“骄傲在败坏以先; 狂心在跌倒之前。” 箴言 16:18
大卫王知道,如果他的民族继续骄傲,国家必然衰亡。他知道,灵命败坏的结果,必然是经济萧条、道德沦丧和军事溃败。
因此,大卫跟先贤一样,在穷途末路之时,转向神。他没有祈求神帮他击退敌人。神的灵启示大卫,民族的灵命从他自己个人的内心开始。于是,大卫竭力谦卑自己,跪在神的面前呼求:“神啊,求你鉴察我,知道我的心思, 试炼我,知道我的意念, 看在我里面有什么恶行没有, 引导我走永生的道路。” 诗篇 139:23-24
真盼望我们今天能够意识到,民族的强大与繁荣完全与每一个人息息相关,因为一个国家是由每个人组成的。这个世界本身没有问题。问题在于世界上的人。如果世界败坏,那是因为人的败坏;如果世界混乱,那是因为人的混乱。如果这是个无神的世界,那是因为人不要神。
大卫看到了这一点,他明智地决定从自己开始,做正确的事。我们每一个人都应该作出明智的决定。
今日祷告:
天父,骄傲在败坏以先,我们要在你的面前谦卑自己。 我们祈求你使我们的国家、我们的人民、我们的属灵领袖们懂得谦卑,以蒙祢的祝福; 奉耶稣的名,阿门。
March 20
THE BEST PLACE TO START
Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18
King David knew that if the tide of sinful pride continued to rise, his nation would collapse spiritually. He knew that economic depression, moral disintegration, or military defeat inevitably follow spiritual decline.
So he did what all intelligent men should do when they reach the end of their ropes-he turned to God. He stopped asking God to destroy his enemies. It was revealed to him by the Spirit of God that the spiritual tide of his nation could rise no higher than the spiritual level of his own heart. So he fell on his knees in utter humility and prayed this prayer: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).
If we today could only realize that a nation can rise no higher, can be no stronger, and can be no better than the individuals which compose that nation! There is nothing wrong with the world. The trouble lies with the world’s people. If the world is bad, it is the people who are bad. If the world is confused, it is the people in the world who are confused. If this is a godless world, it is the people who are godless.
David realized this truth; and in wisdom, he concluded that he should start making things right in himself! Each one of us needs to reach that same conclusion.
Pray for the Day:
Father, pride goes before destruction, and we humble ourselves before You. We pray that You will humble our nation, our people, our spiritual leaders, so that You will be able to bless us; in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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