那临到我们众人的乃是神的怜悯。我们没有一个人的光景与神的恩典相称。我们十分贫穷、十分可怜，需要神的怜悯如同一座桥梁，将我们与神连接起来。将我们带到神恩典里的，乃是祂的怜悯。我们何等需要领悟这点，并为着神的怜悯敬拜祂！甚至现今，我们得救并有分于祂生命的丰富之后，我们在某些方面仍处于一种光景，需要神的怜悯如同桥梁把缺口连接起来。因这缘故，希伯来四章十六节说，首先我们需要受怜悯，然后我们才能得恩典，作应时的帮助。哦，我们何等需要祂的怜悯！我们必须宝贵神的怜悯，像珍赏祂的恩典一样。使我们够资格有分于神恩典的，总是神的怜悯。
这样看来，“这不在于那定意的，也不在于那奔跑的，只在于那施怜悯的神”“罗九16”我们的观念是，定意的会得着他所定意要得着的，奔跑的会得着他所追求的。情形若是这样，神的拣选就会照着我们的努力和劳苦。但情形并不是这样；这完全在于那施怜悯的神。我们不需要定意或奔跑，因为神怜悯我们。我们若认识神的怜悯，就不会信靠我们的努力；我们也不会因着我们的失败而失望。对于我们苦恼的光景，盼望乃在于神的怜悯。
“因为经上对法老说，‘我特意将你兴起来，为要在你身上显示我的权能，并要使我的名传遍全地’”（罗九17）。神在法老身上显示祂的权能（不是祂的怜悯），为使祂的名传遍全地。这表明甚至神的仇敌在完成祂的旨意上，对祂也是有用的。十八节说，“这样看来，神愿意向谁施怜悯，就向谁施怜悯；愿意叫谁刚硬，就叫谁刚硬”对此我们该说甚么？我们甚么都不该说，只该敬拜神的道路。每件事都在于祂要作甚么。
每日一问：在我们软弱、失败或觉得不行的时候，我们是靠自己的努力，还是转向神的怜悯？
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God’s Selection – It Is God’s Mercy (2) – Rom. 9:16-18
That which comes to us all is God’s mercy. Not one of our conditions is commensurate with God’s grace. We are all very poor and very pitiful, needing God’s mercy like a bridge to connect us to God. What brings us into God’s grace is His mercy. How we need to realize this and worship Him for His mercy! Even now, after we have been saved and have partaken of the riches of His life, we are still in a condition in some aspects that needs God’s mercy as a bridge to span the gap. For this reason, Hebrews 4:16 says that we first need to receive mercy, and then we can obtain grace for timely help. Oh, how we need His mercy! We must treasure God’s mercy just as we treasure His grace. It is always God’s mercy that qualifies us to partake of God’s grace.
“So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy” (Rom. 9:16). Our concept is that he who wills will obtain what he wills to obtain, and he who runs will obtain what he pursues. If this were the case, God’s selection would be according to our efforts and labor. But this is not the case; it is entirely of the God who shows mercy. We do not need to will or to run, because God has mercy on us. If we know God’s mercy, we will not trust in our efforts; nor will we be disappointed by our failures. For our distressing condition, the hope lies in God’s mercy.
“For the scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaim throughout the whole earth.’” (Rom. 9:17). God displayed His power (not His mercy) in Pharaoh to make His name known throughout the earth. This shows that even God’s enemies are useful to Him in fulfilling His purpose. Verse 18 says, “So then He has mercy on whom He will, and whom He will He hardens.” What should we say to this? We should say nothing, but only worship God’s way. Everything depends on what He wants to do.
Daily Question: When we are weak, failing, or feeling that we cannot go on, do we rely on our own efforts, or do we turn to God’s mercy?