單獨親近上帝

經文: 「只剩下雅各一人；有一個人來和他摔跤，直到黎明。」（創卅二24）

        剩下一人！我們各人對於這四個字都有不同的感覺。有人剩下一人時感覺何等孤單寂寞；有人剩下一人時感覺幽靜、可得安息。總之，剩下一人而沒有上帝同在，是太淒涼的事；剩下一人而有主同在的話，是預嘗天上的光景。如果上帝的兒女，能多和祂單獨接觸，我們都要變作屬靈的偉人了。

        我們的主給我們作了一個榜樣。多少次數祂單獨親近上帝，祂吩咐我們：「你禱告的時候，要進到你的內屋，關上門。」（太六6）其目的乃是要我們單獨親近上帝。

        以利亞和以利沙最大的神蹟，乃是單獨親近上帝的時候出現的。雅各在單獨親近上帝的時候，成為一個王子（以色列的意思就是王子）。約書亞單獨親近上帝的時候，得到勝利的把握。基甸和耶弗他在單獨親近上帝的時候，得到上帝的遺徵。摩西獨自在曠野中的時候，看見上帝的異象。哥尼流在獨自禱告的時候，看見天使。彼得在房頂上與上帝單獨接觸的時候，受上帝託付到外邦人中去。施洗約翰獨自在曠野；耶穌所愛的門徒約翰獨自在拔摩海島上，孤單中他最接近上帝，所以得到上帝最大的啟示。

        讓我們貪戀單獨和上帝親近。如果我們把這件事忽略了，我們就要失去樹和枝子的交通、能力，以及天上各樣屬靈的福氣。這是何等大的損失呢？並且我們不但剝奪了自己的祝福，也剝奪了別人的祝福，因為在我們自己得到祝福的時候，我們纔能帶祝福給別人。單獨親近上帝也許要減少我們外面的工作，但是單獨親近上帝會給我們更大的能力，結果我們就會「不見一人，只見耶穌在那裡」。（太十七8）──選　 

Alone With God

Scripture: "And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day" (Gen. 32:24).

        Left alone! What different sensations those words conjure up to each of us. To some they spell loneliness and desolation, to others rest and quiet. To be left alone without God, would be too awful for words, but to be left alone with Him is a foretaste of Heaven! If His followers spent more time alone with Him, we should have spiritual giants again.

        The Master set us an example. Note how often He went to be alone with God; and He had a mighty purpose behind the command, "When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray."

        The greatest miracles of Elijah and Elisha took place when they were alone with God. It was alone with God that Jacob became a prince; and just there that we, too, may become princes--"men (aye, and women too!) wondered at" (Zech. 3:8). Joshua was alone when the Lord came to him. (Josh. 1:1) Gideon and Jephthah were by themselves when commissioned to save Israel. (Judges 6:11 and 11:29) Moses was by himself at the wilderness bush. (Exodus 3:1-5) Cornelius was praying by himself when the angel came to him. (Acts 10:2) No one was with Peter on the house top, when he was instructed to go to the Gentiles. (Acts 10:9) John the Baptist was alone in the wilderness (Luke 1:90), and John the Beloved alone in Patmos, when nearest God. (Rev. 1:9)

        Covet to get alone with God. If we neglect it, we not only rob ourselves, but others too, of blessing, since when we are blessed we are able to pass on blessing to others. It may mean less outside work; it must mean more depth and power, and the consequence, too, will be "they saw no man save Jesus only."