经文:似乎忧愁,却常常喜乐;似乎贫穷,却叫许多人富足;似乎一无所有,却拥有万有。(林后六10)
申命记说到,这些水是从谷中,从山里流出来的。这是什么意思?很明显的,没有谷和山,就没有水流出来。如果全地是平原,就没有水可流出来。那么,这些谷和山是什么呢?在林后六章八至十节,保罗题到许多对比的事:荣耀、羞辱;恶名、美名;似乎不为人所知,却是人所共知的;似乎在死,却活着;似乎受管教,却不被治死;似乎忧愁,却常常喜乐;似乎贫穷,却叫许多人富足;似乎一无所有,却拥有万有。这些对比的事乃是谷和山。『荣耀』是山,『羞辱』是谷;『恶名』是谷,『美名』是山;『似乎忧愁』是谷,『常常喜乐』是山;『似乎贫穷』是谷,『叫许多人富足』是山。所有的谷都是十字架,是基督死的经历;而所有的山都是主复活的经历。谷是十字架,山是复活。我们必须常有难处,常有谷;但也常在山上,常在复活的经历里。每一次有谷,必定有山;每一次我们经历十字架的死,必定经历复活。活水是从这一切经历中流出来的,并且这经历先是谷,后是山。首先接触水流的地方是在谷中,然后溯流而上到达源头,就发现水是从山里涌流出来。水流是在谷中,水源是在山中。当我们在各种患难中经历基督,应用基督,就有所得着。这不仅使我们自己清爽,还要流出来滋润别人。
你若能在困难和试炼时经历基督,从你里面不知道要流出多少东西到别人身上。这是在平安之时或快乐之中所作不到的。乃是在忧愁、疾病、困难的日子经历基督,你才有活的水流去滋润别人。每一个死亡的处境能带出更大清凉的水流来。不只有山,并且有谷;不只有谷,并且有山。我们需要多有主死的经历,也多有主复活的经历,然后我们才能满有泉、源和流。
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Water Flowing Out from the Valleys of the Good Land – 2 Cor. 6:10
Deuteronomy says that these waters flowed from the valleys and the mountains. What does this mean? Obviously, there would be no water flowing out without valleys and mountains. If the whole land were a plain, there would be no water to flow out of it. So, what are these valleys and mountains? In 2 Corinthians 6:8-10, Paul mentioned many contrasting things: glory and dishonor; evil report and good report; unknown and yet well known, dying and yet be alive, being disciplined and yet not being put to death, made sorrowful yet always rejoicing, poor yet enriching many, having nothing and yet possessing all things. These contrasting things are valleys and mountains: “Glory” is the mountain, “dishonor” is the valley; “unknown” is the valley, “well known” is the mountain; “made sorrowful” is the valley, “always rejoicing” is the mountain; “poor” is the valley, “enriching many” is the mountain.
All valleys are crosses, which are the experience of Christ’s death; and all mountains are the experience of the Lord’s resurrection. The valley is the cross and the mountain is the resurrection. We always have difficulties (valleys); but we must also always be on the mountain to experience the resurrection. Every time there is a valley, there must be a mountain; every time we experience the death of the cross, there must be an experience of the resurrection. Living water flows from all these experiences, and the sequence of the experience is the valley first and then the mountain. The first place where you come into contact with the water is in the valley, and then you go upstream to the source to find the water is flowing out of the mountains. The water flows in the valleys and the water sources are in the mountains. When we experience and apply Christ in various trials, we gain something. This not only refreshes ourselves, but also flows out to nourish others.
If you experience Christ in times of difficulty and trial, there is no telling how much will flow out from your inner being to others. This cannot be done in times of peace or joyfulness. It is only by experiencing Christ in the days of sorrow, illness and difficulty that you may have the living water to nourish others. Every situation of death can bring forth a greater flow of cooling water. There are not only mountains, but also valleys; not only valleys, but also mountains. We need to have more experiences of the Lord’s death and more experiences of the Lord’s resurrection. Only then can we be full of rivers, fountains and springs.