四 5~8) 世上的一切全都是屬於這位神的。然而我們常被撒但所矇騙,像世人一樣有著愚昧的心,看不清真實,不知道真相,惟有我的主不為利益所搖動,不被撒但所欺騙。哦,有神就 夠了,祂是一切供應的源頭!

 更讓我感動的,竟然神可以成為我的,我所需要的 祂都會滿足。在跟隨主的日子,我日常所需用、所花費的,我所需要的安穩住所、健康身體,甚至連裏面的安息、飽足與喜樂,祂都能顧到,祂都能供應。祂自己就是 我的永分,是我一切所需的實際,是我永遠的滿足。 祂以外的一切都是短暫會過去的,只有祂是永不過去的!就如詩歌最後一節所說的,讓人伸臂如同大海,籠羅一切財富;但我只要神的同在,此外無所愛慕。願神能時常開啟我的心,讓我看的清明適度,看見神永遠的價值,只願神能與我同在,讓我能夠清心的愛主,不再愛慕其他的事物。

― 摘自
劉聖儒 詩歌賞析

Watts’ father was Nonconformist imprisoned twice for his religious views. Isaac learned Greek, Latin, and Hebrew under Mr. Pinhorn , Rector of All Saints, and headmaster of the Grammar School in Southampton. Isaac’s taste for verse showed itself in early childhood, and his promise caused a local doctor and other friends to offer him a university education, assuming he would be ordained in the Church of England. However, Isaac declined and instead entered a Nonconformist Academy at Stoke Newington in 1690, under the care of Thomas Rowe, pastor of the Independent congregation at Girdlers’ Hall; Isaac joined this congregation in 1693.

Watts left the Academy at age 20 and spent two years at home; it was during this period that he wrote the bulk of his Hymns and Spiritual Songs. They were sung from manuscripts in the Southampton Chapel, and published 1707-1709.

The next six years of his life were again spent at Stoke Newington, working as tutor to the son of eminent Puritan John Hartopp . The intense study of these years is reflected in the theological and philosophical material he subsequently published.

Watts preached his first sermon at age 24. In the next three years, he preached frequently, and in 1702 was ordained as pastor of the Independent congregation in Mark Lane. At that time he moved into the house of a Mr. Hollis in the Minories . His health began to fail the next year, and Samuel Price was appointed as his assistant in the ministry. In 1712, a fever shattered his constitution, and Price became co-pastor of the congregation, which had moved to a new chapel in Bury Street. It was at this time that Isaac became the guest of Sir Thomas Abney. He lived with Abney (and later Abney’s widow) the rest of his life, mainly at Theobalds in Hertfordshire, then for 13 years at Stoke Newington.

In 1728, the University of Edinburgh awarded Watts a Doctor of Divinity degree. Watts’ works include:

• Speculations on the Human Nature of the Logos

• Horæ Lyricae , 1706-1709

• Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1707-9

• The Divine and Moral Songs for the Use of Children, 1715

• The Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament (London: J. Clark, 1719)

• Sermons, 1721-1727

• Reliquiae Juveniles: Miscellaneous Thoughts in Prose and Verse, on Natural, Moral, and Divine Subjects (London: 1734)

• Remnants of Time (London: 1736)

• The Improvement of the Mind, 1741

• Logic

• The World to Come, 1745

• Catechisms, Scripture History, 1732






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